FOREST AND STREAM. 



291 



Imagination generally works through the same instruments 

 that alwayB tripped the feet of the so-called "great philoso- 

 pher" Bacon whenever he attempted to take a practical etep 

 in philosophy, to wit., fanciful analogies. In sporting phi. 

 losophy we may everywhere see persons running off the track 

 at the ever-open switches of analogy and landing in some ditch 

 of obscurity. Thus, fine shot, according to some, " has bet- 

 ter penetration" than heavy shot ; a small ball "cuts sharper" 

 than a big one ; the twiBt of a rifle " gives force" to the ball, 

 etc. 



Very similar to this latter fallacy is the influence of names 

 and words. Thus a " slow twist" is by many thought to 

 make a "slow ball;" a "quick twist" a "quick ball," etc 

 The number of good, practical hunters who entertain such 

 ideas is wonderful, though of course such very absurd ones as 

 these last few are rarely met with among those who write 

 much on shooting. 



Many disputes seem to be entirely verbal, simply a war of 

 words without either disputant being aware of it. This is 

 more often seen in oral disputes, though occasionally such a 

 wrangle gets in print, We should not be surprised to see any 

 day a discussion start upon the question whether or not pow- 

 der is explosive, and to see four different sides taken, one in- 

 sisting that it simply "burns," another that it "simply 

 evolves gas," another that it "only undergoes combustion" 

 and the fourth calling all the rest a set of jacks for not seeing 

 that they are all wrong and that " the powder upon ignition 

 is simply resolved into its original elements. 



Similar to this last is carelessness or inaccuracy of statement 

 from a hasty and slovenly selection of words. Had each party 

 to the great recoil question taken care at the outset to define 

 his own position and language clearly, the lusty squaller that 

 made such a racket would have been strangled at its birth 

 for want of wind. The same inaccuracy may be produced 

 by neglect to qualify or modify a proposition which is itself 

 correctly enough stated. Thus, those who say " always use 

 coarse powder" are about as badly astTay as those who say 

 "always use fine powder;" to say " never follow big game 

 when once started, but look for more, is almost as bad as to 

 say, always follow it j the same with most all attempts to con- 

 dense any kind of advice about sporting into compact general 

 rules. This is seen to a still greater extent when the common 

 press or persons not familiar with sporting matters attempt to 

 handle them. Thus, several papers a year or so ago gravely 

 announced that "the rifle in the hands of a crack team had 

 been beaten by the loDg bow," omitting the very important 

 fact which the victor, Mr. Thompson, had been careful to 

 give, and which alone made the fact at all probable, viz., 

 that the rifle had been handicapped at five times the distance 

 shot over by the bow. 



Explanations which are only restatements in other words 

 of the fact sought to be explained, are as old as the hills, and 

 still constitute the principal blind under which doctors, 

 sporting as well as medical and political doctors, palm off 

 ignorance for solid wisdom. And they deceive themselves 

 quite as^often as they do others. We once propounded to a 

 friend of great intelligence and considerable scientific attain- 

 ments and knowledge of shooting, the puzzling question why 

 a gun will recoil less and shoot stronger with only an ounce 

 of shot, but so wadded as to require a pressure of thirty or 

 forty pounds to force it through the barrel, than it will with 

 three ounces of shot so loosely wadded as to require only one 

 pound pressure to push it through. He was quite ready with 

 the answer that it was because in the one case the powder 

 had to overcome friction, and in the other inertia. It was 

 lor a long time impossible to make him see that this simply 

 restated the fact in two words instead of in several, and that 

 the question why there should be this difference between the 

 resistance, inertia and friction was just as puzzling as it was 

 in its original form. 



Even our most careful writers are constantly drifting into 

 inaccuracies by the careless use of words. Thus the words 

 "high" and "low trajectory," " straight" and "curved tra- 

 jectory" are constantly used about rifles without stating the 

 distance shot over and, as the rifle having the straightest line 

 of flight at 1,000 yards will have the most curved one up to 

 150 or 200, and vice versa, much confusion arises from this 

 carelessness. 



On the other hand, too much care in the use of words may 

 carry us into needless and even unphilosophical refinement, 

 so that practical truth may be lost sight of by too close ad- 

 herence to literal precision. Thus we have been told by 

 some very careful writers that there ia " no such thing as a 

 point blank," because the ball commences to fall from the 

 time it leaves the muzzle of the rifle ; and we have been told 

 this with an amplitude of philosophic proof and sweeping 

 grandeur of theoretic truth which would lead one who had 

 never tried it to suppose that the drop of the ball at the muz- 

 zle was a practical drop. Now, when the eye cannot detect 

 the drop of a properly loaded rifle, even to sixty or seventy 

 yards, when the most delicate instrument cannot detect it at 

 thirty or forty yards, when no different sighting is required 

 to hit a squirrel's head at sixty yards than is required at 

 ten yards, what on earth is the Bense in kicking aside a 

 sound, useful, practical truth, to make way for one that ex- 

 ists, if nt all, only in tneory ? But do not these sticklers for 

 exact truth, themselves commit in this case an error as bad 

 as the one they are hunting down ? Is not this statement- 

 gravitation is acting upon the ball all the time, but as it 

 escapes from the muzzle it cannot instantly overcome its 

 inertia, and after the inertia is overcome and motion down- 



ward has commenced, there is a considerable fraction of a 

 second during which its motion is so slow that it does 

 not fall the length of its own diameter— more true, even 

 theoretically as to the first part than the assertion that it drops 

 from the muzzle ? 



This needless refinement is often pursued to an utterly 

 ridiculous extent about guns, dogs, etc. One who took his 

 ideas from many writers would suppoBe that a $100 gun was 

 about worthless ; that a $75 one was not fit for a gentleman 

 to shoot himself with, and yet was good for nothing else. 

 From other writers he would suppose that an American-made 

 gun was the climax of terrestrial abominations, and that not 

 even an English one could possibly be good for anything un- 

 less made by Greener or some other particular magician in 

 the gun line ; while a dog that could not read his title in the 

 Kennel Register or lacked the requisite colors, the precise 

 taper of tail, etc., could not, by any possibility, be worth 

 anything whatever for any purpose under heaven. 



Very much like this last is the favoritism— of ten verging 

 on ' blind absurd love — which sportsmen often entertain for 

 some particular things. This is, perhaps, most clearly seen 

 in rifles. Thus in one section Sharps rifle is all the rage, and 

 nothing else is fit to hunt with ; in others, the Ballard or 

 Maynard is the only thing fit to take to the field ; and, ac- 

 cording to others, none of these are worth a cent, but ii.'s the 

 Kcmington, the Express, or something else. From the 

 prodigality of praise that has been squirted from a thousand 

 directions, one would suppose that the combined ingenuity 

 of Earth, even assisted by light from on high, could not im- 

 prove upon that quintessence of perfection for big game 

 hunting known as the Winchester of '73. To all which the 

 company— Ingratitude, thy name is Winchester Company— 

 within three short years replies by issuing the model of '76. 



This favoritism often extends to particular guns which the 

 owner seems to think possessed of some occult virtues 

 different f i\mi anything else of the same shape. I have seen 

 men who firmly believed that there was as much difference in 

 guns of the same material shape and size as there is in heads 

 of the same size ; and there are plenty of men who have paid 

 as much as a new and better breech-loader would have cost to 

 have an old but dearly beloved pair of barrels made into a 

 breech-loader, because there was some special virtue in the 

 metal of those old barrels which no human ingenuity could 

 again secure. I never shall forget the veneration I long had 

 for the little .40 cal. Maynard, with which I killed my first 

 deer, and have in other cases seen the regard a person enter- 

 tained for the instrument of his first successful exploits run 

 into an affection which no subsequent experience could di- 

 vorce. T. S. Van Dyke. 



Personal.— Our long time correspondent R. L. Newcomb, 

 of Salem, Mass., expects soon to join the Bennett Polar Ex- 

 pedition. 



Dr. J. A. Henshall, of Cynthiana, Kentucky, has just 

 returned home after a five months' sojourn in Florida. He is 

 now chockfull of information, and when he is ready to spill 

 over promises to give the readers of Foekst and Stream a 

 portion of the overflow. No doubt his letters will prove most 

 interesting, as they have always done. 



Col. J. B. Oliver, formerly of Florida, who established the 

 Florida New Yorker in this city some three years ago, has 

 now settled in Chicago, where he has charge of a " Lightning 

 Ink and Lightning Pen " Company. We have no doubt that 

 the success which has uniformly attended his numerous en- 

 terprises hitherto, will continue with him in his familiar con- 

 verse with the new elements which surround him. He 

 handles electricity like a plaything, and treats pen and ink 

 as harmless things. 



The sportsmen of America will regret to learn of the 

 death of Mr. Robert Thomas Vyner, the author of " Notitia 

 Tenatica," who died at his residence in Uckfield, Sussex 

 County, England, April 6, aged seventy-five years. Mr. 

 Vyner was devoted from boyhood to the sports of the field, 

 and was justly admitted to be the best amateur huntsman of 

 his day. 



" Nihil Fit. "—Where ? In Russia. 



GAME PROTECTION. 



Hawks and Owls. — The Pittsburgh (Pa.) Sportsmen's 

 Association have just awarded to Mr. L. S. Everly, of 

 Dunkard, Greene Co., Pa., a handsome breech-loading gun 

 which was offered by them last fall as a prize to the person 

 producing at their rooms the greatest number of heads of 

 hawks and owls killed within certain counties between Nov. 

 1, 1878, and April 1, 1879. Ever since the publication of this 

 offer great numbers of scalps have been sent in, the aggregate 

 reaching 1,140, of which the winning score contributed 277. 

 The Pittsburgh sportsmen have inaugurated a valuable work, 

 for the hawks and owls killed must represent a vast number 

 of game and insectivorous birds preserved. The result of 

 these efforts is valuable both to sportsman and farmer. So 

 well pleased is the association, that a series of prizes will be 

 offered; a first prize to the person contributing the largest 

 number of hawk and owl heads, no matter by whom, or by 

 what nieanB ; a second to the person sending the next highest 

 number ; and a third prize to the person sending in the 

 largest number shot or otherwise taken by him or herself. 

 We commend this plan of operations and its workings to 

 other game protective clubs. 



Intoxicated Ansbbs.— Tiie servant girl who used kerosene, 

 to kindle her morning fires, until one day she blew the* 

 house up, confessed that she never knew anything about 

 that delightful way of making the fire burn until she 

 read of it in a Sunday-school book. That only illustrates the 

 danger of trying to correct a pernicious practice by written 

 condemnation of it. It is barely possible that some shift 

 blame when caught feeding whisky to geese may attempt to 

 excuse himself by saying that he learned how to do it from 

 the Forest and Stream. Were this method of goose hunt- 

 ing wholly novel we should hesitate to print this note from 

 an Essex Co., Va., correspondent : 



1 would call your attention to a new way of destroying 

 game, a dastardly practice that legislators should take in hand. 

 It has lately been introduced on the Rappahannock, and is 

 said to have been brought from Arkansas. Geese are used to 

 a bait ; corn is then soaked in whisky and put on ; the 

 scamp secretes himself within an observing distance, and 

 when the geese have eaten the bait and become stupefied, be 

 comes out, clubs enough to load a wagon and goes on his 

 way rejoicing. Ch. J. Sale. 



Essex Co., Va. 



— The Central New York Sportsmen's Club, of tltica. is 

 now twenty years old, and some of its members can indulge 

 in very pleasing reminiscences when in the mood. The or- 

 ganization is wide awake to the duties of a game protective 

 society and take intelligent action upon matters pertaining 

 thereto. The officers for the ensuing year are : President, 

 DeWitt G. Ray; Vice-Presidents, J. J. Flanagan, I. C. Mc- 

 intosh, John D. Kernan ; Prosecuting Attorney, Scott Lord, 

 Jr.; Secretary, Capt. Harvey D. Talcott ; Treasurer, W. 

 Jerome Green ; Delegates to State Convention, Chas. W. 

 Hutchinson, J. J. Flanagan, W. M. Storrs, Dr. Charles W. 

 Shapley. 



E¥ §*fo- 



MAS8AonnsETTS — Walnut Hill, May 7. — Variable winds, 

 bad light and chilly air made the riflemen out of sorts at the 

 hill to-day, and by sympathy their scores were down. The 

 match was the long-range class match over the Elcho ranges, 

 the leading scores reading : 



J F Brown. 



SOOyda 3 5555554345556 3— 6S 



900 « 5 4343555356455 3—64 



1,000 " 4 4555535 5 55524 5—67-191 



S Wilder. 



800 " 3 5 4 3 5 S 5 5 5 6 5 6 5 4 4-6S 



900 " 5 5453445545345 5—66 



1,000 " 3 5445545226254 5—60—194 



W H Jackson. 



SOO" 5 3 6 4 3 5 5 4 5 5 5 6 4 3 5—66 



900 " 5 3364545653434 5—63 



1,000 " 6 3445433355545 4—62—191 



D Webster. 



800 " 3 4458442554565 5—65 



900 " 4 4554545625435 5—65 



1,000 " 3 5556643254334 6—61—191 



May 10— A charming mild spring day brought out a good 

 company of shooters and spectators to-day. The military 

 men were out, and are preparing to make a more creditable 

 showing for Massachusetts at Creedmoor than has yet been 

 made. The small-bore men were busy at 200 yards in the 

 Winchester match, in which there were 65 entries. At 15 

 rounds per man the leadiug scores stood : 



EB Souther 4 4454445645556 5—6 



E F Ricuardaon 4 5544545454455 5—6 



WHJackeon 4 5445454545555 4—6 



ler 6 4544454555656 4—6 



LL Hubbard 5 4454544444465 6-6 



er 5 4454544454454 5—6 



EWLow 5 4444445455455 4—6 



ABabbirige 4 5454654644454 4—6 



CK Gritting 5 5455445445444 4—6 



E Tyler ...4 4544635455464 5—6 



R Davis 5 4444454445445 6—65 



JBorden 4 4444444555455 4—65 



WCharlee 4 4464454445654 4—65 



OJIJewell 5 5464444454644 4—66 



H Mortimer 4 4544554545444 4—6 5 



COMelggs 5 4453354444545 4—63 



Medford, May 7. — The first competition of the May series 

 was held to-day, and over the 200 yards range. In the pos- 

 sible 50, the scores stood: W. Charles. 46; H. H.D. Cu6hing, 

 46 ; J. H. Eames, 44 ; R. Abbott, 44 ; H. K. Richardson. 44 ,- 

 R. Sawyer, 44; W. Gerry, 44: E. t Wyman, 43; H. Whit- 

 tington, 43 ; G. H. Howe, 43. 



Boston, Mammoth Rifle Gallery. — The regular monthly 

 prize shoot for May has opened with some very fine shooting. 

 Many out-of-town riflemen have visited the gallery this last 

 week to meet our well-known city shots. Summary, 150 feet, 

 rounds 8, possible 40 ; 



Frank Hollls 3S JK Gore 36 



Wm Bradford 38 CSturtevant 36 



GeorgeLamb 38 W Henry Preston 35 



H W Eager 38 h A Wailon 35 



M. O Johnson 37 EPDickernian 35 



WmH Restarick 37 A W Holmes 36 



HTvler 37 Adam Dan! 35 



Ben] H Smith 36 



Connecticut— Collinsville, May 8.— Canton Rod and Gun 

 Club, Riverside Range ; regular weekly shoot ; 200 yds. off- 

 hand, 10 shots : 



Maes. Creed. Mass. Creed 



Moore 96 43 Konold sfi 40 



Hull 96 42 Andrew." S3 .'9 



Spencer 91 40 Lewis 82 37 



Bldwell 90 40 Pnster 73 37 



New York— May 12.— Greener's West 8ide Rifle Team; 

 weekly score j 200 yds. target reduced ; 10 shots ; possible 50: 



John A Beltweieaer 46 J.-.hnOcti ..: 45 



S K Campbell .- 46 George Greener 44 



John Eoesner 45 Jolm Reltweisner 44 



Grorge Roesner 45 E Holzman 44 



C W elker 45 A Dory 42 



Greener's West Side Rifle Team — Weekly score ; 200-yard 

 target reduced, possible 50 : 



S R Campbell 47 EHolzmaun 44 



GGreener 45 J R Reltweisner 43 



JRoeauer -i r > PAlbert '43 



W Ueppner 4b O Welker " ' 43 



J A Rtitwebner 44 il Homoiiner 



Zettler vs. SEpPENiSLDT,— A friendly match between 

 the Zettler Club 2d team and the 1st team of the Seppen eldt 

 Club was shot on the evening of the 8th at the gallery the 

 latter club, and they were victorious by the following 



