12 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



1 The judicial committee of the National f Association of 

 amateur oarsmen meet on the evening of August 16th, 

 at the Metropolitan HoLel, to decide the question of Ama- 

 teur oarsmanship, and to define "what is an amateur?" 



The Gulick Boat Club is about to be disbanded, and a three- 

 mile race to decide who shall retain the chamsionship badge 

 will bo held on the Harlem on the same day thai- i he Ata- 

 lanta hold their regatta August 16th. 



Messrs. Patrick Cummings and Robert Dugan have chal- 

 lenged the Tommy Brothers of Brooklyn, to a five-mile 

 race, in seventeen-foot working boats, for from $100 to 

 $500 a side. 



The Toronto International Regatta will lake place Sep- 

 tember, 3,4, and 5. Five prizes a; e Offered. The yacht 

 race is on the I bird day, open to Canadian clubs only. En- 

 tries to be m>de on or before August 80th, to Mr. I. E. 

 Robertson, Secretary, Queen's Hotel. Toronto. 



Any man who shall, after the 3d of September, 1873, row 

 for money, shall be considered a prosessional oarsman. The 

 entrance fee for each race shall be five per cent, of the 

 amount of the prize for each race. 



There is every probability that the long talked of scul- 

 lers race between Jno. A. Biglin of Ncav York, and George 

 Brown of Halifax, Nova Scotia, will certainly come off Jhe 

 last of the month, at Halifax harbor. 



The following boat clubs are members of the Harlem 

 navy: Nassau, Atalanta, Columbia, H. R. Club, Nauti- 

 lus, Grammercy, and the Dauntless. 



There is a rumor current, that the Cooper Boat- Club of 

 Savannah and the Independents will row a four-oared race 

 at Montgomery. The time is not fixed, but the event will 

 take place within a week or two, if it takes place at all. 



J. J. O'Leary of Worcester and Pandien Harrington of 

 Springfield have signed articles for a three-mile scullers 

 race for $300, to take place at Springfield, Mass. , August 

 20th. 



M W at i ne m & % 



y/ourstt. 



JO i 



HOTEL RACES. 



It is questionable, whether the races in the proximity of 

 New York, along the route of summer travel, have not 

 been this season, run rather in the interests of the hotel 

 keepers, than for the encouragement of the breed of that 

 noble animal the horse. Monmouth course, near Long 

 Branch, having been founded long before that watering 

 place was ever thought of, is not subject to our remarks. 

 Saratoga races may, however, Ave think, be classed as the 

 typical hotel races. Of course Saratoga, is not exactly 

 what Baden -Baden once was, but still there are some pretty 

 strong traits of resemblence between our American water- 

 ing place as it is to-day, and wliat Baden-Baden used to be. 

 Th 3 health-g : ving water is there, the bands of music, the 

 gambling, and the horse-racing. Of course the Baden horse- 

 racing was always ? ridiculous affair, and Avas looked upon by 

 sportsmen in the light of a ivg circus, and at. simply a feed- 

 er to the rouge et noir. Despite a wonderful amoan' of 

 newspaper puffing, Ave think the most of our readers will 

 agree av it h us, when we state that this years contests at 

 Saratoga Show all the ill effects of a noble sport under the 

 exclusive control of hotels. It is perfectly natural for the 

 proprietors of these hugh caravansaries, to bring into the 

 high season of entertainment all the allurements possible, 

 only it happens that those avIio knoAv now to keep a hotel, 

 may not be exactly competent to manage a t.cc course. 

 At the last race, but A r ery few ladies w T ere orescnt. Soirc 

 thousands of the sterner sex were there, but many thousands 

 more kept severely away from the track, though in the im- 

 mediate vicinity. Of course entries were made, and by 

 the OAvners of the best stock in the country, but the man. 

 agement of the course, has not it is said, met their appro- 

 val. 



Still another subject, which Ave advance, with a certain 

 amount of diffidence, it is true, fearing it may be entirely 

 at variance with the interests of the hotel keepers, is this. 

 " Why should Ave race at all in July and August?" These 

 months are the season of the most terrible heats avc knoAv 

 of. Is it because some of the leading races in England 

 come off in these months, that Ave should kill horses in this 

 country, putting them to the top of their speed, when the 

 heat is equal to that of Bengal? There is time enpugh to 

 run horses up to the 1st of July, then alloAv an interegnuni 

 of fully two months, and to start fresh in September. 



Though our racing season is drawing to a close, it would 

 be perhaps premature on our part to attempt to give as yet 

 a thorough remme of it. So far, however, Ave arc; pretty 

 positive that the Saratoga, racing for 1873 has not only been 

 a decided failure as to the character of the sport,, but what 

 is far Averse, its general management has been such as to 

 lower the taste for the Turf in the United States. 



Saratov a. Races for tjeb Last Ten DAA r s— The weather 

 was fine, and there was a fair attendance. Five horses 

 started, and Sunrise Avon cleverly in 1:44. A two mile race 

 followed, with seven horses starting, which Avas Avon by 

 Mate, avIio beat True Blue on the homestretch by only a 

 neck. Time, 3:331, which was remarkably good. The 

 hurdle race was a wretched affair, and was won by Blind 

 Tom. On Saturday, the 2nd of August, the leading event 

 was a selling race for two year olds. There were 1 only two 

 horses started— CVoav's Meat getting in ahead in 1:191, 

 which is a fair speed for a three-quarter mile race. The 

 Sequel stakes claimed more attention, and Avas awarded to 

 Mr. Belmont's colt "The Ill-used," The three mile for all 

 i was nest on tile list MjeDaiiiers ffiihbard, Rice and 



McCormick's Wanderer, the celebrated horse Harry Bassett, 

 and C. Reed's Lexington made up the quartette. Hub- 

 bard won, hard held, coming past the post in a hand gallop ; 

 time, 5 :34. Tuesday Avitnessed one of the largest assemblages 

 of the season. There were no less than thirty odd horses 

 nominated, but only eight came to the post. There Avere 

 false starts without number. After a close and desperate 

 struggle Mr. F. Morris' bay colt Battle-axe came in a clever 

 winner by half a reck ; time, 1:451. Thursday, August 

 7th, was a very bad day, the rain having come doAvn in 

 torrents up to eleven o'clock, but by half past eleven the 

 sun burst forth, and the track, though heavy, Avas in fair 

 condition. Sixty-seven horses had been nominated for the 

 Kenner stakes, and only eight started. Distance tAvo miles. 

 Springbok Avas the favorite, but Springbok gave in and left 

 the contest to Ill-used and Strachino, the former Avinning 

 by a short neck in 3:39. In the one and a half mile race 

 which folloAved four horses started, Arizona taking the 

 lead and winning cleverly by three lengths; time, 2:38. 

 The third was a selling race, one and a quarter miles, ten 

 horses starting. Mr. Sandford's very handsome horse Bin- 

 gaman, Avho was so successful at Monmouth Park, Avinning 

 by half a length ; time, 2 :10-Jr. 



Buffalo.— The Buffalo trotting races were inaugurated 

 August 5th. A great deal of money has been advantage- 

 ously expended in improving the track and erecting com- 

 modious stands and stables. The immense amount of 

 $70,000 to be given in prizes naturally brought together a 

 very large assemblage of horses and men. The first race 

 was for a purse of $4,000, for horses that had never beaten 

 2:34. M. and II. Nye's Mambrino Gift Avon three heats 

 out of five, as follows— first heat, 2:26i ; third heat, 2:27f ; 

 fourth heat, 2:30. The second race was for a purse of 

 $10,000, for horses that had never beaten 2:27. Eleven 

 horses started. John E. Turner's bay mare Nettie won in 

 three straight heats— time, 2:26, 2 :22f and 2:24f. On the 

 second day it was estimated that over 18,000 people were 

 on the ground, many ladies and gentlemen attending the 

 race in their private carriage. The day was superb, and 

 the track, though a trifle hard, in good order. The first 

 race Avas for the $20,000 purse* for horses that had never 

 beaten 2:21. There Avere seven nominations, and only five 

 contestants. Ben. Mace's Sensation won the three last 

 heats— time, 2:24, 2:26f, 2:28. Fullerton Avon the first heat 

 in the extraordinary time of 2 :20£. The second trot was 

 for horses avIio had never beaten 2:45. This was won by 

 Grave's and Loomis' bay mare Clementine in the three last 

 heats— time, 2:29$, 2:30 and 2:32|. 



Fleetavood Park. — August 11; Match $1,000, mile 

 heats, best three in five, to wagon. 



John Murphy's b. g. Charley Green 1 1 1 



John Ellis's blk. m. Lady Byron 2 2 2 



Time— 2:33. 2:37, 2:33. 

 ♦- 



The San Francisco Examiner publishes a rumor that 

 the city has proposed to offer a purse of $20,000 to be con- 

 tested for at a great running race to come off in October, 

 the conditions of which will be four miles and repeat, free 

 to all horses in the United States, to rule; the first horse to 

 receive $12,000, the second $5,000, and the third 3,000. 

 The entrance to be ten per cent; for California horses, and 

 5 per cent, for those that may come out from the East — 5 

 per cent, being alloAved for expenses of transportation by 

 rail from Eastern States. 



GAME IN SEASON FOR AUGUST. 



Woodcock, Scolopax Rmtxcola ; Esquimaux Curlew, Numemus Borealis ; 

 Ruffled Grouse, Tetras lltnbelluo ; snipe, and all kinds of Bay birds, in- 

 cluding "yellow legs," "ring necks,' 1 plover, &c. Also such kinds of 

 wild fowl a.? are strong of wing. 



In the scorching summer days animals as Avell as men 

 seek the leafy cover and the secret springs. There is little 

 game to be found and little disposition to hunt. Taught 

 by instinct, the tribes of fur and feather are recuperating 

 from their duties of procreation and preparing to fulfil their 

 future functions ; just as our sportsmen should put them- 

 selves and their equipments in readiness for the coming 

 fall shooting. Then the birds in their new finery, the deer 

 tribe in their livery of blue, and the sportsmen in brand 

 new cords, may walk forth into the tempered atmosphere 

 of August with, a zest and a joy doubly enhanced by rest 

 and repose in the sultry, SAveltcring hours. 



Woodcock. — The woodcock is exempted from the pro- 

 visions of the prohibitory State law, Avhich makes this 

 month an almost universal close season. And even it should 

 be included — for, though the young birds are plump and 

 strong of wing, and fit for the bag and table, the old ones, 

 subject to the laws of nature, and the exigencies of Aveather 

 and of climate, are moulting. In fact the}'" are feverish and 

 sick, and should not be shot. They taste bitter, are unfit 

 for the table, and by no means strong on ilie Aving. Dogs 

 car neither discriminate, lor can any but the thorough 

 sportsman distinguish, between the old and young birds 

 until both are brought to bag. The laws of Nature are ar- 

 bitrary and must be obeyed, else men suffer the penalty. 

 Game becomes scarce, and the sportsman's occupation is 

 gone. 



The favorite haunts of the woodcock arc Avoods, moist 

 thickets and coarse brakes, Avhere they generally remain 

 concealed during the day, but as soon as it grows dark they 

 resort to moist meadows and swampy open grounds, where 

 they search for bugs and insects, but more especially 

 WOl'ms ; they thrust their bills into the soft moist earth and 



draAv their victims forth, probably detecting their presence 

 by the acuteness of their sense of smell. The nest is made 

 of grass and leaves, near the root of a tree or bush. They 

 lay usually four eggs — a yellowish Avhite — blotched and 

 spotted at the larger end with grey and brown. Notwith- 

 standing the severe weather of the past winter, reports 

 come in from several quarters of a more than average shoot- 

 ing. New Jersey being so easy of access to the city, and 

 the feed, &c. , by the side of marshes and streams in great 

 abundance, that, with a better care on the part of our Jer- 

 sey friends as to close seasons, one may shoot seven or eight 

 brace in the early morning and evening. 



Several gentlemen left the city in July, and report thirty 

 birds to two guns in the vicinity of Pine Brook, New Jer- 

 sey ; another party in Orange county report sixty birds to 

 four guns ; another from the Summit Lake Club, Monroe 

 near Newburg, killed forty woodcock to two guns. A not 

 uncommon incident occurred, which is sometimes improp- 

 erly accounted for. The shooter w r as on one side of a nar- 

 row stream, and the setter on the other, pointing steadily • 

 in a second or so Iavo cocks rose almost simultaneously 

 Avithin a few yards of the dog. Now this was no fault of 

 the dog, as he only moved his head, after the birds were 

 flushed, to look round for his master to cross the creek. 

 The dog had been hunted several hours, he was very Avarm, 

 and a nasty, strong smell exuding from his body (so much 

 so as to cause a remark from the gentleman present), and 

 the wind blowing dead on the birds, it is fairly to be sup- 

 posed they became alarmed at the strange smell -and rose. 

 It is indispensable that your setter retrieve well. As to 

 wearing heavy boots all day long in this sultry weather, 

 and picking up your own birds (a good many would be glad 

 of the opportunity), it is a nuisance, except on special occa- 

 sions. Moreover, you are very apt to flush other birds 

 Avhen you are little prepared. 



Ruffed Grouse. — The legal season for shooting the 

 ruffed grouse, Avhich is generally miscalled the "prairie 

 chicken," varies in the several Western States where it in- 

 habits. In Minnesota it begins August 1st, in Illinois, Indi- 

 ana and Iowa, August 15th, and in Wisconsin, August 20th. 

 The birds in Minnesota and IoAva are reported as being ex- 

 tremely abundant this year, and parties are organizing to 

 make a raid upon them upon the 15th. However, we pre- 

 fer to enjoy awhile longer the pleasures of anticipation, and 

 wait until September. It is too hot now to be beating about 

 in the broiling sun through the scrub oaks, or even to ride 

 over the by-roads and shoot from the wagon. 



Snipe. — We hear of a few scattering snipe at Rockaway 

 Beach, and Canarsie. The sportsmen are on the qui w, 

 and soon the banging of guns Avill be heard all over the 

 marshes and meadoAVS. A few were shot at Flatlands last 

 Aveek by Dan Hughes. They Avere very large and fat. 



Curlew. — This bird first makes its appearance in Labra- 

 dor about the middle of August, on his migratory journey 

 south, and is shot in great numbers along the strait of Belle 

 Isle. A brief sketch of the curlew Avill appear in our next 

 issue. 



The shooting for the Lorillard badge, &c, at Saratoga, 

 was unfortunately not of a very satisfactory nature, owing 

 to the necissity of making it a two days' shoot. H. A. 

 Brown, of Cleveland, Ohio, won the badge and part of en- 

 trance money. 



hu mtd Miver 



GAME FISH IN SEASON IN AUGUST. 



Blnefish, (Temnodon Saltator.) 

 Salmon, (Salmo Solar.) 

 Sea Trout, (Truita Mariria.) 

 Grayling, (Thymattus Signifer.) 

 Maskinonge. 



Striped Bass, (Laln^ax Litieatvs.) 

 Trout, {Salmo Forthmlis.) 

 Black Bass, (Centrarchus Fasciatu?.) 

 Land-locked Salmon, (Salmo Glovtri.) 



Though August is not the angler's month, par excellence, 

 it is nevertheless the month of the year in which more va- 

 rieties of fish are taken with angler's gear than any other, 

 both in salt and fresh water. The fishing, however, except 

 for bluefish , striped bass, black bass and moskinonge, is 

 on the wane, and in those States where close seasons are 

 fixed by law angling for salmon and trout is prohibited in 

 September. In Canada rod fishing for salmon is forbidden 

 under heavy penalty after the 31st day of August in the 

 provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and after the 15th day of 

 September in the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova 

 Scotia. The catching of any kind of trout is prohibited 

 betAveen the 1st day of October and the 1st day of January. 

 In Ontario, hoAvever, this restriction applies only to the va- 

 riety known as "speckled trout," or brook trout. In the 

 State of NeAV York the close season begins on the 15th of 

 September and continues until the 15th of March. This 

 rule is, or should be adopted in all States east of the Rocky 

 Mountains where trout or salmon are caught. 



The past few weeks have been remarkable for the extra- 

 ordinary good run of fish, both in fresh Avater and in the 

 brine. We summarize : 



Bluefish. — In all the bays and bights of Long Island 

 Sound, in the Great South Bay, and in the Avaters outside, 

 far aAvay to the eastward, and doAvn on the coast of Jersey, 

 this splendid fish has literally swarmed. Set nets have taken 

 as many as 6,000 in a single day. Several times vast shoals 

 have been driven on the beach by porpoises and other large 

 feeders, and been picked up floundering by the cart load. 

 Other shoals have chased the shiners, sardines and ancho- 

 vies close in to shore, and been "jigged" from the surface 

 by the hundred into the boat. Trollers have taken large 

 fish, weighing twelve pounds and more, Avhile the average 

 size of those taken in the nets and along shore has been 

 about three pounds, 



