FOREST AND STREAM. 



391 



—A match was shot at Philadelphia on the 18th inst., 

 •between Capt. A. H. Bogardus, Miles Johnson, and W. 

 •Carson on one side, and Chas. Levatt, John Levatt, and J. 

 J?. Kleintz on I lie other side. The conditions were, to 

 ihoot at fifteen birds each, trap and handle lor each other, 

 thirty yards rise, R. I. rules. The Levatt's are Pittsburgh 

 men, Kleintz and Carson from Philadelphia, and Bogardus 

 and' Johnson have been heard from before. The latter 

 both used Scott 10 bores, the Levatt's a 10-bore Greener, 

 and Kleintz and Carson their short, six-bore, single-barrel 

 muzzle-to iders. As the match resulted in a tie, it was to 

 iiave been shot off on Friday. C. B. Levatt won the $50 

 sweepstakes. The following are the scores: — 



Name. Score. Total. 



W, Carson .101011101011111 11 



'Charles B. Levatt 1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 14 



A. H. Bogardus 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 



J F. Kleintz 1 1"0 1 1 1*0 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 



Miles Johnson 1 10101111111111 13 



John Levatt 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 



♦Bead out of bounds. Bogardus' side killed 37; missed, 8. Levatt's 

 <sicte killed V\ missed 8. 



—Mr. M. J. Close, of Pontiac, Mich,, is desirous of 

 shooting any man in Michigan a match at 100 single birds 

 from H. T. traps 2G yards rise, 80 yards boundary for $100 

 to $500 a side; each man to furnish one-half the birds, com- 

 mon house pigeons. A deposit in the hands of any re- 

 sponsible persoa in Jackson will be covered. 



. -*»♦♦> • 



CHOKE-BORES. 



Jackson vii.le, 111., 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



1 have read with interest, wliat ha3 been said in your paper relative to 

 the above subject. My opinion is, that it depends on the locality where 

 they are used, whether extra clo.-'e shooting guns are preferable or not. 

 In this part of the country where it is mostly open shooting where two 

 shots are fired at over fifty yards to one under that distance, at grouse 

 and duck in the months of October, November and December, when 

 most of the shooting is done, a close and string shooting gun is decid 

 edly preferable. I have been using close and strong shooting guns for 

 the past six years, made by E. C. Green, of Cheltenham, England, a 

 practical maker, worthy of praise. I have been using one of his 12 

 gauge guns, the closest and strongest shooting gun I have ever nsed or 

 seen, "with the best of success in open shooting. Last Spring I was in- 

 formed that there was English snipe and some ducks on the "bottoms," 

 •''but, they are so wild you can't get within shot of them." Thinking I would 

 itry them, 1 loaded my cartridges with 3$ to 4 drachms Orange powder 

 and one ounce of No. 8 shot for snipe and one ounce of No. 4 for ducks. 

 In a few hour's shooting I bagged sixty snipe and nine ducks, mallards 

 and sprig-tail; making some of the longest shots I have ever seen 

 ■itt'ide. I am confident, had I used an open shooting gun, I should not 

 have killed half the number. This gun will not do for cover shooting, 

 "the bird is cut to pieces at close jange. Thero is nothing in the out- 

 ward appearance of this gun to indicate that it is a close shooting gun, it 

 is not thick at the muzzle like the choke-bores T have seen. I can use 

 more powder without recoil than in any gun 1 ever used. It does not 

 foul easily, and I use it all day without cleaning, lhis makn of cans 

 speaks for themselves wherever they have been tried. When some of 

 the great gunmakers saw at the New York Gun Trial in 1873, E. C. 

 Green's commonest guns, that had been in use from one to four years, 

 (without being re-bored) lead their best guns in shooting qualities, they 

 ■thought it high time they were doing something to improve their shoot- 

 ing or they would lose their prestige, hence the choke-bores are brought 

 out, and a great blow made about them. I think the plan adopted by 

 Mr. Green, is the best for all shootiug— namely, to make the right barrel 

 shoot open, and the left close. These guns are made on this plan unless 

 oiherwise ordered. "Give honor to whom honor is due," is the motto of 



George Hayden. 



New Your., January. 1876. 

 Editoe Forest akd Stream:— 



There is a vast difference between "Gloan's" former assertion in re- 

 ference to the shooting of Mr. Pape's guns, and as he now qualifies and 

 explains it. No one would suppose he intended to convey any such 

 meaning; nor could 1 construe his letter different from what I did as it 

 was then written. Neither shall I acknowledge that "Gloau'' goes 

 before me in anything that pertains to sport in its highest and best sense, 

 or in whatever courtesy is due between sportsmen. 



As to the cup, if I am not misinformed, three or four English gun- 

 makers publicly claimed in their advertisements to have discovered this 

 system of boring, and to settle the question, a party of gentlemen sub- 

 scribtd towards a cup, to be given to the maker that made his claim 

 good. Now, if these men did not send in their claims to the Field office, 

 it clearly proves that they were claiming something they knew they were 

 not entitled to. As for Mr. Pape persistently refusing to produce his 

 patent, that I deny, as it was this very thing that gave him the cup. 

 He was prepared to show his guns, bored on this system years before, if 

 it was necessary, but there was no need of it. What he did was simply 

 to show his patent to the Field committee, that they could not get behind. 

 If Mr. Papa sees tit to send a copy of it on to satisfy the cariosity of one 

 man, which 1 doubt, I will make it known. E. L. 

 «♦>«» ■ 



D1TTMAR POWDER. 



A correspondent writes as follows regarding las experi- 

 ence, last spring, with the Dittmar powder in snipe shoot- 

 ing, Ms anticipations at starling out not being very en- 

 thusiastic: — 



The first bird rose from the edge of a small meadow as wild as a hare. 

 A dight crack, an almost imperceptible puff of smoke, and lo! Scolopax 

 was as dead as snipe could, would, or should be; and so for the balance 

 of the day, making some long shots, thus exciting the surprise of my 

 friend. 1 have found it of much value and comfort on soggy days wheie 

 smoke nanus keavily-and drifts slowly, being enabled where two birds 

 rose to fire through what little smoke was evolved, and keeping sight of 

 the bird the whole time. My experience of the powder has now ex- 

 tended over a period of over eight months, part of the time being out 

 five mornings a week, and the results always the same. Snipe, wood- 

 ■cock, grouse, and quail have succumbed to r, and so far not the slightest 

 unpleasant consequences have ensued; but when such men as Arnold 

 Burgess meet with mishaps with it, I must confess it shakes my faith— 

 nien of known ability and care in the use of their weapons, and who 

 make no idle assertions, it certainly makes a little cold water run down 

 one's back when he thinks of risking a favorite and only gun. Well, 

 in short, my experience has been of a pleasant kind with Dittmar's 

 powder; little recoil, less smoke, little dirt, and little lamps of sawdust, 

 rhubarb, or whatever it is in the barrels, which are easily cleaned. Aiy 

 friend having seen the effects, has borrowed some to try;, and if his ex- 

 perience coincides with mine, will let yon know. Chas. H. Hinkle. 



Sedalia, Mo., January 10th, 1876. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



I hailed with delight the advent of Col. Dittmar's invention, and 

 hoped that the objectionable features of black powder had been over- 

 come, and when in Boston last summer procured a sample of it for a 

 •Hal; and I must say that my experience with it was most satisfactory. 

 I tried it at a'target first, at thirty and forty yards, and afterwards used 

 it in the field wnh the most gratifying results . At targets I loaded a No . 

 12 breech-loader with 3£ drachms powder and 1J- ounces of shot, both 

 measured by Dixon measure; in the field ?. drachms powder 1$- shot, I 



used the same loads in every particular of Orange Ducking Powder, 

 made by Lafflln& Rand. The trial showed that the white powder pro- 

 duced less noise, less dirt, and scarcely any smoke, with equally as good 

 pattern, and penetration about one-fourth greater than the Orange 

 powder. At quail in the field it did equally as well. The birds were 

 killed clean, and as often as with black powder. Had nothing appeared 

 in print in regard to it I should probably laid in a supply, and used it in 

 all my shooting, but the nnsatis factory experience and accidents reported 

 to your paper by others led me to wait until more satisfactory trials had 

 been made. If all of it is made of the same strength and posesses the 

 same qualities as the sample given to me, it is good enough for any- 

 body, and just as safe as black powder. But the question arises, has 

 Col. Dittmar arrived at such perfection in its manufacture that he can 

 make it allslike? Have not the unsatisfactory results and bursting of 

 guns reported been caused by mistake or carelessness in its manufac- 

 ture? Since I read the article of "W. R C." in your paper last week, I 

 am led to believe that the fault lies in its manufacture, and not in its 

 use? By that article, it appears that it is made in a similar manner to 

 gun cotton, if so. it will be almost impossible to make two lots exactly 

 alike. I suggest that some means be taken to give it a fair trial, by 

 the parties interested, aud let the result be published. If it is as good 

 and safe as it appeared to be in my hands, every sportsman will en- 

 courage its manufacture; if unsafe, it oughtnot to be put into the market. 



O. A. C. 

 -*•-«»- 



GAME IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. 



Harrisburg, Pa., 



Editor Forest a rd Stream: — 



For several years past quail, ruffed grouse, wild turkey, woodcocK, 

 eiiipe, plover, squirrels, and rabbits were scarce, owing to the indiscrim- 

 inate slaughter by pot-hunters. Thanks to our game laws this business 

 has been slopped and now game is beginning to multiply. We have no 

 deer kuntiag grounds nearer than Lykens Valley, about thirty miles dis- 

 tant. In the vicinity of Lykens, Williamstown, and Grotz, Peters, 

 Berry, and Short Mountains, some fine specimens are killed. Occasion- 

 ally a frightened buck or timid doe is run down to the Southern Slope of 

 the Kittaunny's into the farming districts, four or five miles north of 

 Harrisburgh, and Cox,s Island in the Susquehanna, four miles from 

 Harrisburg, is a famous resort for duck-slayers during the Fall and Win- 

 ter, and for shad-seining in the Spring. Wild turkeys are found in the 

 valley skirting the Kita tinny, Roberts, and Peters mountains— in Fish- 

 ing Creek, Stony Creek, Clark's and Powell's- valley. Last Winter the 

 country Nimrods asked $5 per pair for wild turkeys, and from $2 to $4 

 for an extra bronzed breed cock. The majority of our deer hunters go 

 up the Juniata River in quest of deer annually, to the Black Log, Tus- 

 carora, and Bald Eagle mountains, and even beyond Altooua, along the 

 Eastern fclope of the Alleghany's. 



Quail and woodcock are found within a few miles of the city. The 

 farmers are pretty strict, however, and forbid their killing except for a 

 money equivalent. The severe Winters of the few past years decimated 

 the quail family considerably, but hundreds of dollars were spent for 

 birds from Virginia and milder climates than Pennsylvania, and now 

 they are becoming plentiful. 



York Hills, eight miles below the city, is a fair locality for rabbits, 

 grey squirrels and woodcock. Dp the river, on the flats opposite McCor- 

 raiek's Island, plover of the yellow-It gged variety are found in great 

 numbers along the marshy grounds on the Eastern Shore of Maryland 

 and Northern Virginia, They fly northward often when storms prevail 

 in the localities where they abound farther South than Harrisburg. They 

 differ materially, in color, size, and plumage, from the plover we used to 

 hurl stones at in cow-pastures and fallow-lands. 



Jack-snipe may occasionally be shot along Hie river. Their feeding 

 grounds being principally along the marshy creeks and rivulets empty- 

 ing into the river and on the edges of the grassy flats when the river is 

 low. Swans, wild geese, and wild dncks are shot above the city. Can 

 vas-back, rednecks, black, mallards, etc. The canvas- back bring $1,50 

 to $2 per pair, the others varieties 75 cents to $1,50, according to quality. 

 A stray brant, the first specimen seen here for years, was observed feed- 

 ing off Foster's Island last Fall. It was captured by Mr. Robert Mc- 

 Glauchlin. The bird was about the size of a young goose, of pure white 

 plumage, having only three or four dark quills in each wing, 



Toe Susquehanna and its tributaries are filling up rapidly with black- 

 bass transplanted from the Potomac, within the last five yeats. There 

 are also a number of private trout and bass ponds m Central Pennsyl- 

 vania. Recently a lot of twelve or fifteen fish averaging about two and 

 three-quarter pounds each were caught at Dunoannon, fifteen miles up 

 stream, and at 5:30 P. M. last Spring, while a party were fishing for 

 shad off Foster's Island along the city front, two strange looking fish of 

 the salmon species were caught amongjsorae others termed "Susquehanna 

 salmon." These were some sixteen or eighteen inches in length, hand- 

 somely spotted, or blotched, having broad sides and compact bodies and 

 peculiarly shaped heads. These were pronounced to be of Sacramento 

 River salmon variety, the spawn of which was hatched at Seth Green's 

 establishment. Since then a Harrisburg fisherman, while hunting crabs 

 for bait at the mouih of the Couneda Gwinnett Creek, (which empties 

 into the Susquehanna River opposite Harrisburg) surprised a fish of the 

 same description in deep clear water. He described it as bting of the 

 very same shape and color as those caught while assisting in shad sein 

 ing, and describes its movements to have been "quick as a flash." 



Many persons appear to think that this fish, accustomed to the icy 

 mountain streams of California, has sought the head- waters of the river 

 where there are many springs. Swatara. 



Thompson & Son, 338 Broadway, use no sugar of lead in waterproof- 

 ing their suits. Sugar of lead will not stand washing, and amongst old 

 sportsmen is considered detrimental to health, making them liable to 

 rheumatic attacks. Thompson's suits are guaranteed to be thoroughly 

 waterproof, even after being washed, and are as good aud cheaper than 

 any other suits in the market,— Advertisement . jan27-tf 



— i — * — ■ 



No Notice Taken of Anonymous Communications. 



H. C. Rippey.— Please send your address to this office. 



Granitk, Bradford, N. H.— Will you please give me information in 

 regard to obtaining landlocked salmon for stocking public waters? 

 Ans. Address Hon. E. M. Stillwell, Bangor, Me. 



H. L. Farrand, Griggsville, III.— Hooker's Natural History, which 

 we study, says grizzly bears climb trees. Is this true? An? . No; grizzly 

 bears never climb a tree, but only reach up as high as they can with their 

 ore paws. 



J. H. C, Jersey City.— I have a very fine W. & C. Scott & Son 

 breech-loader, No. 10 bore, weighing 9J pounds. Can I have a pair of 

 12 bore barrels fitted to same stock, which will make the gun weigh 7£ 

 pounds? Ans. Yes. by sending the gun to Messrs. W. & C. Scott & 

 Sons, Birmingham, England. 



J. C. H., Oconomowoc, Wis.— I have a very fine Gordon setter pup, 

 nine months old, who is troubled wdth goiter. It does not seem to in- 

 jure him; neither does it disfigure him at present, but fear it mty, if it 

 continues to gr >w. Can you tell me of any remedy? Ans. Try bath- 

 ing the part affected \vi ! h kerosene. 



C. S. R., Niagara Falls.— Can you tell me if there is a gun~aker by 

 the name of Thompson & Co. I have a fine English muzzle-loader with 

 that name on the lock, and don't know whether that was the makers' 

 name or not, as there is no other on the gun? Ans. There are several 

 gunmakers in England named Thompson. 



C. W. A., Jr., New York.— Can you inform me of any place within 

 fifty or one uunired miles of New York where shooting of any kind caa 



be had during this or next month? Ans. Nothing but duck shooting 

 now open. Address Capt. Ed Danes, Sayville, L. I., as to the Great 

 South Bay; or Wm. Lane, Good Ground, L. I. 



Scott, Phila.— Can I get a good muzzle loader, made by Scott, Wesley 

 Richards, or Greener for $50? How would a 33-iuch barrel, 10 gauge, 9 

 pounds do for any game likely to be met in Pennsylvania? Ans. We 

 can select a good Scott or Greener muzzle-loader for yon at about $50. 

 A gun the size yon mention would be a serviceable one if you have the 

 strength to carry it. 



W. D. M., Buffalo.— Can yon give me any information regarding the 

 workmanship and shooting qualities of the guns made by Chas. Green, 

 of Rochester? Ans. We have never used one of Mr. Green's guns, but 

 have heard them very highly spoken of; some of our best pigeon shots 

 have used them, and in workmanship they are equal to any in this 

 country of corresponding prices. 



J. W. P., New Haven.— I have read "Dinks on the Dog," and would 

 ask who is Dinks? Can you give his address; and can he sell me a dog 

 that will fill his description of what a setter dog should be? I have 

 never yet seen one. Ans. "Dinks" has been dead many years. He was 

 a well educated English gentleman, who settled at Amherstburgh, 

 Canada West, where he kept a keunel of dogs and wrote his book. 



A. F. D. Philadelphia, Pa.— With regard to the pointer pup I wrote 

 to you about, that swallowed the silver half dollar, and which you said 

 in answer to correspondent, he would digest in six days, I beg to state 

 that he swallowed it on the 21st November, and passed it on the 10th 

 December, making 22 days to pass it. Ans. We can only say that it was 

 in consequence of the purity of the silver that it required so long a time 

 to digest. 



G. B., Brooklyn.— Can the English chilled shot, such as was used at 

 the London gun trial, be obtained in the United States? 2. How does 

 the English No. 6 compare with Tatham's? 3. Will the chilled shot pre- 

 vent leading in a choke bore gun? Ans. 1. It can. Mr. H. C. Squires, 

 No. 1 Courtlandt street, has just imported several tons. Schaffer, of 

 Boston, also has it. 2. The English No. 6 contains 270 pellets to the 

 ounce; Tatham's No. 7 contains 291 pellets. 3. It will. 



J. W. W., Bluff City, HI.— I am one of ,'those unfortnnates who 

 never saw a fly" rod or reel or artificial fly, and scarcely ever went fishing. 

 Now what fish will I find in the Illinois River that can be taken with rod 

 and line and fly, and how shall I proceed to catch them, and what kind of 

 rod and fixings do I want? Ans. The black bass (Mycropterus salmoides) 

 is the only fish that you would be likely to coax with a fly. Send to any 

 reliable dealer in tackle and he will fit you out with a rod line, reel, and 

 flies, at a cost of about $20. 



G. F.— Yearli ng brook trout usually sell for $10 to $15 per hundred 

 (alive). Two year- olds about $20. Larger fish according to size. We 

 do not like air-pumps for transporting fish, they are very hard work, and 

 kind of nui°ance generally; but prefer a can of fresh water, a dipper and 

 a pail. Water can be well aerated with the two latter, by pouring. To 

 draw off water from cans, the best thing is a rubber syphon (one-inch 

 tube) with a strainer-tube to go outside of it; this is what is used by the 

 men who have done the greater part of the transporting in this country. 

 —Fred. Mather. 



C, L. I., Phila.— Will yon be kind enough to give me a little informa- 

 tion in regard to a couple of muzzle loading guns that I possess— one 

 is inscribed "Joseph Bourne, maker, No. 5 Whittall street, St. Mary's 

 square, J. W, Baden." On the other is "Renkin Brothers, Liege." The 

 last named is a Laminated steel gun— the other is a twist. I want to 

 know why the name J. W. Baden is inscribed after the makers' name, 

 and also are these celebrated makers, &c. ? Ans . There are such gun- 

 makers, but their guns are not well known in this country. It is proba- 

 ble the gun was made for J . W. Baden . 



J. C. G., Allegheny City.— I notice your advertisement in Forest 

 and Stream of thorough broken setter. Please give me information as 

 to price, etc. I have a thoroughly ed English bitch, which I had lined 

 by a blood red Irish setter, which was imported at a cost of sixty pounds. 

 fr> he threw seven dogs and one gyp. all liver color with red legs, black 

 muzzles, and marked above the eyes like the Gordons. Is this uot odd? 

 The bitch is white and seal brown? Ans. Have written you describing 

 the setter advertised . The colors of the pups from your English bitch 

 are just'such as would be likely to follow from such a cross. 



J. K. S. & Co., Phila. — 1. For target skooting what is the longest 

 range that you wodld consider a Wesson rifle, 44-100 calibre, 28-inch bar- 

 rel accurate? 2. Is there any rifle club in Philadelphia, and if so, where 

 is their range; who is the President, and what is the cost to become a 

 member? 3. How far do you think a Colt navy revolver would carry ac- 

 curately if it was screwed in a vice and pointed straight for an object? 

 4. Which is the best for common shooting Colt's navy revolver or Colt's 

 array revolver? Ans. 1. With long cartridge 400 or 500 yards. 2 En- 

 quire of Edward Anschutz, gunmaker. No. 210 South Thirtieth street, 

 Philadelphia. 3. Seventy-five yards. 4. Not much difference. 



M. P., Bridgeport, Conn. — Can you give any information regarding 

 smelt fishing with hook and line in winter season? What would be the 

 proper size hooks, how arranged, what bait, etc., and whether they can 

 be caught in the Housatonic River, or in any of the harbors in the vi- 

 cinity of Bridgeport, Conn., as I am informed there are in Boston and 

 the other harbors east of here? Ans. Smelts are fished for with the 

 lightest of tackle, say with Nos. 10, 9, 8, or 7 Limerick, or 20, 19, or 18 

 Kinsey hookp, of which three or four should be used at short distances 

 apart on the leader. Such tackle as wou'd be used for perch fishing, 

 only with more hooks. Clam makes good bait, or a piece of liver. 

 Smelts have become very abundant in Massachusetts Bay since they 

 have been protected. We doubt if they are often caught south of Cape 

 Cod, although we have been assured .by trout fishermen that they have 

 caught them on the south side of Long Island. 



H. Y. Z , Lima, Ohio.— Being a reader of your valuable paper, I take 

 the liberty of asking your opinion of a pointer dog I have seen as to its 

 being a good breed. It is good size and large bone, being only about six 

 months old; black head, and black on shoulders, with a few black spots, 

 the rest being white. Never having seen a pointer marked with such 

 clear black and white marks, did not know whether it was a poor or mon- 

 grel breed. Please give your opinion. Ans. It is not possible to tell 

 if a dog is thoroughbred by a written description of him. The most 

 skillful expert cannot tell that a dog is certainly thoroughbred, even by 

 viewing him. Some half-bred dogs show all the points of thorough- 

 breds. One of the best dogs we ever shot over was half pointer and 

 half hound; he looked like a pure bred pointer. 



S., Fort Scott, Kansas.— I have a dog which, until recently, never 

 made a "skip." Several times lately he has made false points; i.e., 

 pointing where there was no game. I claim it is over caution super- 

 induced by excessive house breaking. A sporting friend of mine thinks 

 it is "dunghill in htm." He out hunts all our dogs here, and even with 

 his false points finds as much game as any of our dogs in same length 

 of time. My dog is a pointer, well bred on his mother's side, but his 

 father is not known to a certainty. He has recently been sick, and his 

 nose may have been affeeted; but I hope not. Do you advise a rest for 

 him? Ans. Many good dogs will make false points occasionally, but 

 when it becomes habitual it is a great annoyance, and no fault is more 

 difficult to cure. To punish a dog severely for it would do no good. :It 

 would probably make him worse. Sometimes, by working them with 

 other dogs, and giving no attention to their points, except a little scold- 

 ing when the points are false, they will give up the habit. 



J^~A large number of answers are unavoidably left over until next 

 week; also, owing to the absence of our Kennel Editor, several kennel 

 queries. --■■ . - ._ -" -. 



— A planter living about fifteen miles from Tallahassee, 

 Florida,, has succeeded in raising a sweet potato weighing 

 twelve and a quarter pounds, 



