314 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



Florida. — After two weeks of stormy weather, the sun 

 shone out on the 10th instant, to the delight of the in- 

 habitants and sojourners in the "Land of Flowers." Fri- 

 day morning early there could be discerned a glistening 

 white frost, covering the grass in many places. 



The St. John's railway is now running four trains a day 

 each way between Tocoi and St. Augustine. 



St. James Hotel at Jacksonville has nearly one hundred 

 guests, and the other hotels are doing well. The tide of 

 permanent settlers is drifting towards Marion County, 

 which contains some of the richest land in the State of 

 Florida. The residents give visitors a warm welcome. 



The St Augustine Press completed its fifth year on the 

 11th December, and in a review of the period since 1869 it 



"At that time, the only hotel receiving visitors was a 

 small portion of the present Florida House, and capable 

 of accommodating about 40 guests. This was all the hotel 

 accommodation that was required for the visitors of the 

 Winter of 1869. There were several boarding houses, but 

 their accommodating capacity was limited. Probably, 

 that season, the total number of guests in St. Augustine, 

 did not exceed 500, all together. Last year, 1875, the 

 number of visitors reached nearlv, if not quite, 10,000. 



This is but a simple illustration of the great advance St. 

 Augustine has made in five years, in all branches of trade, 

 and the rise in real estate has been of a corresponding 

 character. Property which could be bought in 1869 for 

 " "[), to-day is worth and will bring $5,000." 



—Prof. Robt. Bell, of the Dominion Survey, has just 

 completed the seventh year of his explorations in that ex- 

 tensive region lying between Lake Huron and James Bay. 

 The territory comprises many millions of acres, and is 

 found to abound in Huronian rocks which are rich in me- 

 talic ores and other economic minerals. Valuable dis- 

 coveries of copper, iron, serpentine, soapstone, etc. , have 

 been made. Coal exists in large quantities to the north- 

 ward of this great Huronian area, and gympsum along the 

 lower part of Moose River. Fish were not found to be 

 generally abundant in the lakes and streams passed over, 

 nor in the southern part of James' Bay; and game was 

 very scarce except around the shores of the bay in the 

 Autumn. 



John Ross Browne, the famous American traveler, died 

 at his residence in Oakland, California, last week. Mr. 

 Browne traveled over the greater part of the United States, 

 and very extensively in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Hav- 

 ing acquired a fair ability as a sketcher, he made pictures 

 of whatever struck his fancy. The result was the publica- 

 tion of a number of humorous works, which attained 

 wide popularity. Among them may be mentioned "Yusef, 

 or the Journey of the Fangi; a Crusade in the East;" 

 "Washoe," which grew out of an inspection of the new 

 mining regions of the Pacific, under an appointment from 

 the Government; "An American Family in Germany;" 

 The Land of Thor" and "The Apache Country." In 1868, 

 Mr. Browne was appointed Minister to China, which post 

 he held for two years. He was fifty-eight years of age. 



— An association has just been formed under the title of 

 the Virginia and North Carolina Poultry and Pet Stock 

 Association, and the following officers were elected : A. M. 

 Bowman, of Augusta county, President; First Vice Presi- 

 dent, R. T. Fulghum, Raleigh, 1ST. C. ; Second Vice Presi- 

 dent, Dr. L. R. Dickinson, Richmond; Third Vice Presi- 

 dent, V. M. Firor, Charlestown, West Virginia; Fourth 

 Vice President, Dr. E. C. Withers, Danville, Va.; Fifth 

 Vice President, W. S. Thorn, Wythe county; H. Theodore 

 Ellyson, Richmond, Secretary and Treasurer. Mr. Elly- 

 son is one of the proprietors of the Richmond Dispatch, 

 one of the ablest journals in the South. This new associ- 

 ation will doubtless be of much benefit to the States of 

 Virginia and North Carolina. 



Camp Life in Florida.— Of our new book the Albany 

 Journal says: — 



"We have already noticed this admirable volume on 

 Florida, and the more we read of it the better we like it. 

 It contains valuable information for every one, but it is es- 

 pecially valuable and interesting to the angler and sports- 

 man; for it shows Florida to be a very paradise for these 

 classes. No one should go to that 'happy hunting ground' 

 without this volume with him." 



-**-»— 



Forest and Stream finds its way to our table regularly. 

 We find it invaluable for all that is claimed for it. It has 

 drawn to its columns a corps of learned contributors, 

 which enables its editors to present to their readers a jour- 

 nal unexcelled in its specialty. — Philadelphia Farmer's Jour- 

 nal. 



—In the East River, the other day, a sea gull was so 

 persistent in securing a fish it had caught, that it was run 

 over by a ferry boat and drowned. 



, -4-M» ■ 



— A very appropriate present for a friend addicted to 

 the soothing influence of the weed, may be obtained at C. 

 Stehr's, 347 Broome street, dealer in meerschaum pipes 

 and cigar holders. 



—Sunflowers prove to be the most perfect preventive 

 against chills and fever that has yet been tried. 



Forest and Stream Badges. — The sixth contest for 

 the Forest and Stream badges, took place Thursday, 

 December 16th, 1875, at Conlin's Shooting Gallery, 930 

 Broadway. The conditions were as usual, viz: ten shots, 

 off hand range, 110 feet, 200 yards target reduced in pro- 

 portion for distance, Wimbledon rules. The winners were, 

 L. C. Bruce, first badge; score, 44; "Centre" badge, by L. 

 V. Bone for the second time, scoie, 39; "Inner" badge, by 

 J. O. Wright, with a score of 30. The following is a sum- 

 mary of the six competitions for the Forest and Stream 

 badges : — 



COMPETITION NO. 8. 



1st Badge. Center Badge. Inner Badge. 



1— Win. Klein 42 G. W. Hamilton. .<0 J E. Whitlev 30 



2— C. A Cheever..44 R.Wiley ....39 G. W. Smith. 30 



3— Thomas Lloyd.. 44 A. Marsh ....40 C. Blackie ,...30 



4— W. B. Farwell,. 45 L. C. Bruce..... 40 J. Waydell 30 



5— D.L.Beckwith..44 L. V. Sone 40 O. E. Blydenburgh..30 



6— L. C. Brace. ...44 L. V. Sone 39 J. O. Wright 3q 



The fifth competition for the Turf, Field and Farm cups 

 takes place Thursday, December, 23, commencing at 4 P. 

 M. All are cordially invited to participate in the contest. 



— A.t Creedmoor Jr. 100 yard range, a Subscription 

 Match was shot on Wednesday Dec. 15th, open to all 

 comers. Distance, 100 yards; position, off-hand; entrance 

 50 cents. There were 102 entries. One-half the entrance 

 money was divided between the first, fifth, tenth, fifteenth 

 and twentieth best scores. The winners were: Herman 

 Funke, Jr., score, 24 out of a possible 25; W. B. Farwell, 

 score, 28, but as no prize was given for second best, his 

 shooting was too good for second prize, for which there 

 was a tie between C. C. Harris and J. L, Allen, which was 

 shot off and won by Mr. Allen. For the third and fourth 

 prizes there were ties between T. C. Banks, R. Rathbone, 

 F. Backofen, J. L. Allen, A. J. Holcombe, and M. J. 

 Duffy, which has not yet been decided. There being no 

 limit to entries, Mr. Farwell came in for fifth prize, on a 

 second entry, with a score of 20. Wednesday the 29th the 

 second subscription match will take place. 



PIellwig's Gallery.— The third competition shooting 

 in lying position for a gold medal, a rifle, Remington 

 model, and a Colt's new model revolver, took place at 

 Hellwig's new gallery, No. 273 Eighth avenue, Dec . 15. The 

 following are the winners: A. B. Vanheusen, first prize, 

 46; D. L. Beckwith, second prize, 40; J. McGlensey, third 

 piize, 30. All below twenty one not counted. 



Miley's Gallery, Brooklyn.— At the tournament for 

 the benefit of St. Peter's Hospital, now being carried on 

 at this gallery, the following are the best targets as yet 

 made: Conditions, ten shots string measurement. Mayo 

 Fulton, 6 5-16; John Burns, 6f ; James F. Halligan, 7£; 

 P. Cadden, 7£; James Connors, 8f; T. J. McCabe, 9; 

 Owen McShane, 11 1-16 ; P. Baker, 10 15-16; A. Dougherty, 

 10 11-16; J. S. Case, 1011-16; P. H.McMahon,10 1516; J. 

 H. Dougherty, 13 15-16. The shooting will continue every 

 Monday and Friday from 2 to 12 P. M., until January 7, 

 1876. The first prize is a cup from the Turf, Fie'd and 

 Farm; the second, from Col. B. E. Valentine, and the 

 third Mr. Miley presents. 



MoiiSEMEKE. — On Friday last the members of the Yon- 

 kers Rifle Associatian held their fifth competition in the 

 marksman's match. Mr. Langram made the highest 

 score yet accomplished in this match. The following are 

 the scores: — 



Geo. Langram. 



E. Connell 



H. Maynard — 



••••]! 



(200. 



I 500. 

 200 

 500. 



J 200. 



(500. 



.4 3 4 4 44.... 23 

 .5454554 



.043344 4. ...22 

 .254554 4.. ..29 

 .4 4 £ 5 4 2 3. ...25| 



....23) 

 ....32 f 



55 

 51 



—Some New York engravers are trying the wood of the 

 magnolia as a substitute lor boxwood, 



"V 



5 3 3 4 4 4.... 23 f 48 



tt w w,v amnM jv00 3 3 4 3 4 5 5... .27 (. AR 



H. W. Blakemore Hoo.... 2 5 i 4 4 ...19 f 46 



T rovl6 (200 04 5 402 3. ...18 I ™ 



x - ^°^ ie )500 5 2 5 3 2. ...15 j A6 



The next match on the tapis at this range is that for the 

 "Harris Trophy," a beautifully mounted Sharps rifle, pre- 

 sented by Mr. G. L. Harris, of New York. The conditions 

 are twenty shots for each contestant at 300 yards; this 

 range being selected so as to put outsiders on an equality 

 with the Yonkers riflemen, the latter never having shot at 

 this range. Some of the "Glen Drakes" should go over. 

 Christmas will be a gala day at Morsemere. Besides the 

 Harris Trophy mentioned above, a match will also be shot 

 between members of the Yonkers team — Major Shonnard, 

 A. H. Jocelyn, L. M. Ballard and H. J. Quinn on one side, 

 against Capt. Smythe, H.L. Garrison, G. L. Morse and Dr. 

 Perry on the other. Conditions: forty shots each at 500 

 yards. 



The Yonkers riflemen have declined the challenge of the 

 American Bifle Association, of Mount Vernon, on the 

 terms proposed by that organization, at least for the present 

 season, but are thinking of shooting a match with the 

 Chicago team, by telegraph, but have not fully decided on 

 it. By the use of the Geiger boards no bullseyes on the 

 wrong target are now possible. 



Glen Drake. —The American Rifle Association have 

 issued a programme for Christmas Day, Saturday next. 

 Twelve prizes are distributed in the different matches, 

 which will consist of an all-comers' match, a ladies" match, 

 a subscription match, and the De Peyster Badge match. 

 The distance for all the matches will be 300 yards, shoot- 

 ing off-hand. The matches will commence promptly at 

 10:30 A. M., and close at 4 P. M. 



Trains leave Grand Central Depot, New York, New 

 Haven and Hartford Railroad, for Pelhamville, at 9:05 A. 

 M. ? 10:05 A. M., 12 M. and 2:20 P. M.; return at 12:30 P. 

 M., 2:25 P, M., 5:15 P. M., and 8 P. M. Stages will run 

 from depot to range on arrival of trains. 



San Francisco.— The National Guard Shooting Club 

 held a monthly competition for their medals last week. 

 The range of this club is located at San Bruno, where bulk- 

 heads have been fitted up for two targets at 200 yards, one 

 at 500 yards, one at 600 yards, and one a 1,000 yards. 

 Everything has been done to enable the markers to in- 

 dicate the shots with the greatest facility. Adjoining 

 this range the Union Guard, Co. A. Second Infantry, have 

 established a range, with bulkheads for targets at 200 and 

 500 yards, and the ground surveyed for a bulkhead at 1,000 

 yards. This range was inaugurated on the same day. 

 The scores made by the Nationals were as follows, there 

 being five shots at each distance: — 



Name. 200 yards. 500 yards. Total 



Hentz 17 24 41 



LeBreton 23 17 40 



Snook, E. N 18 19 87 



Mailer, H 18 19 37 



Smith, C. T 19 17 38 



Sherman 18 17 35 



McElhenney 20 J5 35 



Dnnn 17 16 33 



Robertson lb Ifi 82 



Sirae 16 16 32 



Ford 17 15 32 



Patcoe 17 15 32 



Snook, E. C 18 14 32 



Doane *.... 16 15 31 



Beaver 18 13 31 



Mr. Klose, President of the Shooting Club, invited Gen. 

 McComb to try a match, to dedicate the range, with the 

 following result:— 



Name. 200 yards. 500 yards. Total. 



A.F.Kloee 26 19 45 



General McComb 24 17 31 



The California Guard Light Battery have been entrusted 

 with the charge of the Gatling Battery which has replaced 

 the old Parrott guns belonging to the State. 



— The riflemen of Auburn claim to'have a natural rifle 

 range with a dead level of 1,000 yards and a natural bluff 

 fifty feet high. 



Illinois. — A rifle club to be known as the Elgin 

 Amateur liifle Club, has been formed at Elgin with the 

 following officers: O. Chisholm, Esq., President; Frank 

 Leman, Vice-President; J. S. Dumser, Secretary and 

 Treasurer; Executive Committee — E. Hancock, M. S. 

 Moulton, Charles Lightner, D, M. Turner, and M. D. E. 

 Lull. Last week Major Fulton visited the Club and 

 participated in a match gotten up for the occasion. The 

 distance was 500 yards, and the Major made a long suc- 

 cession of bullseyes. Of the other participants Mr. D. W. 

 Rogers' score of 21 out of a possible 25 was the best. 



Intercollegiate Rifte Matches. — With regard to our 

 proposed badge for a match to be shot by undergraduates of 

 American colleges we have received the following letter.— 



Harvard College, Dec. 15th, 1875. 

 Editok Forest and Stream:— 



In regard to our rifle club here, of which I am a member, I am afraid 

 your generous proposition to present a cup to be shot for by colleses, 

 with military rifles, will not meet with much encouragement here, as 

 we all use sporting rifles, and our aim is to become good shots with 

 them. I am happy to say that at last a great deal of interest is taken in 

 the club, and that it is to be formed in the Spring beyond a doubt. We 

 have had several trial shots — best score, 40 out of a possible 50, at 300 

 yards, off-hand, but hope to do better. Yours, R. Tallant. 



One of the objects which governed us in naming military 



rifles was the equality under which the contestants would 



be likely to shoot, and because we conceive it to be proper 



that the use of the military rifle in large institutions should 



be encouraged in preference to that of a purely sporting 



weapon. At Amherst, and we believe some of the other 



colleges, military drill is practiced, and it would add greatly 



to the effectiveness of our volunteer force if it was made 



a part of the curriculum in all institutions of learning. 



The use of a military rifle would not prevent the riflemen 



from using any other weapon for amusement or practice. 



We should be glad to hear the sentiments of college men 



on this subject as applied to our badge, and stand ready to 



so amend the conditions as to make them satisfactory to the 



greatest number. 



-*+»•*» . 



THE USE OF THE STRAP. 



Hamilton, Ont., December 13, 1875. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



I inclose you a card of myself, lying down in the position of shooting, 

 with a strap attached to the rifle and around my knee, the object of 

 which is not for a brace, or to steady the rifle, but simply to receive the 

 recoil on the knee instead of any other part. Now, my opinion is, 

 according to the various positions which riflemen are permitted to shoot 

 in now, that the nee of the strap is just as fair as the use of a pad on the 

 butt, or anything else that would tend to make it easier to shoot. But 

 we will take it for granted that the strap might be objected to; the 

 individual using it might go to work and get a stock made with a curve 

 on it to fit the knee, which would answer the same purpose, which I 

 I don't think couid be objected to, as there is no law which prohibits 

 any pattern of stock which a rifleman may choose being uped. For 

 example, take the pistol stock: it is a recent invention, and of course is 

 an advantage, otherwise it would not be so generally used, and no ob- 

 jection was ever raised against it. But I am of the opinion that all 

 those positions where the barrel of the rifle rests on any part of the 

 body are unfair, and that the intention or definition of "Any Position " 

 means strictly, that no part of the barrel should rest beyond where it ia 

 supported by the left hand, when shootins from the shoulder, because 

 if it does, it ie simply a solid rest, and might as well rest on a stone, a 

 stump, or anything else. And as for nerve, the most nervous individual 

 is just as good in that position as the individual with a nerve of steel. 

 This brings the whole matter down to who has got the best rifle, and not 

 a test of men at all. Again, I understand that the National Rifle Asso- 

 ciation disallow sshooting with the Military rifle in the back position . 

 Why is this? Because 1 believe there are numbers of men who could 

 not by any means twine themselves into tbe knots which it is necessary 

 to do to hold the rifle perfectly steady, and of course those men shooting 

 in the front position would be at a great disadvantage shooting against 

 men whose peculiar formation of body enabled them to shoot lying on 

 their back or side. I think the executive of the National Rifle Associa- 

 tion of New York acted very wisely in enacting this rule. But I know 

 many of your readers are more conversant with the subject than I 

 am, and I would like to hear their opinions on it. As to using the 

 ramrod for a rest it could very easily be done, by having a hinge on it 

 half-way, or where it might be required. IS could be pulled out 

 when shooting and test on the ground, or stuck in so that the muzzle 



