J.LkLM AL\D M.IIWU1 





TTT 



up, incased wai 

 over bogs and raarsb.ee, though I 



soon become a vexation of spirit. Would you prefer to fol- 

 low lulled grouse up mountain side and over rocks Will 

 ly a dozen shots in a day's tramp over the best ground ? 

 Prairie chickens undoubtedly afford flue sport, but we must 

 not forget the sweltering August or September sun, the. wag- 

 ons, ice for dogs, ice for self ; and later in the season the 

 shyness of the birds and the bleak plains. 



But go with me afield in the Indian summer of October or 

 on a bracing November day. Tou choose your time, the 

 fairer the weather the better the upoij; ; no hurry al 

 Bcionable hours. Toxx take your Bport at your ease. You 

 know where your game is: that it Is wailing for yOU, The 

 exercise afoot is exhilarating and heallhfuL; attention to the 

 working of your dogs gives both occupation and pleasure- 

 there is no monotony. You beat the ground with as much 

 confidence as if you were in an English preserve. The birds 

 are found. Look at the d igs ! No skulking grouse is there, 

 although there is the mysterious charm oE invisibility. Yt>U 

 Can assure yourself the birds are before you. You walk in— 

 up with a whirr— not one or two, but twenty buret upon the 

 wiug. NowfdTtha exercise of cool decision and a pro 

 eye as you bring a brace to bag. Nor has your quarry, like 

 quacking duck "or '' scaping "" snipe left for parts unknown. 

 You mark it down and renew the sport ere the ardor of pur- 

 suit has cooled. Can any sport excel it? Does any equal it ? 

 Our planters have always been keen sportsmen, and there is 

 hardly a homestead among us without one or more well-broken 

 setters or pointers, the progeny of some favorite native breed. 

 Our ancestors before us rode to hounds and enjoyed their 

 Bhooting in season ; and, with their double flint locks, could 

 bring down a front and rear on a fair rising, with a grace that 

 would not be disereditabletoaBogardus withaSoott Premier. 

 They saw fit to train up their sons in their ways, and have 

 left a race of fearless riders, good shot, and, I may add, true 

 men. 



Here in the Rappahannock Valley game is found in great 

 variety and abundance. In September and October the 

 marshes are covered with sora, and in the creeks a fair num- 

 ber of wooddueks are found; later we have mallard, teal and 

 other shoal water ducks, geese, snipe, plover, and a few 

 woodcock and turkeys ; hares everywhere ; foxes and squir- 

 rels numerous, and some deer. But at the head of the list f 

 would place glorious little Bob White, the gentleman, (lie 

 aristocrat of the feathered tribe, graceful in form, beautiful 

 in plnmage, proud and spirited, the dweller among the civi- 

 lized. He is no tramp or trespasser; he dwells in' the culti- 

 vated fields that are liis by inheritance : he looks down with 

 contempt upon all polygamous broods, and lives in the quiet 

 enjoyment of social ties and in exclusive intercourse with his 

 own' family connection, lie is worthy of our regard. Let us 

 become better acquainted with him, study his respectable 

 habits and extend him a helping hand. 



Loretto, Va. 



•—..♦.•— • 



[Otjb German Gobbespondknof.J 

 WOODCOCK SHOOTING IN GERMANY. 



LEir-sic, Feb. 17, 1879. 

 Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your number of Jan. 23 inst. I find a letter signed 

 "Portsa" about woodcock, I do not wonder that the habits 

 of this bird are not generally known among the sporting men 

 of America, for you have in your vast country such an em- 

 barms de ric/iesse in reference to game that such an insignifi- 

 cant bird rarely seems worth your attention. Among Ger- 

 man "yaeger," however, the woodcock ;is a great favorite, 

 and I could furnish you a whole collection, I might say, of 

 love songs addressed to it. Referring to the lines following 

 that letter in which you express the wish to hear something 

 more about woodcock, I take the liberty of telling you all I 

 know from long experience, without looking in one of the 

 many monographs which have been published in Germany. 

 I suppose that the difference between the habits of American 

 and German woodcock will not be very great, though I am 

 not certain, for when in America I saw only one such a bird 

 (in Alabama) resembling, however, one of the European 

 species of which I am going to speak. 



We distinguish here snipe and woodcock, though both be- 

 long to the same family of Schnepfen-sculopa.r,. The smallest 

 kind i3 ticolopax gaU.inula, generally called by sportsmen 

 dumb snipe, as it does not utter any cry on starting. It ie 

 not much larger than a good-sized sparrow, and its beak is 

 scarcely two inches long. It is not to be found in the woods, 

 but only on wet meadows or in swamps. Far more interest- 

 ing is Seohpix gaUinago, generally called, even in Germany, 

 with its French name bemssine, or the great Mb issine, and 

 sometimes " IlimmeUziege " (sky goat), for a reason 1 shall 

 explain directly. 



This snipe, which, with its wingsextended, is nearly as largo 

 as a European quail, frequents the same localities as its 

 smaller cousin, and chasing both is sometimes attended with 

 danger. It happens not rarely that his pursuer finds him- 

 self submerged up to his neck in the swampy ground, and a 

 pair of long water boots are required under any circum- 

 stances. When the sun is shining warmly you may approach 

 these snipe easily with your dog, but whether you will hit 

 it is another question. We consider it here the most difficult 

 shot, and bkautna and rabbits absorb more gunpowder and 

 shot than they are worth. Experience, however, will soon 

 teach you when to fire. 



On starting, the Meassine utters n note which I cannot des- 

 cribe. It makes about a dozen of lightning-like zig zags in 

 the air, and only at a distance of about thirty paces it sails 

 off straight. A quick shot may bring the bird down imme- 

 diately after its rise, but the generally-followed rule is to let 

 it finish its antics and to fire when it sails straight. Of 

 course we do not use buckshot for bceaaines, but a very small 

 number. 



There are generally four, five and more of these snipe 

 found together, and you must — after having fired — follow 

 them with your eyes, for after awhile they will return to 

 a place not very far from that from which they started 

 When high in the air— but especially when swiftly coining 

 down — they produce a sound resembling the blearing of a 

 goat, and which in German is called "meplcetn C 

 is produced by the action of the air striking the stiff feathers 

 of the wings. A"doublette" on bdnamnea is a nice thing, 

 and who can perform it repeatedly is looked upon as a crack 

 shot, I assure you whenever I came home with a dozen of 



i it a my hunting bag I was 



Another kind of snipe, in size between bdeiw&int and wood- 

 ' ■ ■ ■■- 1 do not remem- 



i now its' Latin name. In Germany it occur.i but 

 rarely, but you might meet it more frequently iu the marshes 

 ci8soo I ghtei thin that of 



ina and it is much fatter. Its Might is not much 

 faster than that, of the quail, and it is an pasy shot. The 

 Boipelsawin. Alah.m ■ ,-.■<■■,. m-niao iir, kmd exactly. The 

 SeoIoptEBrustteola} is the Urges! bird of this family. 

 Many old German huntsmen distinguish still to-day two kinds 

 of them— one small and la ter they call, 



on account of their big bends. I owl's heart;. 



This is, however, an error] the smaller birds are the males. 

 Like many other migratory birds, they sencl their males in 

 reconnoitre the ground. The nightingales, for in- 

 stance, do the same. 



Woodcock are migratory birds, and that's the reason why 

 wly exempted from the protection of the game 

 law. Iu Prussia they may be killed or caught, during the 

 whole year, with the exception of the time of May and Juno. 

 I say it is a shame, but all our preaching does not avail any- 

 thing, because the majority of German sportsmen will not 

 give up the pleasure of the " Sclincpfemtrkk'' iu spring. I 

 assure you there are sportsmen in Germany who with fever- 

 ish attention count the days until " Oauli ;" for German 

 sportsmen say t Oeulida kommen nc (there they are coming) ; 

 La-stare die wa/tre I (L. the true time); Judiot audi fifibh da. 

 (.1, still there;; nbr.r ach Palmarum Urraram ! (but alas! 

 Palmarwu terranim !). 



Sunday Oath falls, accordiug to the time of Easter, sooner 

 or later ; we may therefore say the woodcock is arriving in 

 Germany about the middle of March and going more north 

 in April. A good many, however, remaiu in 8ei 

 are nesting here. On the islands of tho Ballic-fi Pruegen, 

 where they assemble before crossing over to Sweden, they are 

 killed by thousands, and therefore it is not to be wondered at 

 if their number is diminishing every year. In Shakespeare's 

 plays are snares for woodcock already mentioned; but it 

 seems that they w r ere scarcely known iu Germany two hun- 

 dred years ago. I at least read once a report from the middle 

 of the Seventeenth Century, in which the appearance of these 

 poisonous night birds was mentioned as a great event. Now 

 they are known and appreciated only too well. 



About 183!) I was living in Hanau, near the Khine, and I 

 remember that a party of five gentlemen bagged in one fore- 

 noon not less than sixty-two woodcock, and two days later 

 some forty. 



The woodcock frequents woods in which are meadows or 

 swampy grounds, or where cattle are feeding, and true hunts- 

 men go out searching for them with their dogs. To the neck 

 of the latter we attach frequently a small bell, in order to 

 know where he is in the brushwood. If we do not hear the 

 sound of the boll we may be sure that he is pointing some 

 woodcock. Many dogs do not like at first its smell, But alter 

 a short time they become very much interested, though they 

 touch them always with a kind of disgust. You notice the 

 same if they bring you a fox Or raven. As it is rather diffi- 

 cult to get a good shot among the brushes, and where it is 

 worth the while, battues are arranged, for we pay for wood- 

 cock one dollar apiece, and even higher. 



Starting before the dog, the flight of the woodcock is not 

 very swift, and the shot is not difficult. If you miss it you 

 may easily find it again, provided you have a good dog,' lor 

 it does not go far. At a battue (trieben), however, and es- 

 pecially in windy weather, they sail as swift as a swallow, 

 and you must he quick. 



The most usual manner of shooting them is, however, on 

 the " strich," a word which is not to be translated exactly, 

 but its meaning is easily explained. The time of the arrival 

 of the woodcock is at the same as their love season. During 

 the day they are feeding, but, as soon as the first star appears 

 on the sky the females are roaming through the woods and 

 the males are flying after them. The sportsmen who have se- 

 lected a convenient place near some clearing or meadow are 

 anxiously listening and all attention as soon as they hear ap- 

 proaching the welcome sound described in the above-men- 

 tioned letter and expressed by " tweet, tweet, tweet," or fur- 

 ther down by " zig-zig-wauk." I do not know whether 

 American woodcock speak a different language from ours, 

 for I always understood them to say "bisswit,"bis8wit, crock, 

 crock," which latter sound is not far different from "wauk, 

 wauk." Sporting in the air— they do neither fly swift nor 

 high— you may easily see them against the sky and shoot 

 them. Doubleltes are of no rare occurrence, for the male is 

 mostly near the female, and very frequently playingly darting 

 at her with his long beak, 



During the three weeks of this " Schnepfcnstrich " you 

 amy hear, throughout Germany, every evening, firing in the 

 woods, and an immense quantity of woodcock are killed in 

 this mauner. Woodcock are not, strictly speaking, nocturnal 

 birds, like the owl, for instance. I have seen them frequently 

 feeding in the daytime, and that they are wide awake then 

 1 heat from many German sportsmen. 



Some forty or fifty years ago there were immense numbers 

 of took on the GreeK Islands, and, if 1 remem- 



ber right, also in Virginia, where they were easily caught or 

 shot at night when started and bewildered by torch light. I 

 repeal it is a shame that German game laws do not prohibit 

 this shooting of woodcocks in the spring time, but all en- 

 deavors to tiring about such a result have proved in vain ; for 

 the majority of German sportsmen say, ''Pah I it is a migra- 

 tory bird, and if we do not shoot it othei-3 will" Moreover, 

 the arrival of the woodcock falls right in a time when the 

 chase is closed for all other kind of gams. In Prussia wood- 

 cocks have only two months' grace in the yeai — May and 

 June— I suppose on account of the few which' remain in Ger- 

 many nesting there. They are called "Lagerschncpfen." Ou 

 their return in autumn, woodcock are much plumper, but far 

 lesa are klled then. The woodcock builds a rather indifferent 

 nest on the ground underneath some shrub j lays in May tour 

 yellowish-spotted eggs, which arc hatched after twenty days, 

 and after three or four weeks the young ones aie fledged] 



There is still a dispute going on among sportsmen in refer- 

 ence to the manner in which the woodcock, in case of danger, 

 carries its unfledged young ones. I saw one* in a French 

 sporting work an illustration representing a woodcock carry- 

 ing its young one by means of its legs, and several German 

 sportsmen support this version. I do not believe in it, and 

 many authorities about, such things are of my opinion- The 

 legs of the woodcock are not made to hold anything, and it is 

 far more likely that those saw right Who assert that tile old 

 carries its young one under its neck, pressing it by 

 means ot its head and long beak against its breast, 



1 am eure there are plenty of woodcock everywhere in the 

 United States, and genuine sportsmen would derive muoh 



pleasure from shooting them if they only would take the trouble 

 to observe the time of their migration and the localities which 

 they prefer. Good and well "trained dogs are of course a 

 fmidUio sine qua ftofl, and from letters contained in your paper 

 1 draw tho conclusion that the art of training dogs is not gen- 

 erally known yet in the United States. If I am mistaken I 

 b*g your pardon for troubling yon with my opinion. For 

 dill' -rent purposes, of course, are required different kinds of 

 dogs. DogS trained for hunting the bear, or the deer, or the 

 fox, or the raccoon would not do for grouse, partridges, 

 quails or woodcock. The manner of training even pointers 

 and setters depends on circumstances. To the breeding of 

 this latter kind of dogs much attention and care is given iu 

 England, and I must say they are indeed excellent. The best 

 dog I ever had or ever saw was an English Better, which I, 

 however, trained myself. Its father and mother were bought 

 [land and extremely highly paid for by a German sov- 

 ereign, who was a great sportsman. However, he could not 

 use the dogs in Germany, because they did not work as we re? 

 quire it from our dogs. My opiniou is that the mauner in 

 Which pointers and setters are trained in Eugland will not do 

 for America either, while a good German traiued dog would 

 satisfy all your wishes iu every respect, I selected and trained 

 all my dogs myself, and they did not only sa'isfy myself, but 

 were always generally admired. Experience is the mother of 

 knowledge, arid if you send me a word of encouragement 

 mine is at your disposition. 



To conclude this long yarn I shall wind up with an advice 

 how to cook woodcock. The most delicious of all our birds 

 is the Haselhubn, a bird about the size and shape of a German 

 gray partridge, but darker iu color, with a somewhat stronger 

 beak and feathered legs, living in the woods and to be found 

 especially in Bohemia ; but many prefer the woodcock if 

 properly prepared. Gastronomers' of the olden times made 

 much toss about schuepfendreck (verbally translated wood- 

 cock's diit), and to throw the intestines of a woodcock away 

 would be considered by them as a ci ime. It is sirred extra 

 on toast. I, for my part, do not like it, and advise to clean a 

 woodcock just in the same manner as is done with a partridge. 

 But while you may roast a partridge immediately after its 

 being killed, never do the same with a woodcock ; it must 

 hang at least three or four days in its feathers. Do not cut 

 off i's head, for it is deliciius. Before putting the woodcock 

 in the frying-pan cover its breast with fine, sweet lard, and 

 then roast it with butter in a covered pan. I can smell even 

 in my room (doors left open) when the woodcock is done, 

 and woe to the cook who dared leaving it half a minute longer 

 over the fire. I am sorry I cannot lend you my nose, and 

 you must try to find out the right smell by experience. 



Cokvin. 



NOTES FROM THE FISH COMMISSION. 



United States Commission, Fisn and Fisheries, ) 

 Wasuington, D. 0., May 20, 1879. ( 

 Editor Forest and Stbeaji: 



I send you herewith some paragraphs which may be of in- 

 terest to your readers. S. F. Baird. 



& New Bedford, Mass., May 20, 18791 



Pkotessor S. F. Baird : 



iSir—I have just been in the fish market and a crew were 

 bringing in their fish from one of the "traps," A noticeable 

 and peeuliar feature of the fishery this year is the great num- 

 bers of young salmon caught especially at the Vineyard, al- 

 though some few are caught daily at Scouticut Neck, mouth 

 of our river. There are apparently two different ages of them, 

 mostly about 3 pounds in weight (about as long as a large 

 mackerel) and about one-half as many weighing from six to 

 eight pounds; occasionally one larger. One last week 

 weighed twenty-three pounds and one eighteen pounds. The 

 fishermen think they are the young of those with which some 

 of our rivers have been stocked, as nothing of the kind has oc- 

 curred in past years at all like this. I am, yours respectfully 

 (Signed) John H. Thomson. 



4 Wbstfokt, Oregon, May 4, 1879. 



U. S. Fish Commission, Washington, D. O: 



Gentlemen — Some time about the middle of April last some 

 of our fishermen from this place caught asalmon with the let 

 ter " W." branded on the left aide of the fish about midway 

 of the fish. A few nights afterward three more salmon were 

 caught with exactly the same brand, and branded on the same 

 part of the fish. The fish were caught in a gill net and weighed 

 about twenty pounds. Each and all of them were same size 

 by measurement, and appeared to he of the same hatching. 

 The first fish was caught by a fisherman fishing for the can- 

 nery at this place. The fisherman's name is John Strom. 



Now, wo ask for information in regard to where those flBh 

 come from, and from what hatching establishment? 'As there 

 are no hatching establishments on this coast that have fish 

 branded with the letter " W," and none in this locality that 

 have been running over one year, the supposition is that they 

 are from the Atlantic coast ; but how they got here is a mys- 

 tery. Please answer and give us any information you can in 

 regard to the matter, also whether there is any reward offered 

 for such fish, I remain, your obedient servant, 

 (Signsd) Geo. H. Hbathkk, 



Westport, Clatsop Co., Oregon. 



P. S.— I forgot to mention that Westport is a fishing town 

 on the Columbia River about 30 miles from its month, and 

 the most of fish caught are salmon. G. H. H. 



J Kookland Post Office, R. I., ) 



V\ Ponaganset, May 19, 1879. j" 



PnoFiossoR Baird: 



Dear Bir—1 have just been to examine Palmer Biver, 

 which rises in Massachusetts and enters our bay at Warren, 

 R. I. It has always been one of the best shad streams that 

 enters our bay, but it has been fished until there are hardly 

 any left. Four years ago we restocked it with young shad you 

 let us have at South Iladley ; we also put them in three years 

 ago, and this year they are taking large quantities. Already 

 the number is above two thousand. They find quite a num- 

 ber of ripe shad, but they are entirely ignorant of the process 

 of hatching. They say the run will continue until the 15th of 

 June. iNow, can you not send us a man that understands 

 doing it? All he will need will be about 20 hatchiDg-boxes 

 and G cans to transport the fish. I think the place to hatch 

 would be in the town of Rehoboth. about 6 miles from Provi- 

 dence, We can get the boats, seines, and what else is needed 



