298 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



better, it will win. Mi". Greener 1 * agent is away from the city now, and 

 knows nothing of my acceptance of Mr. Page's proposal to shoot, as your 

 paper only arrived one hour ago. • J. W. Munson. 



[We regret that Mr. Pape should have sailed for England 

 on Saturday last, and will, therefore, be unable to meet 

 our correspondent in person. We fancy, however, that a 

 representative Pape gun can be obtained from either our 

 friend "Warwick" or E. L., who writest above, and that 

 the trial may come off. — Ed.] 



, -^♦*- — — 



English Turbot iist American Waters. — The follow- 

 ing letter from Prof. Gill of the (Smithsonian Institute, 

 qualities a statement which appeared in our last issue to 

 the effect that the English turbot already exist in our 

 waters. To be corrected by such unquestionable authority 

 as Prof. Gill is alone a sufficient compensation (to us) for 

 the appearance of an error, and in view of its having 

 brought forth a communication from the learned gentle- 

 man, we do not regret the occurrence. We need enlighten- 

 ment on such points. Prof. Baird, the United States Com- 

 missioner of Fisheries, also writes us that the statement in- 

 dicates a poor opinion of the sagacity and industry of Am- 

 erican Naturalists to suppose that in the interval between 

 the visit of Admiral Coffin nearly seventy year since and 

 the present time, no second specimen has been obtained. 

 We fancy that the key note to our own mistake is to be 

 found in the closing paragraph of Professor Gill's letter, 

 in which the necessity of a more thorough system of no- 

 menclature is argued. The fish to which we alluded as 

 being a turbot, so called by the Banks fishermen and deal- 

 ers, is, it, appears, the Beinhardtius Hippoglossoides, a fish 

 more closely allied to the halibut family than any other. 

 Poor old Admiral Coflin may also be pardoned for his mis- 

 take, as seventy years since the able corps of scientific 

 gentlemen who now devote themselves to the study and 

 elucidation of Natural History were not in existence, and 

 the gallant sailor was necessarily deprived of those aids 

 to knowledge enjoyed by later generations:— 



Smithsonian Institution, ? 



Washington, D. C, December 9th,18?5. ) 

 Editor Fokest and Stream: — 



In your issue of December 6th, apropos of English soles and turbot in 

 market, you indicated that turbot already abound in our waters, and re- 

 fer to statements of Col. F. G. Skinner and Admiral Coffin in confirma- 

 tion of their occurrence. The statement of the Admiral, which serves 

 as the basis of the paragraph, is, however, erroneous. The English 

 turbot (Bhombus mafimw) is not, and never has been, found in our Wa- 

 ters. It is true that a species somewhat related to the turbot (the 

 Lnphopsettamaculata) is found here, and is variously known under the 

 names "spotted turbot," "window pane," "sand flounder," "water 

 flounder," and "day light." This, however, is an almost worthless fish, 

 and is but distantly related to the turbot of Europe. No one acquaint- 

 ed with the two species tfould think of identifying this fish with the 

 turbot of England. A fish has, however, within a few years past, been 

 brought to the New York market and sold under the name "turbot," 

 which is nearly equal in its table qualities to the true turbot of the Old 

 World. Specimens sent by Mr. Blackford show that it is the Reinhard- 

 tuis Mppogloasoides—Si very different fish, belonging even to a different 

 sub-family, and is more closely related to the halibut than any other spe- 

 cies. This fish is not caught fnrther southward thau the banks of New- 

 foundland (from which it is brought with the frozen herring), and until 

 lately was not known from any waters except from those of Sonthern 

 Greenland. I am well aware that the statement is often made that En- 

 glish turbot are caught in our waters; but you may rest assured that 

 there is no basis in fact for the assertion. You or your correspondents . 

 may at any time see specimens of all the species of flat fishes of our 

 waters and those of England, such as soles, turbots, etc. , in the Smith- 

 sonian Museum, and a view of them side by side, will show the great 

 difference betwen tne species called by the same name. 



It may be remarked, also, that we have a relation (Lchi?*us lineatus) io 

 the English sole (Solea vulgaris) in our waters, but it is a "poor relation," 

 very rarely brought to market, and a couple of the popular names ap- 

 plied to it (hog-choker and cover-clip) will serve to show the contempt 

 in which it is held. 



The contrary names which have been applied to our .fishes and the er- 

 rors which they induce, sufficiently show the need for the institution of 

 a committee of nomenclature, such as has been lately appointed by the 

 International Association for the Protection of Fish and Game. I be-" 

 lieve that the English turbot and sole are occasionally imported and 

 sold in our markets, and it is probable that one of our other flatfishes is 

 also sold sometimes under the name turbot; but those facts do not, of 

 course, affect the position that neither of those species are found in our 

 waters. Respectfully yours, Theo. Gill. 



-. «***- 



Sir George Gore's Luggage.— A Norfolk (Virginia) 

 correspondent writes us:— "Some of the natives here, as 

 well as the "intelligent contraband" don't understand why 

 in the world "sum white folks has so much baggage to 

 travel wid." Lord Gore sent his baggage down from 

 Boston on the steamer a few days since. The pile was 

 quite extensive, as you can imagine from the freight bill 

 of eighty dollars. There were five servants, or attendants. 

 A darkey happened to see the pile as it landed, and asked 

 to see the head man. Approachin^him he said — 



"Boss. — I wants a situation." 



"Well what can you do, can you cook?" 



"No Boss, but I can drive; I could drive the tent wagon, 

 or I could drive the animal wagon." 



The darkey was very much demoralized when he was 

 informed that it was not that kind of show." 



NOTES OF A SPORTSMAN ABROAD. 



Out Door Exercise. — That open air and plenty of ex- 

 ercise constitute the best medicine, is shown in the case of 

 our correspondent, Wm. H. Holabird, of Indiana, the well 

 known inventor and dealer in Holabird's hunting suits. 

 He writes us in this happy strain:— 



"A few years ago I was nearly broken down. Close 

 confinement in business sixteen hours a day, had reduced 

 me to a mere nothing in flesh, and the common remark 

 was, "how miserable you look," 1 removed to this city 

 and commenced a life of freedom. With my dog and gun 

 I visited nearly every portion of our country. I became 

 familiar with every pond and lake, and in fact began a 

 new study, that of nature. I have no regular physician 

 now, don't need any. I take my tonic in the woods and 

 on the prairie. God's pure air, with healthy exercise, 

 tekes the place of drugs and bitters." 



London. November 29, 1875. 

 Editor Forest and Stream: — 



Besides the direful effect of the excessive rains of late 

 in floods and inundations, it has caused a sad damper to 

 field sports of all kinds. It has fallen hardest of all, per- 

 haps, on the fox hunting set. The fields are miry fetlock 

 deep, the streams are swollen to rivers, the rivers to floods, 

 and the whole country is heavy with too much of water 

 for those who love to follow the hounds. One must be 

 well mounted indeed to hold his place to the end of a 

 half hour's hunt after a straightaway running pack, 

 through mud and mire, over ditch and river — which is 

 more poetry than the hunters find in their sport just now, 

 I imagine. In spite of these great drawbacks, however, 

 this sport is carried on with great spirit in most parts of 

 the country. Foxes are said to be unusually plentiful and 

 never ran away with straighter necks. I saw yesterday 

 several fox hundters hurrying to a meet down in Hamp- 

 shire county. Their boots and breeches were spotless in 

 the purity of their unblemished black and white, a con- 

 dition I fancy they will not retain at the end of a thirty- 

 minute gallop over the miry country. 



The wet weather has affected the shooting in a less 

 degree, but greatly to its discomfort. Pheasants and part- 

 ridges are said to be very plentiful this year. The poult- 

 erers' shops overflow with an abundance and variety of 

 game birds, including ptarmigan and sickle-bill curlew. 

 I notice that woodcock are scarce, however, and cannot 

 learn that there is any really good woodcock shooting in 

 the south of England. What a noble bird the English 

 woodcock is, so much larger and heavier than our own. 

 But I do not think in color of plumage it equals our bird 

 in its rich and vivid shades of brown. In the "notes 

 and queries" of one of the sportsmen's journals 

 a learned discussion) is going on whether a wood- 

 cock ever gets caught or entangled — "embarrassed" is the 

 stilted phrase one writer uses — on being flushed in thick 

 covert. Can anyone who has had even one season's wood- 

 cock shooting doubt this common occurrence? I can recall 

 several instances of it in my own experience this season. 

 In one case I doubt if the bird could have extricated itself 

 without the aid of a few shot. In the fright and confusion 

 of rising in thick covert these birds often get "hung up" 

 long enough to give the gunner a resting mark, which is 

 sometimes quite as perplexing as a quartering one. 



The shooting season seems to bring, this year, more than 

 its usual chapter of gun, accidents, one of the most dis- 

 tressing of them being the loss of an eye by Capt. Mon- 

 tague, by a careless shot from the gun of Hon. Mr. Stan- 

 ley. It is only surprising there are not more of such ac- 

 cidents in this country, where so many nincompoops of 

 Winkles go into the field, whose "guns will go off of then- 

 own accord, you know," as that sportive gent's had a way 

 of doing. The "choke bore" controversy is carried on 

 with undiminished spirit to the absorption of a large space 

 in the sporting papers, without presenting any new fea- 

 tures. Talking with an experienced sportsman yesterday, 

 the choke bore was heartily approved by him for pheasant 

 and grouse shooting. It is generally coBceded, however, 

 that it is best to have only one barrel choked— the one 

 usually shot last. 



Accounts of the sport enjoyed by the Prince of Wales 

 in India, telegraphhed in minutest deiail are printed in 

 the Times, and doubtless read with a relish by every proud 

 Briton. I overheard two loyal subjects talking about it— 

 "And did he really stick a pig, though?" "Yes; it said 

 pig sticking, I'm sure; and that must be line sport." The 

 Prince has yet to come to Cincinnati: 



Druid. 



*•+- 



Snedecor's Art Gallery.— Last week Mr. John Snede- 

 cor opened to the public a most charming addition to his 

 popular Art Gallery at 176 Fifth Avenue. This apartment 

 is lighted from above and is so well adapted to the exhibi- 

 tion of paintings, that each one is shown to the best advan- 

 tage—a requisite smite necessary in some cases. There 

 are a number ot remarkable pictures of Fish in the collec- 

 tion now on view, to which we wish to call the special at- 

 tention of our readers, a very large proportion of whom 

 are not only enthusiastic anglers but gentlemen of wealth. 

 These pictures of fish, as we have termed them, are really 

 marvellous studies from nature of the most striking char- 

 acter and include not only the originals from the easel of 

 that alreadv celebrated artist, Gurdon Trumbull, of Hart- 

 ford Ct , but 3hromos of the same, so perfectly trans- 

 cribed as' to, be scarcely distinguished from them except 

 bv the nicest perception'of connoisseurs. It was our pur- 

 nose to write a critical description of these paintings this 

 week but a pressure upon our space compels us to defer 

 it We will merely state here that the chromos were exe- 

 cuted in Paris at a great expense to Mr. Snedecor, and are 

 for sale at a figure which places them within reach of per- 

 sons of moderate means. We urge our readers to pay a 

 visit to the gallery and examine for themselves, and thus 

 determine whether our enthusiasm and recommendation 



are well placed. 



: _ -+*+• — 



—A well-known contributor to Porter's Spirit in former 

 days, writing from Mississippi, under date of Dec. 6th, 



says : — 



"T took Porter's Spirit from its commencement to its 

 rlose that is up to the death of Porter. I have seen 

 n«tLtwa?its equal until I subscribed for Forest 

 jap Stream, Long may you wave. 



Florida Travel.— Three boats run from Jacksonville 

 to Palatka and return each day, viz.: the Hampton, Gen- 

 eral Sedgwick and one of Brock's Line. Besides, the 

 steamer City Point, from Charleston runs there every 

 Monday, the Dictator, every Thursday, the Lizzie Baker 

 from Savannah, every Thursday; the Lollie Boy, every 

 Monday, for Palatka and Dunn's Lake; t&e Tuskawilla 

 Thursday, for Palatka and Silver Springs, on the Ockla- 

 waha; the Hattie Barker, for Palatka and Mellon ville on 

 Tuesday's and Friday's; the Yolusia fof Palatka and En- 

 terprise every Saturday. All the intermediate landings 



along the route are touched at by these boats. 

 . -*♦♦- 



— If any person has a friend who is fond of the dog and 

 gun, he can scarcely make him a more acceptable Christ- 

 mas present than one of Holabird's Hunting Suits, which 

 are advertised in our columns. It will suit him perfectly. 

 Remember this. 



flgir No one contemplating a visit to Florida should go 

 there without buying a copy of "Camp Life in Florida." 

 It will save him a great deal of inconvenience and expense. 

 For sale by all dealers and at this office. Price, $1.50. 



. — » — . 



Ma-rksman's Badge.— In the Fifth Regiment twenty-nine 

 men, of whom seven were commissioned officers and 

 twenty-two non-commi3sionee officers and privates, are en- 

 titled to wear the marksman's badge. In the Eighty-fourth 

 Regiment twenty-six men, eight of whom are commis- 

 sioned officers, and in the Ninety-sixth, six, of whom one 

 is a commissioned officer. 



A Running Deer at Creedmoor.— The Winchester 

 Repeating Arm Company have in a very handsome 

 manner presented the N. R. A. with all the machinery 

 necessary for a running deer. This novel target will be in 

 readiness this coming Spring. It will certainly add very 

 much to the interest of Creedmoor, and will bring into 

 play rapid firing. The repeating arm is the arm of the 

 future, and we have wondered why, before this, some of 

 the manufacturers of this peculiar system of weapon had 

 not placed a running mark at Creedmoor. A new school 

 of marksmanship will now be produced, and some of the 

 hunting element will certainly come to the front. 



— The Winchester Arms Company will introduce a novel 

 feature into their rifle range at New Haven. A deer made 

 of boiler iron, hung upon pivots and mounted upon wheels 

 will run upon a track seventy-five fe£t long, which is to be 

 placed upon an inclined plane. The deer being started 

 from one end of the track will travel rapidly, with a loping 

 motion, which will be sustained by a simple arrangement 

 of springs. The marksrsian, standing at a distance, will 

 fire at the deer while it is in motion, and passing behind 

 trees and blinds arranged to make the hitting of it more 

 difficult. 



Fair of td:e Ladies' Directory.— This most excellent 

 institution, which offers to teach all respectable women 

 free of charge, such employments as are suited to their 

 capacity, will hold a grand fair this week at the Masonic 

 Temple, corner or Twenty-third street and Sixth avenue. 

 Among the many useful articles on sale will be a very fine 

 Remington f porting rifle. This rifle will have tickets sold 

 for it which the holders can vote with for such member 

 of the American Rifle team whom they think most of. 

 The gentleman wath the majority of the votes will have 

 the rifle presented to him. This same rifle has been 

 thoroughly tested by General Dakin, and at 500 yards the 

 following scores w r ere made by him: 70 out of a possible 

 75, and 48 out of a possible 50. A personsl inspection of 

 the gun has assured us that a more perfect weapon never 

 was made by the Remingtons. 



—The fourth competition for the Turf, Field and Farm 

 cups came off at Conlin's gallery, 930 Broadway on Thurs- 

 day evening, 9th inst. Want of space compels us to give 

 only the winning scores, which were as follows: Con- 

 ditions— 10 shots, off-hand, 110 feet, 200 yards, miniature 

 target reduced, Wirnbledon rules. First cup, highest score; 

 second cup, score nearest 35; third cup, score nearest 25. 

 W. B. Far well won the first, with a score of 46; J. O. 

 W T right, second, with a score of 35; Frank H. Lord, third, 

 with a score of 25. The sixth contest for the Forest and 

 Stream badge takes place to-day at 4 o'clock P. M. 



—The second weekly competition at Hellwig's gallery, 

 No. 273 Eighth avenue, came off on the 8th inst. Prizes, a 

 gold medal, a Remington rifle model, and a revolver. 

 Position, lying. The following are the best scores:— 



Name. Score. I Name. Score. 



Wm. Lindsay, first prize 47 1 Big Ginger ,1 



A. B. Vanhauseii 45lD. L. Bj'ggs, second prize -•*» 



J. Woodward 45' Green Smith ™ 



A. H.Bogardus 44 L C. Bruce......... §£ 



P. Flemuiing .43 F. M. Dewitt j£ 



D. C. Vannett 42 T. C.Banks ^ 



F. Kessler .....421). L. Beckwith *{ 



James Barry .41 J. McGlensey, third j^rize <* u 



—The rifle tournament for the benefit of St. Peter's hos- 

 pital, Brooklyn, opened in a most brilliant manner at Mr. 

 Robert H. Miley's rifle gallery, in Court street, Brooklyn, 

 on Dec. 3d. The prizes offered were the Turf Field and 

 Farm cup, and a medal presented by Col. B. E. Valentine 

 and Mr. Miley. The following are the best scores:— 



Name. Score. Name. ty2 v h 



C. E. Degraff 8°- lb 



J as. F. Hallagan ] };i 



J. S. Case .1$ 



T.J. McCab3 10 * 



Score. 



S. Wilson ......7± 



C. E. Hoyt... ..79-16 



John Burns 



Mayo Fulton 



Distance, 100 feet. Shooting every Monday and Friday 

 - evening up to Jaauary 7th; 



