Maboh 15, 1883.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



129 



Guinea Fowl AS Game Birds:— I will give you my 

 persona] experience. Iu the year 1856. living in Dearborn 

 county, Southern fodiana, on a farm that was not being 

 cultivated I bought a large number of common domestic 

 fowl, also about one dozen guinea fowls. At first the guinea 

 fowls stayed around the barns with, the others In a short 

 lime wemissed them. I Iccasionalljj during the summer we 

 would hear them in the neighboring fields, which were 

 grown up with high weeds. In the month of September, 

 while out with m.y dug uud gun niter quail, I noticed the 

 setter act iu a etrauge milliner, He would come to a point 

 and then start on again. Finally i be dog flushed a guinea 

 fowl: soon afterward two more I caine to the conclusion 

 that they were my own birds, as there was no other house 

 within half a mile Soon my dog came to a very stanch 

 point; I walked in and put upa guinea, and shot and killed 

 it. In one hour's timelshot lour more. This being ail 1 

 wished. I returned to the house During the fall mouths at 

 different times 1 shot l'on.y-une guineas, and had capital 

 sport When the weather got cold, in December, the rest of 

 the guineas came up to the bouse i I should judge at least I hirty 

 bints) and roosted in die hams and sheds with Ihe other 

 fowls. As a gaim bird e i ipit&l sport, being 



somewhat quicker in flight than the prairie chicken, to 

 which their habits are very similar, only that when the 

 weeds are dry they would run a long distance before, taking 

 flight. Their flesh is unite daik and when young they are 

 very fine eating. 1 prefer them to the prairie chicken, — 

 Brad. 



Maikb Lvw 

 ten ffbmJ and 

 lias been making somi 

 Have proved verj effei 



quis Game and Fish Prr 

 transportation of a qui 

 and Tuesday. February 

 teen venison saddle-: a 

 (fraud Jury being in ■- 

 dieted, but up to this ii 

 officers. They ab,eondi 

 lion that tl 

 being unus 

 public sent 

 prosermioi 

 work. Tli 

 appropiiat 



EntorcilD— Monsull 



In mi; Warden Mow 



March B, 1883.— Edi- 

 of Eddiugton, Me.. 



to this region, which 

 aubersof the Piscata- 



- informed him of the 

 • en route for Boston, 



them and seized thir- 

 iffice in Dexter. The 



be bad the parlies in- 



alh 



which is a an 

 bill before On 



the Fish 



5,000 to $7.50(1 will undoubtedly lie 





rand b 



v the 



' "' , 



ed infc 



ne law 



rrna- 





in fax 

 era in 

 the a. 



iii ml 



ok 



their 

 mud 



imi 



law 



sions 

 -J. F 



from 



S, 



M asm: ii cse'l is. — Taunton, Mass.. March 10. — Editor 

 Forest a iid st re-it m : I clip the following from the recent issue 

 of a Cape Cod paper, the Harwich Itulipnai' nt: "'Mr. C. A. 

 Cahoon is getting signal urts to the following petition: 'To 

 the Honorable Senate and House of Representative: ass 

 bled: We the undersigned, do hereby ask your honorable 

 body lor a special act prohibiting tile "shooting or taking in 

 any' way any wild duck, commonly called black duck, by 

 the use of decoys, whether wood decoys, live duck decoys, 

 or decoys of any kind, at any season of any yea: except 

 the months of October and November of each year, for the 

 term of jive years isueh act to go into effect on its passage). 

 iu any of the ponds commonly called and known by the 

 name" of Cliff Ponds, viz.. Big Cliff, Little Cliff and Lower 

 Cliff, situated in Ihe towns of Brewster and Orleans, Barn- 

 stable county. Stale of Massachusetts.''-' — Chester. 



Long IsLajSD Association. — The annual meeting of the 

 Long Island Sportsman's Association was held at the head- 

 quarters of the Fountain Gun Club. No 451 Flat bush avenue. 

 Brooklyn, Monday evening. The following officers, were 

 elected for the ensuing year: President— Henry Alten- 

 brandt. Washington Club: Vice-Presidents— Charles \Y 

 Wingert, Fountain Club; Hugh McLaughlin, Coney Island 

 Club! Robert Rinson. Long Island Club; Charles W. Rod- 

 man. Garden City Club; Samuel S. Conaut, Nonpareil Club. 

 Secretary-— Henry Thorpe. Long Island Forester Club; Treass- 

 urer— K. B. Cooke. Fountain Club. Legislative Committee 

 —Abel Crook, F. C. Chambeilain and F. S, alassey. 



European Biuds Lupohted.— The steamer Hohenstauf- 

 fen. of the Bremen line, which arrived here March 8. had 

 on board a large shipment of English partridges and pheas- 

 ants, consigned to Messrs. Charles Reiche &Bro. The birds 

 are for the stocking of Mr. Pierre Lorillard's large game 

 preserve at Jobstown, N. J. There were also several pairs 

 of golden and silver pheasants which will not be turned 

 out. but kept in the pheasant house. Mr. Lorillard has re- 

 ceived 100 pinnated grouse (prairie chickens) from Indian 

 Territory for slocking the same farm. 



The Endless Disputation.— Leesburg, Va.— The shoot- 

 ing season having come to an end the gunners spend their 

 time quarreling over the merits of their respective guns, 

 each having advocates who claim to have severally"' the 

 best gun in America." Then they quarrel over hairrmerless 

 and with hammers made by same maker. All the dis- 

 putants are disinterested, of course, though strange to say, 

 each happens to admire his own. — T. W. 



(^mnp 0n rglickeiiittgs. 



READING ' Reigntilds's" aeeouiii of ft remarkable coinci- 

 dence happening to him on Long Island, recalls to my 

 mind as singular a coincidence: but I can hardly call it 

 similar, as neither the place nof birds were the same. It 

 was in the latter part of November, and we lay on a point 

 in the Great South Bay. directly opposite Babylon. The 

 sun was slowly looming up in the east, the wind blowing 

 from the same quarter in a way that would have gladdened 

 the heart of Wiggins, Kould he have foretold its coming; 

 and as for Ihe cold, well that can only be appreciated by 

 those of you who have spent a winter's day in a cramped up 

 sharpie on the unprotected "mash" of the great South, My 

 baymau and myself were lying in the bottom of Ihe boat 

 shivering, and not the sign of a bird, excepting a great bunch 

 of broadbills, that seemed to liift lazily along with the 



wind, at a distance of a mile or bo from shore, but never 

 venturing nearer 



You can well believe that I was not feeling extremely 

 lively: so to make things agreeable as ivell as to kill time, 

 my bay-man (thanks to him for the attention shown me dur- 

 ing that pleasant week spent on bis trim little oyster sloop), 

 led off with a string of marvelous shooting exploits, all oi' 

 which had been performed by either himself or hi.- father. 

 I listened to a number without comment, until he came to 

 one which struck me as being a "Davy Crockett." sure. 

 The story went as follows: 



He was gunning at the mouth of a small creek with a mis- 

 cellaneous lot of -.stools" set out and upward, of forty birds 

 heaped upon the stem. Suddenly lie discerned a bird of 

 enormous size making directly at him or his birds, he was 

 in doubt w-hich. To protect himself . he immcdialclv tired 

 both barrels simultaneously, but although he. wounded it, 

 failed to stop the bird's onward course. "I saw now," said 

 lie "t.1,,1. it was an eagle, and a big one. too, so 1 did not 

 lose any time gettin' overboard, although it was near the 

 middle of winter. He struck squar in ther boat and in a 

 miuit was out in ther water after me. but I took an ourwitb 

 me w hen I went over, and although I killed him with it he 

 tried durned hard to git his claws in me." 



This yarn 1 received with ah ill-concealed sneer, and sug- 

 gested that probably he had indulged too freely iu "tangle 

 foot" that morning,' and had fallen Overboard, and I was 

 ridiculing the idea of the bird falling into the boat, etc.: but 

 I was cut short in my remarks by the sudden appearance of 

 a dark object directly in the sun's rays which seemed to be 

 coming straight at US. 1 look a snap shot at it and paused 

 for results, which came in a very unexpected manner — strir./t, 

 hany! and before we could duck our heads a— fat old shel- 

 drake landed directly in the boat between us. "There 

 now," triumphantly' shouted my bayman, swinging the bird 

 aloft, "you won't believe my eagle story;' "Yes," said I 

 laughing, "I believe it now", after having it so well illus- 

 trated." "We had a narrow escape indeed H. L. 



IiKOOKCVN, T,. I, 



Stoneuam, Mass., March 7, 1883. — At the annua) meeting 

 of the Stoneham Sportsmen's Club, the following officers 

 •were elected: President. P. H. Home: First Vice-President, 

 Elbriuge Gerrv ; Sseeuud Vice-President. .1. D. Pierce; Sec- 

 retary, B. R. Houghton, Treasurer. F. M Switzer; Trus- 

 tees, B W. Jones, John Norton. William Whowell, 



ieitsEV. — Laylou, Sussex County. March 8. — Quail 

 have wintered good, and thus far have found plenty of good 

 feeding gio ind; the prospects are that they will" he. more 

 numerous this co m i n g fall than for many years. Partridges 

 are scarce. — D. B. L. 



New Jersey,— Toms River. N, J.. March 11,— Quail 

 have wintered well in this section. I do not believe, that a 

 single bird has perished from cold or want of feed. Am 

 looking out for snipe to be along cay soon, — H. CLAS 

 Glover. 



that road 

 In the e 

 hunters, 

 and they 



:; : -e ai acred bv the At- 

 & North Georgia road is 

 Tae-othei daj there were 



m l [■■ (ekC aluationi. 



Of suns and $50 worth of 



' worth of birds. 



|u» mid jjjSiver fishing. 



I enjoy a goad jouk or argyment, but J doim't thinjc meteh uv a 

 man oo uses siteh words as "blouniiuV "s* help me," ten via' a loan 

 wuss. Darns iuslockins is signs uv 'ontst un ' unobjeksbluable pov- 

 erty, but in converayslim they show a poverty of tengwldge.— The 

 Kuukitciyk J,clmiHfl: 



WITH HACKLES AND GENTLES, 



vixr. 

 "Bright blaz'd the fire of crackling « uod, 



And threiv around a charming gleam; 

 t a i rent a vast oat table stood— 



A bacon-rack hung from the beam; 

 Pipes, mags, the chimuey-pieee well graced- 



In rows the fishing-rods hung o'er: 

 tin each side otter skins were placed — 



A rapt— eries dame, 'YVho's.at the door?' '' 



Choirs. 

 '•Some .iulif anglers, 1 ' loud they call, 

 •T' enjoy the pastime at •Trout-Hall.' " 



WLIAT a pretty picture of an English angler's inn doth the 

 above verse give, and especially totho.se "to the manner 

 born'" The old song goes on to portray the good cheer of 

 the dame's house, and often reminds one of the simple and 

 pleasant conceits of the "Compleat Angler,'' and of the 

 "innocent inifth" indulged in by the great master of the 

 "gentle art" and his beloved pupils and" chance-met fellow 

 craftsmen. 



How effective are the "otter skins." hanging by the quaint 

 old chimney-piece in that they suggest to the angler that, at 

 least, just so many deadly enemies of the trout are well rid 

 of. A brace or two of otter hounds should have been added 

 to the scene to make it, perfect] Left to the imagination, 

 however, we cau place them to suit ourselves: but before 

 that generous blaze, or under that sturdy table, the; ought 

 to be. The old and cunning four-legged race of otters has 

 given place to a. new and less noble genus, wholly devoid of 

 the better and fully endowed with the baser qualities of Ihe 

 extinct species. 



This new pest of our trout streams goes about on two 

 legs, and has not the discriminating task- for noble fish that 

 the old-time otter had, but ruthlessly slays, <-'- >■'-> (Wv/wa, any 

 and all fish he can lure within reach of* his greedy clutch. 

 It is a shame— a pitiful shame — that such" human otters 

 exist, and it were well if a breed of hounds were "to I be- 

 fore" capable of "draw Pig" them and giving to each and 

 every one the fate of "vermin." Their skins, however, 

 should never be displayed iu any "Trout Hall," but, rather, 

 at cross-roads and by sireamside. as a warning to any exist- 

 ing whelp of the family of the probability in store for him. 



It is Ihe bounden duly of every sportsman, angler, shooter, 

 or huntsman, to constitute himself, as far aa may Ise. a game 

 keeper on his own "preserve," In other words, to guard his 

 own interc-ls and those of his craft against the rneroach- 

 nient of any poaching pursuit of game iu close season, the 

 needless destruction of game at any r time, and to see that the 



laws are wise ones and rigidly enforced. There are many 

 towns (alas! t*o many, in this beautiful age and country!') 

 which have no more respect for the game laws rbau for "the 

 noble trees thai are. one by one, felled to the ground. It 

 wen- well if 801110 movement 'might be made to prist, in many 

 conspicuous places, copies of the laws ivlyi.itig" Io close sea 



sons, .and the penalties for infringement of the same. The 



publisher of every local paper ought to be willing to publish 

 such, if concise and digested, and in every village, post 

 Office and ghop there should be a copy, also. Ignorance 

 (even iu these enlightened (?) days) is an 'excuse for many tt 

 wrong doing, where, it may be.' the unwitting transgressor 

 would be a model of propriety, if he but knew' what the law 

 declared, right or wrong. A" case in point suggests itself: 

 Early in April of last year, I was driving on a country road, 

 and enjoying the first .advance of Bprfngandthe songs of 

 robins and bluebirds, when in a neighboring field 1 saw a 

 man (lie proved to be such after all) with a shotgun in his 

 hands and two little boys at his heels. I kept "ray eye on 

 bim," and by so doing plainly saw him level his 'gun at a 

 robin and tire, evidently- without effect, lie then deliberately 

 loaded his gun, but before the charge was driven "hone .-," I 

 challenged bim toha.lt. and leaving the buggy, I scaled the 

 fence, and a brisk walk brought rue within talking distance 

 and to confront him. Telling," by a glance, how best to address 

 him. 1 asked bim if he was aware lhat a law existed forbid 

 ding the shooting of song birds at: auv time and especially 

 in the spring! lie replied that he was not aware of any 

 such law : that be came out to shoot a bird or two, to please 

 ids boys, who were teasing him every day to "go a-hunting" 

 —as he expressed it. 



He said he had not shot any nor injured any and 

 promised me not to do so. I told him the penalty was ten 

 dollars for every hird killed and that he should set the 

 "boys" a better example. That 1 felt it my duty to tell him 

 I. thai ' word to the wise," etc. I Icit' him' and drove 

 on my way. A few weeks since I had occasion to take the 

 cars at the little station nearest to the above mentioned road 

 and field, and to my surprise the "hunting" pater familias 

 recognized and addressed me. Lie said that he found 1 

 was right ami very courteously thanked me for "stopping 

 bis little game." In the few urinates before the coming or 

 the train we bad a little rational talk about game laws and 

 humanity, and I was pleased to find lhat, barring this one 

 graceless, thoughtless, act. he had a fleshly and considerate 

 heart hidden away under bis coal. This man might have 

 shot robins and bluebirds all day long had 1 not chanced to 

 in a town" where the game laws are 

 quite as well as the forgotten ones of 

 ians." but I have reason to think he. 

 was honest and that be will make others so likewise. 



lie-: '- •' 'i '-._ ! ; -i --ion from my subject and intent — so 

 long a del our is ii that I shall not try to find my way hack, 

 but will "run riot" to the end of this rambling chapter. 



'TIs passing sweet once in a winle to wander up and down 

 a brook, with now a "palmer hackle, "and now a "May fly" 

 on the leader, and to bring to creel only a few brace of well 

 conditioned fish. To go from deep to deep, from one likely 

 "hole" to another, pausing often to note the changes of the 

 passing months on the banks of the stream, and to be rpute 

 as well pleased to know there are still trout in the favorite 

 stream as to take them thence. Trout are not always "on 

 the feed," and why should the angler be always on the greed 

 to kill them? 



There are waters in which I would not cast a lure for a 

 "sizable" trout, e'en if I knew 1 could bring him to net, 

 Why'.' They are sacred to the past! To the past jolly 

 anglers, "who have fished with me there; to the past goodly 

 trout that erst bent my rod there!" 



drive by, for 1 

 known and : - 



the 'Mode, am 



"Vnleot bliss: 'U,.n 03 

 Where thy guttering ■-. its 

 Here e'en Guilt in peace m; 

 Here Despair forget his « 



nder, 



Too sentimental? Nay. not so, good friend. Think for a 

 moment what sport would be if robbed of sentiment— mere 

 cold-blooded butchery! Who would go to an abattoir for 

 sport? 1 will add. also, who would go to a battue, in the 

 wildwood, when the half-lame birds almost touch the muz- 

 zle in their startled flight? The average life is too void of 

 sentiment, as many a goodly dish is too void of seasoning, 

 giving no zest to the palate nor vigor to the stomach. 



The will and forethought only is needed to make this life 

 less full of care; to place a rose here and a lily there iu the 

 pathway, to unbar the senses to all the genial influences 

 that revel in wood and water, in the sky above and earth 

 beneath, and let them in to join with sentiment in making 

 life less a treadmill and more of a goodly ple.isuance. At 

 any rate, and however with others it may be, our beloved 

 master, "honest Izaak Walton," set the craft a noble exam- 

 ple of cheerfulness and sentiment, and we can but follow 

 hard after. Few anglers cau have a "Trout Hall" in every 

 "outing" or at every corner; but, when arrived at. the wel- 

 come portal, let him stay without doors who cannot sing 

 wiih honest zeal: 



"Begone, dull eare! shoals e,er> soul; 

 T11 thee 1 ln»- N forbidden ground. 

 b'i l;.,u : Thou neve ean'st enthral 

 The jolly anglers of Trout Hall!" 



O. W. K. 



SOMETHING ABOUT THE PIKE-PERCH. 



Editor Fi/i-iM iti/if sti-i,,!,.: 



Ever since your call for something concerning the wall- 

 eyed pike, or pike-perch, 1 have been expecting to see a 

 Screed in praise of Ids beauty and goodness aud game quali- 

 ties, lint so far nothing has appeared but, the short and 

 disparaging communication of "Wall E. Pike," which ouly 

 e, 1 prove what I long ago said in your columns, that the 

 habits of game and tish so differ in varied localities that it 

 behooves those whose observations have been limited to their 

 own neighborhoods to be careful of making sweeping asser- 

 tions iu matters of natural lustory. In "instance whereof, 

 one of our foremost and most delightful writers on out-door 

 life held for twenty years that bees never gathered honey 

 from the arbutus, but at last he caught them in the act, as 

 eager for the sweet heart of ihe scented blossoms as any 

 WOOdfl-haunting flower hunter for the blossoms themselves. 

 11' anyone else 'had reported such doings he would not have, 

 believed the tale, but his own eyes were witnesses whose 



ti 11 lie could not gainsay. 



If you were to ask those who •jroa-flsbiug" in Lake Cham 

 plain : fislt Of il- waters afford most sport, I am sure 



ilnit nine-teiitbs ot those who fish ior sport would name, first 

 the black bass, and next the pise perch, and would tell you 

 that th»last is generally a bold biter and lights well, if 'not 



