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FOREST AND STREAM 



A WEEKLY JOURNAL, 



D ® v o™to Field AN 5 Aquatic Sports, Practical Natural History, 

 aW™ iT T IJRE ' the Protection op Game, Preservation op Forests, 



AX-D THE INCULCATION INMEN AND WOMEN OP A HEALTHY INTEREST 



m Out-door Recreation and Study : 



PUBLISHED BY 



VI CHATHAM STREET, (CITY HALL SQUARE) NEW YORK, 



f FoST Oiwicib Box 2832.] 



127 SOUTH THIRD STREET, PHILADELPHIA. 



— , * . — 



Tonus, Five Dollars a Year, Strictly In Advance. 



. * , 



A discount of twenty -fi ve per cent, allowed for five copies and. upwards. 



- — ■ ^ * n» . — 



Advertising Kates. 

 In regular advertising columns, nonpareil type, 12 lines to the inch, 2E 

 eents per line. Advertisements on outside page, 40 cents per line. Reading 

 notices, 50 cents per line. Advertisements in double column 25 per cent, 

 extra. Where advertisements are inserted over 1 month, a discount of 

 10 per cent, will be made; over three months, 20 per cent; over six 

 months,- 30 per cent. 



NEW YORK, THURSDAY, DCEEMBER 10,1875. 



To Correspondents. 



All communications whatever, whether relating to business or literary 

 Correspondence, must be addressed to The Forest and Stream Pub- 

 lishing Company. Personal or private letters of course excepted. 



Ail communications intended for publication must be accompanied with 

 real name, as a guaranty of good faith. Names will not be published if 

 objection be made. No anonymous contributions will be regarded. 



Articles relating to any topic within the scope of this paper are solicited. 



We cannot promise to return rejected manuscripts. 



Secretaries of Clubs and Associations are urged to favor us with brief 

 notes of their movements and transactions, as it is the aim of this paper 

 to become a medium of useful and reliable information between gentle- 

 men sportsmen from one end of the country to the other ; and they will 

 find our columns a desirable medium for advertising announcements. 



The Publishers of Forest and Stream aim to merit and secure the 

 patronage and countenance of that portion of the community whose re- 

 fined intelligence enables them to properly appreciate and enjoy all that 

 s beautiful in Nature. It will pander to no depraved tastes, nor pervert 

 the legitimate sports of land and water to those base uses which always 

 tend to make them unpopular with the virtuous and good. No advertise- 

 ment or business notice of an immoral character will be received on any 

 terms ; and nothing will be admitted to any department of the paper that 

 may not be read with propriety in the home circle. 



We cannot be responsible for the dereliction of the mail service, if 

 money remitted to us is lost. 



Advertisements should be sent in by Saturday of each week, if possible. 



CHARLES HALLOCR, Editor. 



WILLIAM C. HARRIS, Business Manager. 



BASE BALL. 



AMENDING THE RULES OF THE GAME FOR 1876. 



, 4 



THOUGH the existing code of playing rules governing 

 the professional clubs is as nearly complete as it 

 •well can be, still the experience of the past season has 

 shown that in the practical working of some of the sections 

 a revision is necessary, especially in regard to an equalizing 

 of the powers of the attack and defense as represented by 

 the pitching and batting. It has been plainly shown by 

 the play of last s eason that the pitcher, by the existing rules 

 governing his movements in the delivery of the ball, has 

 too great an advantage over the batsman, inasmuch as the 

 former is permitted by the rules to deliver nine wide balls — 

 balls out of fair reach of the batsman — before he can be 

 punished by inflictirg the penalty of giving the batsman a 

 base on called balls; whereas, the batsman is allowed but 

 three fair balls before he can be given out on called strikes. 

 In other words, the batsman has to strike at every fair ball 

 delivered to him, while the pitcher can deliver three unfair 

 balls before even one " ball " can be called on him. This 

 is manifestly unjust, and it is proposed to amend the rules 

 so as to limit the pitcher to a delivery of but six unfair 

 balls, by calling a ' ' ball " on every second unfair ball de- 

 livered, and to extend the batsman's powers by allowing 

 him to let one fair ball pass him before a "strike" can be 

 called, by requiring him to strike at the second fair ball 

 which passes him, instead of the first as now. 



Another amendment which is favored by prominent pro. 

 fessionals is that which proposes to allow a base runner to 

 return to the base he leaves when a foul ball is struck 

 without being put out. As the rule now works it punishes 

 a base runner very unjustly. By way of illustrating the 

 point we will quote an example of the play in question : 

 A batsman makes a fine hit, on which he easily earns his 

 first base— that is, makes his base without giving a possible 

 chance to be put out The next batsman then takes his 

 stand, and hitting a ground ball close to the foul ball line, 

 starts'for his base, thinking the ball fair, as does the base 

 runner, who attempts to reach his second base. The 

 umpire calls "foul," on which the batsman leisurely 

 returns to his position, while the base runner finds the ball 

 —first held by the pitcher and then by the first baseman— 

 at the base on his return, and, of course, has to retire from 

 being put out. Now, it will be plainly seen that the skill. 

 iul batsman who has earned his base is unjustly punished 

 fry the act of the poor batsman in hitting a foul ball. The 

 rwle in this case should allow the baseman to return to &is 



base without being put out. It is sufficient, that he cannot 

 make a base on a foul ball without his being doubly pun- 

 ished by being put out. 



Another proposed amendment referring to foul balls is 

 the one which will allow the base runner to run a base on 

 afoul fly catch, just as he does on a fair fly catch. At 

 present while a base runner on third base can leave his 

 base and run home on a fair hit ball caught on the fly, the 

 moment the ball is settled in the hands of the fielder, such 

 base runner cannot leave his base on a similar catch of a 

 high foul ball until the ball is held by the pitcher. There 

 is no reason why such a distinction should be made. It 

 may be said that the amendment will lead to fielders mak- 

 ing more efforts to catch foul balls on the bound than on 

 the fly, as the latter catch will hold base runners to their 

 bases ; but this is not a just conclusion, for the very uncer- 

 tainty of the rebound of a foul ball obliges {fielders to do 

 their best to take all such balls on the fly. Moreover, the 

 majority of high foul balls are such as the catcher and the 

 ■first and third basemen generally attend to, and under such 

 circumstances it would be almost impossible for a base 

 runner to make home base from third, or third from second, 

 his only chance being to run from first to second; besides 

 which, the amendment would afford more opportunities 

 for points on play than fielders are at present aware of. 



It is proposed to take the rubber out of the ball, and to 

 have its color red instead of white. While no change in 

 the size and weight of the ball is needed or desirable, 

 the removal of the rubber of it will ensure a deader ball 

 than some which were used in the championship arena 

 last year, and the amendment will be a desirable one. As re- 

 gards the color of the cover , there can be but one opinion 

 on that question, as the change from white to red, or some 

 dark color, is very desirable. For the first two or three 

 innings of a game on a bright sunshiny day it is difficult to 

 judge the white ball for a catch while it is high in the air, 

 the color— or lack of color rather— making it dazzling to the 

 eyes. For fifty years past red has been the color of the 

 cricket ball, and it has been found to be the best for field- 

 ing purposes. In base ball a red ball can not only be seen 

 better by the fielder, but also by the batsman and catcher 

 when coming from the hands of the pitcher. There is 

 absolutely nothing to commend a white ball, while there is 

 everything in favor of a red one. 



. «*•«» 



THE FOREST AND STREAM INTERCOL- 

 LEGIATE CHALLENGE PLATE. 



ON the editorial page of the last issue of the Forest 

 and Stream (December 9th) appeared an article ad- 

 vocating College Rifle Matches. Since its publication we 

 have been more than gratified by the notice taken of this 

 subject, first suggested by us, and would particularly call 

 attention to an able article advocating Collegiate Rifle 

 Matches, published in the New ~Yovk Evening Post,of Decem- 

 ber 10th, from which we have quoted. Believing that the 

 ground is already perfectly prepared, Harvard and Middle- 

 town having their rifle organizations, and other universi- 

 ties and colleges throughout the country being anxious to 

 join the movement, the Forest and Stream proposes 

 to offer a grand prize to be awarded to a team at an Inter- 

 collegiate Rifle Match to be held during the Centen- 

 nial celebration in 1876. The conditions which we 

 think will be best adapted to such a match, we will state 

 in full, explaining the reasons which dictate them. 



1. The prize to be called the Forest and Stream Inter- 

 collegiate Challenge Plate. 



2. To be shot for by teams of not less than twelve, com- 

 posed of undergraduates from any regularly chartered un- 

 iversity or college in the United States. 



3. The distances to be 200 and 500 yards; seven shots at 

 each distance, with two sighting shots; position, standing 

 at 200 yards, any at 500 yards, but the head of the man to 

 be towards the target. 



4. Weapon, any military rifle, in actual use in the'TJnited 

 States Army, or in the National Guard of the State to 

 which the college team belongs. 



5. Members of such collegiate teams must have been 

 matriculated in their university or college at least six 

 months prior to the match. 



6. The prize to be awarded to the team making the 

 highest score. This prize to be subsequently shot for by 

 the members thereof at such time and place as they shall 

 decide upon, and the prize to be finally awarded and to be- 

 long to the member of the winning team making the high- 

 est score . 



7. The Intercollegiate Match for the Forest and Stream 

 Intercollegiate Challenge Plate to be shot as one of the 

 Centennial Matches of the National Rifle Association and 

 at such time and place as they shall prescribe. 



We will now enter somewhat into detail in regard to 

 stipulations under which the Forest and Stream Inter- 

 collegiate Challenge Plate is to be contested for. A team' 

 of twelve will better develop the shooting ability and train- 

 ing of a collegiate organization, and will allow their marks- 

 manship to be compared with the teams of the National 

 Guard and aiso with those of Oxford and Cambridge 

 in England. A team composed of twelve could not 

 rely for success on two or three crack shots, who might 

 bring up the average of the less skillful men. In team 

 shooting, the good average of every man is more desirable 

 than the brilliant shooting of one or more individuals. 

 The distances 200 and 500 yards, we insist upon as better 

 within the scope of useful practice. The 200 yard range 

 will develop off-hand shooting, so necessary in the school of 

 the soldier. The 500 yard, "any position," save that the head 

 of the marksman must be towards the target, while allowing 

 admirable practice to be made, is a military position. 

 As to the weapons, which must either be the United States 

 Army rifle or those in use by the National Guard of the 



State to which the collegiate team belongs; the rea- 

 son for this will be found just and conclusive. There are 

 many young men in our universities and colleges who 

 would not h^jfce the means of equipping their teams with 

 any other weapons than those indicated by us. Our clause 

 determining the absolute character of the arm, will pre- 

 clude the "special arms," which are often brought with 

 military team matches, which are not strictly, as we under- 

 stand it, military arms in common use. 



The advantage of a final disposition of the Forest and 

 Stream Intercollegiate Challenge Plate is manifest. While 

 a team w T ould have a perfect right to coach its individual 

 members, and take all legitimate advantages due to train- 

 ing when the final result was to be determined, il is proba- 

 ble that the very best marksman in all our colleges would 

 get the prize. We believe that all the universities and 

 colleges throughout the United States,not only the students 

 but the Principals and Professors will take a direct interest 

 in this match. With many of the leading collegiate seats of 

 learning we have been already in communication, and all 

 of them thoroughly endorse the rifle movement. The fol- 

 lowing letter sem to us from Amherst, coming from the 

 Massachusetts Agricultural College, shows us whatastrono- 

 hold rifle practice has even now among the students: 



Amherst, December 9th, 1875 

 Editor Forest ajsto Stream:— 



In a recent issue you make some very pertinent remarks upon the de- 

 sirability of our colleges taking up the practice of rifle shooting as "a 

 field sport. Allow me to say that one New England college— the Massa 

 chusetts Agricultural— has already set the example. As yon well know 

 the military is a conspicuous feature of this institution. During the 

 past Summer there has been rifle shooting, or target practice as a regular 

 exercise. This has met with such general favor that recently a shooting 

 association has been formed, from which a team of the six best shots 

 will be chosen in the Spring to shoot with any competitors. One match 

 has already been arranged with the Boston Institute of Technology, to 

 come off in May next. The Creedtnoor rules and targets have been 

 adopted, and shooting will be practiced when possible during the Win- 

 ter. An admission fee of $2 is charged members, for the purchase of 

 cartridges, etc. Some members use their own rifles, and others are sup- 

 plied from the college armory. It is a very economical sport. At the 

 Fall athletic contests the rifle came in for a share of the attention, and 

 some very good scores were made, though I haven't the figures at hand. 

 The prize was a handsome Hatfield revolver. It is unnecessary to re- 

 peat your remarks upon the good effects of the practice upon partici- 

 pants in the sport, which I fully agiee with. Although this college has 

 dropped out of the College Rowing Association, in which the Aggies 

 won a proud name at first regatta, in the event of a College Rifle Associ- 

 ation being formed she will not be found wanting. Lennox. 



Though adhering to the essential points of the fore- 

 going, which have not been hastily determined, hut 

 have occupied no small amount of careful thought on our 

 part, we will be glad to hear any suggestions from colleges 

 in regard to it. At some later date we will publish such 

 regulations as to time of entries, as the National Rifle As- 

 sociation may suggest. We will as soon as possible give a 

 detailed description of the Forest and Stream Intercolle- 

 giate Challenge Plate, which we will endeavor to make 

 among the handsomest trophies ever yet offered in the 



United States. 



«•-•-*» 



PROTECTION OF GAME. 



, * 



THE regular monthly meeting of the New York Asso- 

 ciation for the Protection of Game was held on Mon- 

 day evening at the residence of Mr. D. H. Lawrence, No. 6 

 West Fiftieth street, Mr. Royal Phelps, President, in the 

 chair. The President read a large number of communica- 

 tions from all parts of the Union, some asking for copies 

 of the Society's by-laws and general information on the 

 subject of the preservation of game, and suggesting uni- 

 form game laws in every State, and others bearing testi- 

 mony to the noble labors of the New York Association, 

 not only in protecting game within its own jurisdiction, 

 but in preventing the sale of game and fish brought from 

 other States in the close season. Mr. Hallock called the 

 attention of the Association to the wholesale netting and 

 snaring of game birds in New England and New Bruns- 

 wick during the close season; the shooting of deer in the 

 Adirondacks, of which general complaint was made by 

 the residents, and the killing and shipping of venison from 

 Quebec. The sense of the meeting seemed to be that if 

 the sporting gentlemen in the Adirondacks and other lo- 

 calities who complained of the wholesale destruction of 

 game were too apathetic to organize, or hire a game con- 

 stable to prevent it, they were undeserving of any sym- 

 pathy from the New York Association, which had done so 

 much already. Mr. C. Whitehead, Counsel of the Asso- 

 ciation, as Chairman of the Committee on Amending the 

 Game Laws, reported an act to be submitted to the next 

 Legislature amending the existing Game Laws so as to 

 prohibit the killing, having in possession, or shooting, be- 

 tween sunset and sunrise by the aid of lights or lanterns, 

 any wild duck or wild goose between the 1st of May and 

 the 1st of September, under a penalty of $5 for each bird; 

 the killing of wood duck between the 1st of January and 

 the 1st of September; the killing of English and other 

 varieties of snipe between the 1st of January and the 1st 

 of July; restoring the law in regard to quail by keeping 

 the season closed, as originally, from the 1st of January to 

 the 20th of October, under a penalty of $25 for each bird, 

 and the snaring or trapping of grouse or quail under a sim- 

 ilar penalty. Mr. Whitehead also reported progress in the 

 suit for the recovery of the judgment against market- 

 man Racey. The report was adopted, and a vote of thanks 

 tendered the committee. Mr. Phelps requested the mem- 

 bers of the Association to use their utmost endeavors to 

 co-operate with him in enforcing the law for the preser- 

 vation of game during the ensuing season, and congratula- 

 ted them on the flattering recoguitio n accorded their labors 

 in that direction by the sporting gentlemen in other States. 

 The meeting then adjourned,— Times, 



