!, 1883.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



269 



Hunter,' - W will floti tin- Bujjjocl fvjjly treated in ihisre- 

 gard. 



Furthermore^ it is generally conceded among those who 

 have tried both class of arms that aeood single-loader is 

 superior for killing large game in the hands of hunters 

 equally experienced ft in mo less liable to accident, for it 

 never shoots except from the muzzle. 



[t should have occurred in a moment to one of his sup- 

 posed experience why the 'tS model Winchester hafl Such a 

 high trajectory instead of ascribing it to its "shallow groov- 

 ing, slow twist andrju,Ilet short in proportion to its dianic 

 tor." Whereas the true cause is its short barrel, light bull. 

 the small powder charge (forty grains)' behind it and com- 

 paratively large caliber. 



li would secra impossible to get a lint curve far any 

 distance from such a combination, Just why the Marlin 

 forty-caliber has a flatter trajectory it- that all fho elements 

 of its make-up are more favorable in this rill'-, smaller cali- 

 ber, longer powder charge., Heavier ball, greater powder pro- 

 portion mid longer, barrel. 



This review 01 "Penobscot's" communication is made 

 ■with the utmost kindness and respect, and as a reminder 

 that his experience with the rifle is noi of suoh a character, 

 as io enable aim to criticise one with Major Merrill's ex- 

 tended experience. G 1 1.1 



THE "SCREED" IS CONCLUDED. 



Editor forest find StowiyiK 



I know ilutt some builder* talk of ten pound canoes in 

 ".id-." I just, want to meet one in the North Woods. No, 



When they' talk thus they lie. under n nii.sla.kc. Sickness, 

 hups and mishaps, from piled-Up fallroad trains to pneu- 

 monia, meel us at every turn; bill, accidents, sickness and 



death .isi, I, . I am as sure to make that cruise as you are to 

 turn in when von start for your berth, aod my sceptical 

 friend-., who already have $5,000 accidental insurance ou 

 me, are going to gel left Tuojigh.ag.it is only §7. SO on 

 the $1,000 for six months— well. I lliink ii a business in 

 vostuicnt, 1 hope, if I am caught in a blizzard on Btnjuettc, 

 Lung Lake pr the. Trippers, and the eggshell swamps inc ( 

 they will pardon my persistence if 1 happen Io scramble 

 ashore by the help of the air cushion, Which I shall al- 

 ways have aboard, and. if I am drowned, will they, re- 

 membering they have had a winning thing of it, kindly 

 turn over a liberal percentage to Mr-. Xe.-smuk and my 

 doe-eyed Jenny? Mo, boys. 1 have been fairly drowned 

 twice". No man born of woman was ever drowned three 

 times, li wouldn't take a strong rope to bang me. but a 

 bear trap on one leg and a grindstone on the other wouldn't 

 drown me in ten fathoms. 



And "Picket" pays his last respects to me In a few 

 "lasi words." Il is' hardly worth bis while. Of course 

 not. But a few last, supercilious words to show up the 

 utter absurdity of , 'Ne--mukian philosophy" may he en- 

 joyed by his utterly utter friends, men of means, so to 

 speak, men who can afford the "best" of everthjng. 

 rV:„,.= ™+ ,„ i.o i,o/i i„, ».,„>,, f moderate in. an-.' Just sp, 

 which "Picker' ignores my 

 game, forests, etc.. and catches 

 terfeit, Ih.-n. he worth more 

 ial»"andby the running way in which h 



fh 



Now 

 remark 

 at my 

 than'll 



As Io "Picket's" offer of betting his "choices! cuyoodle." 

 1 au) afraid I cannot meet him. His choice cuyoodles seem 

 ii. bave cost him ''considerably more than $100 each." My 

 C. ('. is only valued at i?t-"i. " The odds are I no great. If, 

 however. ' Picket" will consent io Bt&ke hi., "choicest 

 cuyoodle" agaiqBl n healthy, young gyasoutus terms of 

 uncling, etc., to be lefl with 'ihe cdilor of Puukst and 

 (stream, I will do my best to interest him A nd, with fun 



for all. and with malice toward nothing leas than livdrophn- 

 bitt, I l:iki> leave of the "Screed." Nks.-mck. 



contrives to "mix borses, gold, pictures, diamonds and dogs, 

 1 judge be is a New York legal sharp, lie misses his tip, 

 rather, lie says "a thing is worth what it will bring in the 

 lnai kei." I will be as brief as possible. 



Firstly, I will answer my own questions, to wit: The 

 "counterfeit presentment," if il he a picture, may he worth. 

 in popular estimation, much more than the Original, If il 

 be the counterfeit of a guinea, or golden eagle, or a dozen 

 other things, then not. The value of a picture depends on 

 the tasie. and fancy of the purchaser. I don't quarrel with it. 



But. "a thing is" worth what it will fairly bring, etc." If 

 this were true, the .toe-nails, shin-bones and skulls of saints 

 and apostles, with biteof the "true cross" (chipped from a 

 gilte-post, probably) would have a steady and appreciable 

 value, In pointo'f fact. Ihev are caeh anil all rub'bi-h. An 

 old Roman coin (really worth $3.SQ) would be worth $500, 

 A pound of ginseng roots, of the true forked shape, w ould be 

 worth $5,U00in China or Corca. Actually il is worth as 

 much as the same weight of forked parsnips. No more 

 There was n time — not so long ago either— when sharp busi- 

 ness nun in Holland paid $10,00.0 f ( "' a single tulip bulb. 

 What would it be worlh to-day: Could anything go further 

 to prove the childishness of ihe adult brain? And our Simian 

 ancestry! And all this arises from what I said about, dogs, 

 and the value of them. 



And I repeat it and can prove it. From the davs of 

 Homer down to the present time the dog has had bis admir- 

 ers and advocates, lie bas been the pet of peasant and 

 prince, and mostly a nuisance lo their friends and neigh- 

 bors, lie is at "best p ha 1 1 -reclaimed savage, with an always 

 present tendency toward retrogression, surreptitious mutton, 

 and nipping the keelson the casual stranger. I know whereof 

 1 speak, and I have a right bo speak of lie- dog. The first 

 piece of personal property J ever- owned was a dog. This 

 was fifiy six \ ear- ago. From that day to this 1 have never 

 been without a dog — sometimes as many as ten; often three 

 to five. It was hard to take in a law that outlawed my pets, 

 as property, making illegal for any one to kill them when 

 found at large without a muzzle, "l see the justice of it 

 now. 1 sec, loo, Ihe a'lsur.liiy of mixing up'our pels as 



property, with cold, liorsos, diamonds, etc. Legislators and 

 city fathers- do not pass Itiws to corral healihy. able-bodied 

 horses and slaughter theme/; „,./.,.•.,■, 1 1. . - public paying the 

 cost, as a measure of public safety. State Legislatures do 



not pass laws against the horse, ignoring him as property, 

 and binding Ihe Slate to pay for the Shefip be may kill. 



They do all this as regards the' dog: and wisely. 

 ■ Friend "Picket"- "ihe best are scarce, and 'only to be had 

 by men of means " True as regards gold, bonds, city lots, 

 horses, diamond-, ete. Nol true as regards Ihe dug- he is 

 an exception. The best setters, pointers, cockers and 



hpundS are todiv in tbe hands of rascally, impecunious 

 dog sharps, who, I am sorry to say, make their bread and 

 whisky off just such liberal, moneyed men as "Picket." 



There are several millions of dogs (see census report.) in- 

 festing this land; spreading rabies, destroying sheep and 

 cattle, and. in a general wav, making intolerable nuisances 

 of themselves. Perhaps one in twenty, as n herder or humor. 

 may have some pecuniary value, tithe other nineteen 

 twentieths were dumped outside the Qulf Stream, it would 

 be n blessed boon to the country, (Try a vole on it). 



■ inga first-class picture wiih a dog is an inter 

 absurdity. Comparing a Raphael or Titiau with a dog 

 raiser aud trainer, is worse. It does not. require a higii 

 order of genius to run a dog yard 



NOTES FROM ROCHESTER. 



XN the occasional notes which 1 have sent you during Ihe 

 last five or six years, I recollect bill few rtom which il 



■ |. .hie for the r;ader, if he were a spoil-man. lo tie- 

 iivi any satisfaction bv hearing of a place, not remote from 

 eivilizalion. where game could be called abundanl. I rather 

 think lhat many of your correspondents have had the same 

 experience, and that a considerable proportion of the inter- 

 esting communicalin's you receive delail events Of Ihe day-, 

 thai arc do more, when birds were abundant aud ihe shoot- 

 ers less numerous. From your city correspondents especi- 

 ally il i- rare to hoar of ggoi] -hooting at Iheir doors, and 

 when an opportunity presents itself, to record a contrary 

 stale of facte, one 'should not fail to "make a note of it.'" 

 There has been, and is. an extraordinary night of snipe over 

 this p-n-i of the Slate this spring. Several satisfactory bags 

 have be, n brought in by residents of the city, but the niost 

 sport is said to bave been enjoyed bv a gentleman who got 

 riil o! over forty carl ridges' aud .-hoi'eighi snipe. The 

 market shooters, as usual, have had the cream of Ihe spoil. 

 Two Onlariniountvineii sold over a hundred 91 ipc la-re 



Splthm tbe last ten days, bunging in overflfty wo occa- 

 sions. Hartinan, of Greece, a hard hunter, has bagged over 

 sixty, and numerous cases are reported in which non-pro 

 fessinnal shooters have been well rewarded for their labor in 

 tramping the wet fields for "lougbills.'' Snipe have nol 

 been so abundanl here for several years. 



A great mauv ducks haveal.-o been taken in, and while I 

 was in a blind on Round Pond, on the shore Of Lake Ontario, 

 List Friday, waiting lor ducks, I saw a High I of hawks that re- 

 minded meof those described recently by one of your New Jer- 

 sey correspondents. In the space of about two hours, more than 

 twenty hawks went pasl the blind, flying from west to east. 

 Nun, -'of them i ami- within gunshot, but. they included sev- 

 eral varieties, large and small. Some of them were gray, almost 

 while i a color 1 never saw on a living hawk before. 



While I was wading Ihe marsh for a widgeon that came 

 down suddenly, il occurred to me that li one. were to carry 

 in his host two light boards he could use them for walking 

 on marshy ground, where neither man nor dog can go at 

 present. 'By carrying one board and walking on the other 

 in succession, otic could go safely over almqal any quagmire. 



1 heard yesterdy from Prank t'halfey. who is thoroughly 

 informed on this subject, that the wild pigeons are nesting 

 in Southern Missouri, and he thinks there is little chance of 

 a iliglu ea.-i of tin' Mi— is.-ippi (his spring. He expects that 

 the} will go into British Columbia. 



Robert Tangneny. the widely-known Franco-Irish Ann ri 

 can s] lorl -man and inventor of fishing I aekle, bas. returned 

 fioni a six months' visit to Florida, where he had a world of 

 adventure on field and (lood. He has "hung out his shingle" 

 (in Ihe form of a lish) in the Masonic Hall block and re- 

 sumed fly-lying, an art in which he bas no superior. He is 

 ready at "any time io lay down tbe most delicate fly that ever 

 deceived a "spotted beauty" to tell of a light he'saw in the 

 St. John's River between a porpoise and a shark, or some 

 other noteworthy incident he beheld. I was slightly astou 

 ished when he told me that the breast and drumsticks of the 

 bittern (kuowngenerally by a less euphonious name) are cpiite 

 palatable; butl got over my astonishment when he said 

 lhat "we eat everything except buzzard in Florida." 



Charles Green, -whose excelled guns you advertise, has 

 increased the capacity of his manufactory and opened a show 

 room on Wc-l Main Street, where the .-porting events of the 

 day are duly discussed and new campaigns planned. 



Rochester, N*. v.. April 28. Mrs. 



RUFFED GROUSE. 



rpVHE subject of ray rambling talk before you to-dtr 

 .1 he the ruffed grouse m" partridge. Wmo vmbettu-a, 



Which is found in all the wild, mountainous sections o£ our 

 country, from Ihe extreme north, far info ihe Canada.- and 

 as far south as (Georgia, and is the finest game bird on this 



continent to-day. Twenty-five or thirty years ago. every 

 hillside and sunny valley, even the mountain tops, were 

 alive with these birds. In early spring, on a warm, sunny 

 morning, you could hear the drumming of the old cock birds 

 in almost, i -vcrv direction. A very peculiar but pleasant 

 sound, winding off like Ihe rumbling of distant thunder 



Winn a boy of fourteen, my home was i„ the Green 

 Mountain State, and with an old Hint-lock gun. three Fed 

 long, of Revolutionary fame, 1 could easily bag eight or ten 

 birds before dinner. Hut now, with riper years and experi- 

 ence, with my noble Gordon setter and hieech loading gun. 

 1 could not bag as many in two days. 



The birds commence pairing in March and April; their 

 nests are very rudely formed, but the mosl solitary places 

 are ebo.-eii for ineub il.ion. and ihe lien lays from eight to 

 twelve, and sometimes fourteen eggs. The young leave the 



nest almost assoon qs batched, and follow the mother bird 

 in search of food One of the most wonderful SightB 1 ever 

 witnessed in any game bird, was when the mother and her 

 brood had been suddenly surprised; her hasty, warning note 

 sent every chick beneath a leaf, and by careful search 1 

 could not find nor scare from their sale retreat a single bird. 

 1 looked with perfect a.-lonishmeni as she. will, a neculiai 



Clucking sound, threw herself almost beneat. v feet, 



Hopping over and over, then limping away as though badly 

 wounded, IhiH seeking lo allure me away from He present G 

 of the young birds. And through this Shrewd, euiinii.g and 

 dec, plive -trai-gy. -he outwits the eialiyfox. the cunning 

 weasel, the perfumed pole cat. and a host of oilier enemies. 

 The majestic old cock bird does nol assist the ben in making 

 her nesl, or caring for the young, neither doe.- he half pro- 

 tect them ag-in-t their destructi've enemies, but parched on 

 some old log or .-tump on Ihe sunny hillside or pleasant 

 ravine, he maj behcarddruinminghours ai a lime If the 



weaiher ie ileal, il eae be heard a long distance oil' and lb. I 

 sound is pleasant and fascinating, especially lo the farmers' i 

 boys. Tin. eo,e. resorts to the same spot, if nol disturbed, 

 during the whole breeding season, and adopt- this poetical 

 way of calling the hen into his august presence, and in fact I 



is Ihe only sure method that he has of wooing his mate from 

 hor close retreat during the period of incubation. 



I lene no he-iiaiion in saying lhat the partridge, if not 

 molested, can -how a lim r and larger number of young 

 birds the lirsl of Seplember, than any other game bird with 

 wblcU.l am acquainted, when wo fake into consideration 

 Iheir numerousaud destructive enemies. 



The male birds associate together in small bands until tin; 

 aiiiumn. when they mingle together indiscriminately, young 

 and old. and ought to be thoroughly protected until this 

 takes place. 



Audubon says that late in Ihe'autumn the partridge make, 

 partial migration from the northwest to the southeast. 1 

 have no floubi of I Lis. for in some seasons when (he birds 

 have been shoi off, or have been scarce during the fall, we 

 find on the approach of winter there is a goodly number again. 



Audubon aNo denies ihe commonly received opinion that 

 several of these birds can be shot from the same tree u lib 

 out disturbing the others, shooting the lowesl ones ijr-l In 

 this opinion 1 shall beg leave to differ; 



My friend. Mr. Powers, our late successful lish commis 

 sinner, once pointed out to me a tree from which he shot 

 seven partridges, one after anoiher. and said, jocosely, if 



ruffed grouse is while, and far more juicy and di lie (ban 



the prairie hen, and when cooked by ail old wood-nian, or 



an expert in the culinary ari>„ rivals the woodcock, some 

 think excels it in point of flavor. I prefer the woodcock, 

 but either one will tickle the palate of a hungry sportsman, 



and is the most delicious reOaSI ever sel before king, prince, 

 potentate, or even the Game and Pish League of New 

 Hampshire. 



Annihilate snares, and thoroughly protect this most beau 

 tiful aud valuable of all our game birds, from January 1 to 

 Sepiember 1 (October would' be better), and in a few years 

 they would be comparatively plenty again. The snare is 

 tbe most destructive mode of" capturing the ruffed grouse. 

 More than run -half of Ihe birds brought to the markets in 

 our larger cilies, arc laken in this way. I was in tin- in 

 terior of Maine a few years ago. and" went into the back 

 room of a village atorc where there wen. some five hundred 

 partridge's nicely hung up a wailing tl .- pollution to Boston 



shot mark on a single one. Maim- has sime passed a la« 

 forbidding Ihe biking of birds from the Slate, ostensibly lo 

 proleetihenifrom.au occasional wing-shooter and sports 

 man from other States, but. really againt the parlridge 

 hunters and boys within her own borders. 



The next mode of capture, in order, is with tbe terrier or 

 cm, crossed with Ihe spaniel, which, when well I rained, 

 will follow the se nl of a parlridge unerringly, and when 

 the bird takes to wing, will rush through the woods; as lively 

 and give voice as freely as a thoroughbred cooker spaniel, 



following Ihe bird until if lakes u, a tree, then Ihe loi f 



voice changes from a yap, yap, yap, to a full-toned sharp 

 bark, which is kepi up incessantly until his master 

 approaches, when the bird falls an easy prey to the mOSI 

 ordinary skill. I have a friend in ihe country who bas a 

 dog of this description, who. with him and an old muzzle 

 loading gun. can capture more partridges in one day (nan 

 any three of our crack shots, over ihe finest setters Or. 

 pointers aud two hundred dollar breech-loading guns, in 

 ihe same length of time. The last and least objectionable 

 method I will mention, is by shooting ou the wing, by ihe 

 true sportsman over a well-trained seller or pointer. The 

 former 1 consider far preferable, lie should be of ripe 

 age. steadv and slam-b. with nose line enough lo lind and 

 point his bird from thirty to fifty feet, as it. is almost im- 

 possible for a dog to approach nearer, even in the most fav- 

 orable covers. 



These wild bird- are always on the alert, and at the leasl 

 intimation of danger they are on thewing. Steadvmust he 

 the nerve, quick the eye and unerring the aim that brings 

 this lightning-llyiug bird to bay when once on the wing, it 

 would be a Crack shot lhat could bring flown five ruffed 

 grouse in a single, day. and would he spoken of in U,e local 

 paper- as something wonderful, and I would make my best 

 bow to tbe sportsman who could do it, and invitehim lojoin 

 the Manchester Shooting Club. 



The tfhe sportsman, who seeks health .and pleasure, will 

 be satisfied to bag half a doz.en grouse, or woodcock, in one 

 day. and will return home rested and refreshed, with an 

 appetiti thai will do justice to the trophies of his skill. 

 Thori is something intensely ■exciting in this kind of sport 



which is indescribable. It thrills through rv, ry nerve and 

 muscle, nve. the very soul its. If. of the sportsman, Watch 

 your noble dog as he stands -laneh and steady, with his nose 

 within thirty feet of an old cock partridge, with nostrils 

 dilated and every nerve and muscle rigid, eager. Bashing 

 eyes, waiting for' bis master lo give ihe word to flush the 

 bird. The sportsman and his inleliigenl dogare now in per- 

 feci harmony, equally sharing: the pleasure of the moment 

 and anticipating the next. The picture hj worthy the pencil 

 ol the line-i arlist and a placein the gallery of art. Now the 

 word Is given the dog log,, oe : he creeps cautiously and cat 

 like toward the bird, which takes lo wing as quick as the 

 lightning's Hash, bin is handsomely stopped, and as the 

 nport of the breech loader is reverberating through the air the 

 fluttering of ihe grouse is heard in (he tbickct close by. The 

 dog, which is now af charge, is ordered n> seek the dead 

 bird, eagerly springing forward carefully picks if up and 

 brings ii to hand without disturbing a single fcaiiua\ This. 



genii,, nin of He- Came and Pj-I, League, is (rue sport, audi 

 as only the true spoilsman ran iullv appreeiale and enjoy, 



and will not endanger tl,,- extermination of the beautiful 



lulled grouse, the gamiest bird of the forest. 



Piiii.Ain-a.i'iti v- April i'li. — Snipe 

 storm, which our fanners call ihe yea 

 been quite good at the Delaware a 



south of Philadelphia. The bird. 1 

 seemed contented, but since the bliz/i 

 i an restless and do not lie. well, and 



shooting until the lale 

 •Iv catbird storm, had 

 nl Maryland grounds 

 mil settled down and 

 id th.y have become 



iiilireK disappeared Some sprigtail 

 marshes, and we will doubtless hav< 



ducks are -till ou the 

 them with us until 



spring weather sets in warm, which 



hi- season will conic 



ed .a the Daily Palladium, 



It was as. nmelt ol an 'exhibition of skill ill 

 latter clay pic. ens as a w:i- to sen. I .en- ring 



