FOREST AND STREAM. 



53 



— A series of rifle-ahooting contest^ have been arranged to 

 cotoi oil at the ChiCO Driving Park, Col., Feb. 22. 



— A ride club was organized iu Petnlumn, California, Jan. 

 25, with \V. F, SbattUOk as President, .IV. Stinson, Secre- 

 tary, P. J. Bteiger. Treasurer, and Fred Kuhnle, Captain of 

 the first team. The club will confine its efforts to off-hand 

 shooting. 



—We call attention to the advertisement of Capt. Messiter'fl 

 rifle. Many of our readers know him as an English gentle- 

 man sportsman. Last year in the Kooky Mounlains^the 

 captain killed' six grizzlies, besides elk. deer, etc., in large 

 nnmhers. In two cases a single shot killed a bear. Two of 

 his bear-skin trophies can ho seen at 70S Broadway, this city, 



Aoouhaoy of Express Bifi.ks. — Dauphin, Pa., Feb. 10. — 

 Mr. Editor : In answer to the letter of "G. J. U.," in your 

 issue of the 6th of this month, I would^ay, in the first place, 

 that hollow bullets are of no use, and arc not intended to be 

 . used beyond 200 yards. Within that distance they are" very 

 accurate, and no other kind of a bullet can approach them in 

 their effect on big, dangerous game. A match rifle, too, 

 cannot, be a genuine Express, as the rilling which suits the 

 one will not suit the other, and it has to he modified. I men- 

 tioned in the Forest and Stream of the 0th, that 1 had just 

 had the diagram sent me of the shooting of a double 50-bore 

 Express, by Turner (not Mener, as printed), and that the 

 bullets at 200 yards are all in a space of six inches by eight 

 inches. Now this is sufficiently accurate for any kind of 

 game, and the charge is much larger than the one mentioned 

 try 4i G. J. U." In conclusion, I would say that no one who 

 tries a genuine Express rifle on large game, from the grizzly 

 bear downward, as I did in Montana last autumn, will regret 

 having bought it, but there are only about five makers who 

 can turn them out as they should be. C. Mkssitek. 



Intern ation at. Prospbot3_fob 1S79.— In a conversation 

 recently had with a prominent member of the Board of 

 Directors of the National Rifle Association on the chances of 

 the big matches for the coming"_season, he said : 



The prospects for rifle shooting during the coming season 

 are brighter than in any past year. From the report received 

 from American gentlemen who have recently returned from 

 ElirOpe, it appears to be understood that an attempt will be 

 made, by either an English or Irish team to wrest the "Palma" 

 from American control. It is to be hoped that this will be the 

 case, as the expectation of such an attempt will give long- 

 range rifle shooting a fresh impulse, and again bring into com- 

 petition the riflemen of the different States. The great event 

 of the year in all probability will bo the " International 

 Military Match." In the convention of National Guardsmen, 

 recently held in New York, the opinion was freely expressed 

 by the delegates that the number of States who would send 

 teams to participate in this match during 18/0 would be very 

 large. If the bill prepared by the convention now pending in 

 Congress becomes a law, scarcely any State will fail to be 

 represented. In any event there can be no doubt but that most 

 of the Eastern and many of the Western and Southern States 

 will enter teams. The regular army have already taken the 

 initiative, and instead of selecting their representatives in the 

 scoop-net manner in which it was done last year, will have a 

 team from each of the three departments which need not fear 

 comparison with anything which the National Guard can pro- 

 duce. Canada has under discussion the selection of a team, 

 although finding the enforcement of the off-hand position at 

 200 yards considerable of an objection. An invitation to the 

 German troops has been favorably received by the German 

 Minister, and transmitted by him to Germany. In England 

 the expressions of the Volunteer Servuse Gazette have been 

 frequent and cordial in regard to their desire to measure their 

 strength with military riflas against the Americans. The in- 

 ternational trophy presented by Judge Hilton is now com- 

 pleted, and is a magnificent specimen of American art, which 

 will well repay the exertions of any team which may win it 

 lu addition, it is understood that the directors of the Nationa - 

 Kitto Association are seelring to provide funds to enable them 

 to offer prizes to the highest teams of such an amount as to 

 make it worth their while to incur the expense of contending 

 in a match of this character. 



HOW DO YOU AIM? 



Mb. Editok : 



In shooting at a target at different distances with the rifle, 

 and in reporting the result through the press, we should 

 always, if we wish to be fully understood, be very particular 

 to mention how we aimed it in the trial. 



That is, we should state whether our aim was without varia- 

 tion, and all the time on the centre of the target, or whether 

 we varied it by aiming higher or lower on its face, while still 

 using the same uniform fine sight (standard), or what amounts to 

 the same thing, by changing the aim from a fine to a finer or 

 coarser sight. I refer to open sights the more especially. 



The importance of defining our aim is made strikingly ap- 

 parent when wc assort, that of the two ways of aiming, in 

 general practice— the one .constant and on the centre oi the 

 target, and the other. variable over the face of it — there exists a 

 difference of 100 per cent, in the result. 



For an illustration of this let us suppose the target used to 

 have a four-inch bull's-eye, and that our aim is fine, and on its 

 centre at 100 yards, and that wo hit the centre. Now, at 

 about fifty-five yards this same shot, with the same aim, will 

 strike very nearly two inches, above the centre, or just in 

 the upper edge of the bull's-eye. Thus, a four-inch bull's-eye 

 is as small as can bo hit, at and within 100 yards, while aim- 

 ing uniformly on the centre. Now, suppose we reduce this 

 bull's-eye to a two-inch one, and use it in place of the other. 

 At 100 yards, aiming a3 before on the centre, we will hit it. 

 Now, if at fifty-nve"yards wo vary the aim to the lower edtre, 

 we will hit the upper edge, which is two inches above. Thus, 

 in this ease of varying the aim, the rifle will hit a two-inch 

 bull's-eye throughout the range (and even farther), whilst by 

 aiming on the centre, this same gun requires a four-inch bull's- 

 eye in order not to miss it. The ditTerence of 100 per cent, in 

 ihe results is, therefore, made evident. Hence, not to report 

 the mode of aiming, with the result of the shooting, as is 

 iiythe ease in Bending in Bcorpa lor publication, and 

 sometimes as a blind "to crack up" this or that rifle, is simply 

 to leave the gist of the matter out of the report, 



My point is — please state your aim if you expect us to 

 come within 100 per cent, of a true estimate of your score, or 

 the accuracy of your rifle ? 



I hope no one will consider my point in any sense caustic. 

 It is not so intended, but only as a kind of reminder how we 



may often inadvertently be a little out of the way without 

 ever having once thought of it. Besides, f hope this article 

 may prove of interest to the amateur with the rifle. These 1 



g about the gun. I am 

 11 appreciate my motives, even though but. little 

 1 would observe that it is always 

 hi the object, and it is by so doing 

 epeatedly within so small a circle 

 l « ) or three inch for 100 yards, 

 200 yards. 

 I see that Mr. F. J. Kabbeth has presented in your columns 

 a very important point about, the Express hollow bullet, and 

 that one writer in your last issue has already confirmed by 

 practice his views. I hope this matter will be followed up 

 until Mr. Babbeth's well-taken point is fully settled. 



Ma. i. H. W. Mbeuili.. 

 mw Mochelk, iV. T., Feb. 11. 



always ha 

 sure they 1 

 benefited 1 . 

 permissible to 



along a given c 

 and an eight 



—The Winchester Arms Company have presented one of 

 their new model Express rifles as a prize in the Forest and 

 Stkeam Tournament. 



IN SEASON 



FEBRUARY. 



Hares, brown and gray. 



Wild duck, gec-ae, brant, etc. 



EOR FLOBtDA, 



Deer, Wild Turkey, Woodcock, Quail, Suipe, Ducks and Wild Fowl. 



" Buy birds" generally, Including various specieB of plover, sand 

 piper, snipe, curlew, oys1.er-eat.cher, surf birds, plmlaropes, avoeeto, 

 etc., coming under the group Aii/*ok or Shore Birds. 



Whereabouts or the Wild Pigeons. — Many persons will 

 be interested in the information contained in the following 

 letter. We are much indebted to our correspondent who 

 writes us : 



Sedalia, Mo., Feb. 13, 1879. 



The wild pigeons have been in immense numbers in the 

 Indian Territory near Atoka. They are now moving North 

 slowly. At this writing they are on the South Canadian. 

 Any further information you may desire of a more definite 

 nature will be gladly furnished by our stock agent for the 

 Territory, Mr. T. D. Miller, care M. K. & T. K. B. 



Yours truly, John W. Thadbr. 



Peeoe— DUt. of Gaspe, Canada, Feb. 10.— We have had a 

 flying visit from the versatile author of the " Chronicles of 

 the St. .Lawrence," and we sincerely regret that his stay at 

 Bella Line was so short. Mr. Lemoine is about adding an ap- 

 pendix to his chronicles, which will contain interesting and 

 valuable matter. Read that appendix, ladies and gentlemen, 

 by all means, andsendyour criticismsto Forest and Stream. 



PhIMP VniERT. 



New Hami-sihue— Dover, Feb. 11. — Mr. Mark Foss, of 

 Strafford, some dozen miles from here, while out limiting 

 partridges, shot and kilted a large Canada lynx. Trail of 

 another was found, but if being near dark he could not be fol- 

 lowed that night. The next morning a party with dogs 

 "started him and followed him all day without getting* a 

 shot at him, although he was seen a number of times. When 

 the two were first started they were making a supper from a 

 sheep they had just killed belonging to a man near by. 



W. A. G. 



Pennsylvania — Attenloum, Feb. 11. — Mr. A. Bichard, of 

 Albcrtis, shot at 102 glass balls, Bogardus rales and Huber 

 trap, 18 yards rise, on Saturday, Feb. 8, breaking 98 of them 

 in 7| minutes. lie is, without doubt, one of the best shots 

 in this part of Pennsylvania. C. H. B. 



Tennessee — Naslmlle, Feb. 11. — A few daya ago a num- 

 ber of gentlemen went out shooting near this place, and after 

 hunting all day, while oh their return home at a place where 

 no game was supposed to be, one of the dogs, Bip, came to a 

 point, and was at once backed by Lark. Thus they stood 

 until the guns were loaded. One of the party moved for- 

 ward to flush the birds, when, to his surprise, a gray fox 

 started. Bang, bang, went the guns, and it was only on the 

 fifth shot that Reynard was badly wounded in the hind leg. 

 He ran off and hid, but soon Lark found him, gave chase and 

 caught him ; a fight ensued, but the wiley fox got away again. 

 This time he was so closely pursued by the bun tors that he 

 attempted to climb a tree, when he was captured and killed. 

 About the same time that Bip came to a point on the fox, 

 Lize, who had deserted the party some time before, came to 

 a point on a covey of birds, and through all the noise and 

 shooting which took place during the fox chase, stood there 

 staunch until two of the gentlemen came up aud flushed and 

 bagged several birds. Last Monday and Tuesday, Mr. Olark 

 Putihitt and R. Gettiugs made a fine bag at Dixon Station. 

 Mr. Higgins joined the party with his splendid braes of 

 setters, Jet and Belle, on Saturday, and killed 28 quail and 

 one woodcock. At Prospect, a place near the Alabama line, 

 game is reported very abundant. J. 1). If. 



Indiana — Indianapolis, Feb. 19. — From indications since 

 the snow disappeared we think that there are still enough 

 quail for breeding the coming season. I. F. 



Nebraska — Omaha, Feb. 10. — We have had an unusually 

 open, pleasant winter, and most favorable to all kinds of 

 game, especially wild turkeys, grouse and quail. Quail shoot- 

 ing was exceedingly good during the open season, namely, 

 October, November and December. The two open winters 

 have aided largely this result, and now the probabilities are 

 another open winter to further give them increase. Our 

 State Legislature has under consideration an amendment to 

 the law limiting the opeu season to the months of October 

 and November as to quail, and I think it a good move, also 

 grouse shooting to commence August 15, instead of the 1st as 

 heretofore. Our legislature is also moving in the direction of 

 fish culture, and indications are strongly in favor of success. 

 So mote it be 1 B. E. B. K. 



The Tigers of India. — In our poets' corner we print an- 

 other of Isaac McLcllan's characteristic hunting poems. In 

 favoring ua with this sketch, he has taken occasion to supply 

 the following interesting notes concerning the tigers of India, 

 which constitute the subject of the poem : 



"In my MSS. vol. of hunting poems I had written a poem 

 on the hunting of the Hill tiger, but I wish to add a poem on 

 the Bengal tiger, the subject of the present poem. As there 



are two distinct varieties of the wild pig in India, so there 

 seems to be little doubt that there are two distinct kinds of 

 tigers. As a rule, the stripes of a royal Bengal are single and 

 dark. The skull is widely different from that of his brother, 

 the Hill tiger, being low in the crown and wide in the jaws. 

 The. Hill tiger is much more massively built, heavier iu weight 

 and larger in bulk, with shorter tail and larger head, neck 

 and shoulders. The Bengal variety are not, as a rule, as fe- 

 rocious as the Hill tiger. Being more supple and cunning, 

 they can easier evade their pursuers by flight ; but the Hill 

 tigers trust more to their strength and courage, anticipating 

 victory as certain. 



"' Maori,' an excellent writer on the sports of Nepaul, 

 says that a tiger over ten feet long is an exceptionally long 

 one, and that tigers are not got nearly so large as in former 

 days, and that tigers much longer and heavier were shot 

 some twenty years ago than now. He accounts for this by 

 the fact that there is less land left waste and uncultivated. 

 There are now more roads ; population has increased ; fire- 

 arms are more numerous, and sport is more generally fol- 

 lowed; and so tigers have not the same chances as they had 

 formerly of attaining a ripe old age and reaching the extreme 

 limit of their growth. The largest tigers are only found now 

 in the remotest recesses of jungles, where the crack of the 

 European rifle is seldom or never heard. 'Maori' seems to 

 prefer to use the solid conical bullet for large game to the 

 Jacob shell. He says that he once fired no less than six 

 Jacob's shells into a tiger— all behind the shoulder— before 

 he could stop him. The shells seemed to explode on the sur- 

 face the moment they came in contact with the body. There 

 was a tremendous surface wound, but little internal hurt. On 

 another occasion he fired twelve shells into a buffalo bull be- 

 fore he killed him. He could hear as every shell hit him the 

 sharp detonation and see the tiny curl of smoke from the 

 ghastly wound ; and the brute would drop on his knees, stag- 

 ger again to his feet and attempt to charge the hunter's ele- 

 phant. From that day he never fired a Jacob's shell." 



Standard Rules for Thai- Bhootin« .— Mr. Editor: My 

 attention has been called to an important point which 1 do not 

 remember ever having seen mentioned, viz., the necessity for 

 some standard work for the traps. There seems to be a great 

 difference in those I have seen, some throwing the ball twenty 

 yards and some fifty. Now, some one of authority should fix 

 the maximum and minimum for ail match shooting so there can 

 be some regularity. We find scores reported all the way down 

 from full to nothing, but unless we know the traps used the 

 score is no gauge of the ability of the shooters. The regula- 

 tion of the trap is a simple matter, and all that is needed is to 

 know what is right, and I think it would be generally adopted; 

 and if a shooter could make a full score on one set of traps he 

 could feci confidence in his ability to do it anywhere. If you 

 think this matter worthy of your attention please give distance 

 that a ball should strike the ground from the trap. Yours, B. 



Rise, 18 yards, is maximum 32 yards, minimum 28. 



DITTMAR POWDER. 

 Wood vs. Black Powdbb. 

 TT is now r many years since the introduction of the 8hultz 

 -*- wood powder into Europe, and although it has been much 

 experimented with and largely used, it has not yet superseded 

 black powder, or become a substitute for it ; nor do we know 

 that it ever will. Several years ago Mr. Dittmar invented his 

 smokeless powder (which is made of paper,) and has labored 

 hard to introduce it and popularize it in America. It has 

 many decided advantages over black powder, but although 1 

 has been very faithfully tried, it has not yet superseded black 

 powder; nor do we know that it ever will. One thing we do 

 know, which is, that it requires greater care in its use, because 

 its explosive power is greater ; and it is also leas reliable, be- 

 cause it absorbs moisture more readily from the nature of its: 

 ingredients. Whatever else we can learn through cruciall 

 tests, we desire to know, and shall be pleased to print any tea^- 

 timony, pro or con, from those who have used it. The Dits- 

 mar powder is now on its trial.and there are many men besides 

 the patentees aud the manufacturers of black powder who are 

 watching the test with interest. We do not think informa- 

 tion on this topic encumbers our space. 



We append some additional letters herewith : 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



In the last number of F. and 8. " J. P. G.," of Cambridge, 

 Mass., asks whether the Dittmar powder is liablo to injuie 

 the interior of a gun barrel. He says that his own gun and 

 one owned by a friend, after using Dittmar, had the appear- 

 ance of having been eaten by an acid. My experience with 

 the powder is as follows : 



In July last I obtained a supply of Dittmar (which was 

 marked as the same as used by Bogardus at Gilmores Garden) 

 and used it through August and the first part of September 

 tor woodcock and ruffed grouse. I was very much pleased 

 with it, particularly in thick cover, as owing to the absi , 

 smoke I could use the second barrel more effectively than with 

 black powder, but for open shooting at long distances, for such 

 birds as upland plover, I did not like it as well, for I never 

 could get as good pattern, or peuetration as with Hazard's or 

 Deadshot. For instance, at a target consisting of a very thick 

 sheet of cardboard, 19 inches by 23 at 75 yards with 4 drs 

 Dittmar and l£ oz- No. 8 shot, the result was a pattern of 44 

 shot, with penetration of 19 j while with 4i drs. Hazard anil 

 same charge of shot the pattern was C6, with" penetration of 41 

 Still 1 should have used it altogether for cover shooting had I 

 not found, after using some 200 shells, that the inside of my 

 gun barrels were very much spotted and kept growing worse, 

 until at length I took them to a gunsmith and had them re 

 bored. The gunsmilh said thai, it did not look like common 

 rust, and asked whether I had used any sort of acid to clean 

 the barrels. The gun I use has fine Damascus barrels aud was 

 made to order by Schaefer, of Bxston, and it was ah 

 cleaned thoroughly after having been used. C. M. Stakk- 



Dwnbarton, A r . //., Feb. 13, 1879. 



sires to know n any of your readers have had the sami 

 perience. Hiving used more Dittmar than any one here and 

 tested it thoroughly, I think, 1 would respectfully Mate that. 

 the experience of " Canvas Back" and myself is the same 

 1 have shot shells that have been loaded for a year and it is a 

 fact that Dittmar will not stick shot thirty Bteps where car- 



