292 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



the;angler. 



■■» — > — 



OTHE gallant fisher's life, 

 It is the best of any, 

 'Tis full of pleasure, void of strife. 

 And 'tis beloved by many; 

 Other joys 

 Are but toys, 

 Only this 

 Lawful is, 

 For our skill 

 Breeds no ill, 

 But content and pleasure. 



In a morning up we rise, 

 Ere Aurora's peeping, 

 Drink a cup to wash our eyes — 

 Leave the sluggard sleeping: 



Then we go 



To and fro, 



With our knacks 



At our backs, 



To such streams 



As the Thames, 

 If we have the leisure. 



When we please to walk abroad 



For our recreation, 



In the field is our abode, 



Full of delectation ; 



When in a brook, 



With a hook, 



Or a lake, 



Fish we take: 



There we sit, 



For a bit, 

 Till we fish entangle . 



We have gentles in a horn, 



We have paste and worms, too, 

 We can watcb both night and morn, 

 Suffer rain and storms, too; 



None do here 



Use to swear, 



Oaths do fray 



Fish away ; 



We sit still, 



Watch our quill, 

 Fishers must not wrangle. 



If the sun's excessive heat 



Makes our bodies swelter. 

 To an osier bedge we get. 

 For a friendly shelter; 



Where in a dike. 



Perch or pike, 



Roach or dace, 



We do chase,; 



Bleak or gudgeon, 



Without grudging; 

 We are still contented. 



Or we sometimes pass an hour 



Under a green willow, 

 That defends us from a shower, 

 Making earth our pillow: 

 Where we may 

 Think and pray, 

 Before death 

 Stops our breath; 

 Other joys 

 Are but toys, 

 And to be lamented. 

 in " Library of Poetry and Song." 



John Churchill. 



A CANADIAN ON RIFLE SHOOTING. 



WE take great pleasure in producing a most interest- 

 ing letter, which will be fully appreciated by our 

 riflemen. It's author is a distinguished member of a lead- 

 ing Canadian Rifle Club:— 



Hamilton, Ontario, Dec. 13, 1873. 



Editor Forest and {Stream : — 



Having attended the first meeting of your National Rifle 

 Association, I take a very great interest in reading your re- 

 ports of Creedmoor and of the different matches held there, 

 and I am pleased to notice the great improvement your 

 marksmen have made in a short time in the use of the rifle. 

 I have attended since I have lived in Canada numerous 

 opening matches of Rifle Associations, but I must say that 

 the matches at Creedmoor, N. Y., were better conducted, 

 and the shooting at least equal to any that I have seen in 

 the Dominion. Great credit is certainly due to the several 

 gentlemen who had the organizing of the Association, and 

 who have carried out their arrangements so well. I do not 

 mean to say that, all was perfection, for that is not to be at- 

 tained at a first rifle meeting; but it was all that could be 

 expected. There were a few mistakes made which you 

 will no doubt obviate on acquiring experience. I will men- 

 tion one or two. I noticed on several occasions men firing 

 at targets when markers were painting the adjoining ones 

 •with danger flags up, which is very dangerous, for the bul- 

 lets after striking the target fly in pieces on each side, and 

 it was a wonder to me that the matches terminated without 

 an accident. Another mistake I think was committed in 

 the" small bore matches, (or, as you term them, sporting 

 rifles) and that error was in shooting them from the 

 shoulder. We did the same thing at the opening matches 

 of our Dominion Rifle Association, but have now given it 

 up. Long range rifles are not made for shoulder shooting, 

 and although in England^nd Scotland they have matches 

 at the short distance of 200 yards \vith them, they, on all 

 occasions, shoot in any position. In Canada we seldom 

 have matches with small bore rifles at any range under 500 

 yards In your paper of November 6th, in your comments 

 on the match of the Amateur Rifle Club, you make some 

 mistakes which you will pardon me for correcting. You 

 say, "Mr. Omand having been a member of the Victoria 

 Rifles of Montreal, and one of the winners in the match for 

 the Rajah of Kolapore Cup in 1870," and so forth. Now, 

 Mr. Omand was never a member of the Victoria Rifles of 



Montreal, but was a member of the Victoria Rifle Club of 

 Hamilton, and the Kolapore Cup was first competed for by 

 Canadians at Wimbledon in 1871, twenty men on each side, 

 at 200, 500 and 600 yards. On that occasion we were beaten 

 by somewhere about fifty points, but, in 1872, we picked 

 our eight best men and shot eight men a side and beat the 

 united team of England,Ireland and Scotland by eight points. 

 You also make a comparison of the shooting in your 

 matches and the shooting for the Kolapore Cup, but you 

 must recollect that they shot with the Snider Military Rifle, 

 with open sights, whereas the Amateur Club shot with 

 sporting rifles, finely sighted with aperture front and back 

 sights. Now, that makes a great difference indeed. From 

 what I saw I feel perfectly satisfied that the Remington 

 Sporting Rifle is at least equal to the Rigby or Metf ord Small 

 Bore Rifles, which are the best long range rifles that we 

 know of. I think it is a mistake to exclude muzzle-loading 

 rifles from shooting in your badge matches, or any other. 

 It is the best way to test the merits of both kinds of rifles 

 by shooting them along side each other. You must not 

 think by my above remarks that I have any intention of 

 trying to diminish the credit due to your marksmen. Far 

 from it; they certainly have improved in a most wonderful 

 way in the short time they have been practising, and 

 deserve great credit. I see by some remarks in your paper 

 that you do not approve of giving money prizes at your 

 competitions, for the purpose of keeping out a spirit of 

 gambling, which is perfectly correct, if it would have that 

 tendency; but experience proves, both in England and 

 Canada, that such is not the case; for where there is no 

 chance of cheating there is no danger of gamblers' com- 

 peting. If you do not offer money prizes your competitions 

 will be confined to men who have the means arid time at 

 their disposal. Now, I presume the gentlemen who have 

 so magnanimously worked and organized the National Rifle 

 Association had some nobler object in view than getting it 

 up for mere pastime. I have no doubt their intentions are 

 that it shall be an institution for teaching your young men, 

 whom you would expect to fight your battles, the practical 

 use of the rifle. It is necessary for me to tell you that there 

 are thousands of such men, who, for want of means, would 

 not be able to give the necessary time for practice, and con- 

 sequently would not attend your competitions at all; 

 whereas, if there were any chance of their being able to 

 pay their expenses by what they might win in money, they 

 would be far more likely to take an interest in rifle practice, 

 and in a military point of view, your country would be all 

 the stronger. I also see some remarks about spirit levels, 

 plumb balls, &c. , &c. , for the very necessary purpose of 

 keeping the rifle perpendicular when shooting. In Canada 

 we have gotten over experimenting on those things. I see by 

 your columns that one gentleman suggests a pendulum 

 hanging loosely from the back sight with an aperture in it, 

 which is a good idea, but for the one objection of its being 

 impracticable on a windy day. It would keep shaking 

 back and forward and would disturb the eye of the marks- 

 man. We have tried a great many plans to keep the rifle 

 plumb, but all methods have failed, save by using the spirit 

 level, which suits the purpose better than any thing we 

 have tried. So far as the danger of the spirit levels getting 

 broken is concerned, that depends very much on the way 

 they are fitted on. I have made mine to slip on the fore- 

 sight and move along with it, when I shift for wh d, so that 

 it is always in a direct line with the sight, and does not dis- 

 turb the eye when sighting. It can be taken off and put on 

 in a moment without any trouble. I have used it for over 

 five years, and it is not broken yet. The same amount of 

 care which is necessary to protect the sight will also protect 

 the level. Yours, very truly, 



Shooter. 



-vthe mule deer— or a macrotus. 



♦ 



THIS species of deer is better known among hunters as 

 the black tail, or red deer. It ranges from Western 

 Missouri to the snow ranges of the Rocky Mountains, and 

 is a very numerous species. During a five month's hunt in 

 Colorado, I did not observe a black tail, or Virginian deer, 

 although the C. Macrotus were seen in considerable num- 

 bers. The does of the Mule Deer are found throughout the 

 foothills the whole years, but the bucks retire to the highest 

 mountains in the spring, where they remain until about 

 the first of October. While on the mountain tops they col- 

 lect generally in small bands of four or five, though I have 

 seen seventeen bucks in a herd. While in the vicinity of 

 Taylor's Fork, Colorado, I had a fine opportunity of watch- 

 ing them in their natural haunts. They are generally 

 found near timber line, in the heat of the day, but in the 

 morning and evening they leave the shade of the forest 

 and go further up the mountains to the grassy tops, to 

 feed on the young rich growth which is nourished and fed 

 by the water from the snow banks on the mountain peaks. 

 When thus feeding, it requires the utmost skill of the hun- 

 ter to approach them within shooting distance. I have 

 watched a band of bucks feeding far above timber line 

 until they gradually approached the forest, where I could 

 find sufficient cover to crawl near them unseen and 

 obtain a shot. When one deer is killed in a band 

 and is seen to fall by the others, they often run in a 

 body a short distance from the slain buck, and halt, 

 looking back at the point of danger, standing as still as a 

 statue, with their large* ears brought forward to catch the 

 slightest sound. If nothing is seen in a few moments they 

 wheel about and gallop away to the nearest timber, when 

 they are soon lost to view. When shot at in the forest, 

 they retreat at a furious rate, often falling over fallen tim 



bers, and crashing through thickets, making the dead sticks 

 crack and fly in every direction. They sometimes charge 

 directly toward the hunter, and on one occasion I "drop- 

 ped" a buck within twenty feet of me with a second shot, 

 which was passing with several others. The scent of the 

 Mule Deer is very keen, and it is useless to hunt them to 

 "leeward" as they will smell the approaching hunter, and 

 bound away, long before he is near enough to sight them. 

 They are remarkably sharp Righted, and are constantly on 

 the lookout for danger, particularly the does when they 

 have their young with them. 



When a band is resting, they lie down within a few feet 

 of each other, doubling their fore legs under the body, and 

 in wet weather they dry their coat by licking it "with the 

 tongue, in the same manner as a dog. I once observed a 

 band of seven bucks, during a shower, which were lying 

 under a large spruce tree, within fifty yards of my conceal- 

 ment. They were lying so close together, as nearly to touch 

 each other. After watching them about five minutes I shot 

 one of the largest. When receiving the ball, it jumped up, 

 and immediately fell down again, and in so doing, tripped 

 one of the passing r herd, that went tumbling down a steep 

 hillside, but soon caught iis footing and bounded away 

 after the rest of the band, with the speed of the wind. 

 The bucks often return to their "beds," sleeping in the same 

 place several nights in succession. I have surprised three 

 bucks several times in their favorite resting place, which 

 was on the decayed remains of a large log that had crum- 

 bled to pieces, thus making a soft and dry bed. 



The Mule Deer has generally one fawn', though some- 

 times two. The fawns are prettily spotted with white and 

 become quite strong and active a few days after their birth. 

 When a doe first has her fawns, she remains in the thick 

 swamps and under-bush for several weeks until her off- 

 spring are able to keep up with her when running from 

 danger. 



The flesh of the Mule Deer is superior, as meat, to that 

 of the Virginian deer. The C. Macrotus is larger than the 

 white tailed deer (C. Virginianus) and it requires consider- 

 able strength on the part of the hunter, when on level 

 ground, to lift a full grown Mule Deer up on to his riding 

 animal, behind his saddle, when it has just been killed and 

 in a limsy state. Jos. H. Batty, U. S. G-. Survey. 



Prof. F. V. Hayden, in charge. 



SKETCHES IN FLORIDA. 



+. 



THE ENVIRONS OP TALLAHASSEE. 



THE City of Tallahassee, the Capital of the State of 

 Florida, is situated in Leon County, about thirty 

 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico, and half-way between 

 the eastern and western limits of the State. Tallahassee is 

 an Indian word, and signifies "old fields." The present 

 site of the city was perhaps long ago the cornfields of the 

 savages. It is situated upon the broad, flat top of a hill, 

 and is about a mile in length, by three-eighths in breadth. 

 Its people are hospitable, refined, polite, and very sociable; 

 and the stranger visiting there will receive more attention 

 than at any other city in the south. It is a very paradise 

 for bachelors, on account of the number, the beauty and 

 the charming manners of the ladies. The climate is very 

 pleasant, and the number of soft, warm " Indian summer" 

 days during the winter, is very great — and, though a fire is 

 necessary in the evenings, yet, during the day the visitor 

 can remain almost entirely in the open air with comfort and 

 pleasure. 



To the sportsman, the prospect is admirable. In every 

 direction, for miles from the town, are wide fields, which 

 swarm with quail. A fair day's shooting — allowing the 

 sportsman to take his breakfast at a reasonable hour, and 

 start leisurely, returning for supper at dark — for a good 

 shot, and with a good dog, is not less than from sixty to 

 one hundred and forty birds. The covies are all large, and 

 often two or more are found in one field. In the neighbor- 

 hood of the town are many small lakes, in which duck and 

 other wild fowl are plentiful. While at Lakes Lafayette 

 and Jackson, six miles distant, and some miles in extent, 

 there is good fishing as well as good shooting. About two 

 miles from town, and on a high hill, which lies between 

 several small lakes, is a favorite resort for duck-shooters— 

 as the birds are continually passing and repassing from lake 

 to lake. There is abundance of accommodation in the 

 city, and the young gentlemen take pleasure in giving the 

 sportsman all necessary information and assistance. Horses 

 and vehicles are readily obtained. Deer are often killed 

 within a few miles of the town, as well as wild turkeys. 



St. Mark's, but an hour's ride from the city, by rail, is on 

 the Gulf; and the fishing and wild fowl shooting is of the 

 best. Boats and assistants are easily had. 



One of the pleasantest trips, is a vist to the famous 

 Wakulla Spring — which lies about sixteen miles from Tal 

 lahassee, almost due south — and out of which flows the 

 Wakulla River, a stream a hundred feet wide, and three 

 feet deep, with a two mile current where it leaves the 

 spring. The route, with the exception of a few miles near 

 Tallahassee, is through the pine woods, which extend to 

 the very edge of the spring; though, as the ground begins 

 to fall, there is a considerable intermixture of other varie- 

 ties of timber, and a heavy undergrowth. The Wakulla 

 Spring is about fifty yards long, by seventy -five broad, and 

 is famous for the transparency of its waters. Floating in » 

 boat on its surface, one seems suspended in mid air— and, 

 when the day is perfectly calm, the water smooth and the 

 sun bright, the illusion is perfect. The ordinary depth of 



