FOREST AND STREAM. 



247 



gim mid trapping. 



* 

 Canada.— Our correspondent "Stansted," writing from 

 an Eastern Township, Province of Quebec, under date of 

 November 16th, reports that mink and muskrats are plenty 

 in that vicinity, but scarcely prime as yet. 



. -***» ■ 



COON HUNTING. 



Tenafly, N. J., Nov. 18th, 1876. 

 Editor of Forest and Stream :— 



There has been some very good coon hunting this fall in 

 the woods near this place, and we have one old fellow 

 about as smart as they make them. His trick is this, when 

 the dogs start him he makes for a small pond in the woods, 

 and swimming out into the middle remains there with only 

 the tip of his nose out of the water. This is too small an 

 object to see with an ordinary torch or brush fire, and the 

 dogs around here are afraid of him in the water. We 

 ehall have some fun with him when the pond is frozen 

 over. We used to have dogs that would kill a coon in the 

 water as soon as on land, but the stock has degenerated, 

 and now we have only an apology for a coon dog. It is 

 fine sport in the middle of a dark, frosty, or what is better, 

 rainy night, following a leader with a lantern, now falling 

 into a hole or stepping into a puddle of water and mud, 

 all of which make themselves felt on a long chase, finally 

 coming up to where the dogs have treed the coon, when all 

 else is forgotten in the excitement of capturing him. With 

 the aid of a brush fire, shooting him, or shaking him down 

 for the dogs to kill. The first is by far the easiest way, as 

 it saves climbing, but furnishes less sport. Red Wing. 

 -«*^ ■ 



Tratping Muskrats. — The Housatomc river, Mass., is 

 being trapped by a professional trapper, who travels down 

 the river with two boats, a tent, and some two hundred 

 traps, moving down about two miles each day. He began 

 at Fittsfield, and iu a week had three hundred and eight 

 muskrats and two otters. He says that after an experi- 

 ence of twenty years in trapping he never before was on a 

 river where the muskrats were so thick and good as on the 

 Housatonic; and he proposes, if his good luck continues, 

 to follow the river to its mouth. He has a contract with 

 the Gunthers, of New York, who pay him twenty cents 

 each for muskrats, making his week's work yield him over 



sixty dollars. 



— *»..«► ~ 



A Young Trapper. — A young down-easter named Hen- 

 drick, makes his headquarters at Rumsey, Maine, every 

 winter season, and sets over three thousand traps for dif- 

 ferent kinds of animals in Coos and Grafton counties. It 

 takes him two weeks to make the round of his traps on 

 horseback. He has very good success in his chosen voca 

 tion, and last season secured fur to the value of $1,000, in- 

 cluding seventeen otters at $28 each. He has already cap- 

 tured $600 worth this season. 



—"It is estimated," says the Temps, "that the value of 

 the violets sold in Paris amounts to 587,000f. a year. The 

 average number of boquets disposed of is 5,825,000." 



Yachting rnid^0xtmg. 



— <___ _ 



All communications from Secretaries and friends should be mailed no 

 later than Monday in each week. 



HIGH WATER. FOR THE WEEK. 



Date. 



Boston. 



New York. 



Charleston 



Nov. 23 



H. M. 



4 21 



5 9 



5 IQ 



6 47 



7 39 



8 31 



9 23 



a. m. 



1 6 



2 5 



2 42 



3 33 



4 21 



5 16 



6 9 



H. » 

 eve. 21 



Nov. 14 



Nov. 25 



Nov. 26 



1 9 



1 56 



2 47 



i^ov. 27 



3 39 



Nov. 28 



4 31 



Nov. 29 



5 23 



—Many of the yachting readers of the Forest and 

 Stream will be pained to learn of the death of Com. M, R. 

 Todd, of Norfolk, Va. He was a veteran hunter and yachts- 

 man, and after a well spent life of three fourths of a cen- 

 tury, he has furled his sails, and gone aloft. He was buried 

 at 12 m., on the 14th. 



Nassau Boat Club.— At the annual meeting of the Nas- 

 sau Boat Club, held at their rooms on Monday evening, 

 November 13th, the following officers were elected for the 

 ensuing year: President, General Charles Roome; Vice 

 President; Robert L. Reade; Secretary, Walter S. Wilson; 

 Treasurer, James Wills; Caotain, Christian G.Petersen; 

 Coxswain, Charles Badgley;' Trustees, Daniel Appleton. 

 John H. Abeel, Jr., William Brookfield, Chas. D. Belden. ' 

 «*-•♦- ■ 



Greenwood Lake.— The following letter from the cap- 

 tain of the Triton Boat Club, bears further testimony as to 

 the advantage of Greenwood Lake:— 



New York, November 13th. 

 H-DTTOR Forest and Stream:— 



lour request for my opinion of Greenwood Lake as a 

 regatta course is received, and it gives me great pleasure to 

 be permitted to add my mite to the already accumulated 

 mass of testimony in its favor. It has been my privilege 

 during the last eight years that I have been connected with 

 boating, to have witnessed regattas upon all of the princi- 

 pal courses of the east, and 1 say without fear of contra- 

 diction or the least hesitation, that Greenwood Lake 

 possesses more points in its favor than any other rowing 

 course I have ever seen. Combined with its nearness to 

 JNew York, the center of boating, it has the advantage of a 

 clear straight course of at least four miles, all positions 

 equally free from tide or current, with no endless number 

 ot steamboats to disturb its placid surface, and ample ac 

 commodation3 for thousands to witness a race; not at 

 every eligible point a grand stand with a charge for ad- 

 mittance, but only such as furnished by the high and 

 rocky shore, shaded from the sun and free to all. Under 

 proper management, such as characterized the regatta given 

 »st summer, it cannot fail to become the favorite rowing 

 of the future. And *?it!i wisliea for its success, I am , 



©i £> mvm, 



M m $nhVuaHon8. 



MAGAZINES. 



There is a decided "sporting" flavor about some of the 

 December magazines, which are already at hand. It is a very healthy 

 sign, and an indication that legitimate sport with dog and gun must no 

 longer be pursued sub rosa, as it were, when periodicals of the standing of 

 Scribner's and Appleton's give prominence to sketches of sporting inci- 

 dents. The opening article in Scribner^s is a capital article on "Bay 

 Shooting," trom the pen of T. Robinson Warren, Esq. The favorite re- 

 sorts along the coast for bay bird and duck shooting, together with the 

 modus operandi, are faithfully described. Every habitue of Barnegat 

 will recognize the pictures of Bill Chadwick and the Ridgways. Mr. 

 Albert Rhodes contributes a paper on "Our Diplomatists and Consuls" 

 which, we think, is not half severe enough. The system of appointment 

 is bad enough, but the men sent out to represent us are, in many instan- 

 ces, simply a disgrace to the nation. We could go beyond Mr. Rhodes 

 and mention ports, in the East particularly, where the name of "Ameri- 

 can Consul" was a by-word and a reproach. Mr. Hale's serial story, 

 "Philip Nolan's Friends," is concluded, and in book form we imagine it 

 will prove a story of great interest. "That Lass 'o LowiieV is continued 

 and creates an interest which is almost painful. Dr. Holland, in this is- 

 sue, commences a new story entitled "Nicholas Minturn," which opens 

 well, and promises to be up .to the Doctor's high standard, The short 

 sketches and miscellany are all good. 



Appleton's opens with an illustrated article by Mr. Mau- 

 rice Perry, entitled "Some of Our Game Birds." We cannot, however, 

 award to it the same merit as is found in Mr. Warren's article just al- 

 luded to. The sketches, with one or two exceptions, are not good. 

 That of the woodcock conveys no adequate idea of the noblest of our 

 game birds; indeed, it more resembles the snipe proper, while the cut in- 

 tended for the latter would answer very well for one of the bay birds, 

 yellow legs, for instance. The plover we do not recognize, nor are the 

 quails good. Neither can we agree with Mr. Perry in some of his de- 

 scriptions. He considers a bag of half a dozen woodcock as of very 

 rare occurrence, while one of a hundred snipe is, with him, quite ordi- 

 nary. We should rather be induced to reverse these conditions, if any- 

 thing. Bags of one hundred snipe are exceedingly rare in our experi- 

 ence. Plover he describes as being shot in Florida with a heavy gun 

 and three ounces of shot. The courage of a man who will stand behind 

 three ounces of shot to kill plover is worthy of our admiration. Mr. 

 Perry himself prefers the "long bow" to the 6hot gun, even in plover 

 shooting. "Well!" as a certain old lady remarked on a memorable oc- 

 casion, "there's no accounting for taste." The other illustrated article 

 in the current number of Appleton's is the continuation of Mr. Toule's 

 "Old Time France," in which the pleasures and pastimes of the French 

 during the reign of Louis XV and Louis XVI are described. Mr. 

 Payne's serial "Fallen Fortunes" is continued, a story by George Sand 

 "—The Tower of Percemont"— is commenced, and there are a number 

 of capital short sketches by well known writers. 



The Atlantic for December opens with an installment of 

 Mr. Henry James Jr.'s very interesting story, entitled "The American." 

 In It we are given some excellently drawn characters of the "old regime" 

 Parisians, contrasted with the strong, plain spoken, self-made Ameri- 

 can. Under the title of "Old Woman's Gossip" Mra. Francis Anne 

 Kemble continues her reminiscences of notable men and women. Mark 

 Twain is a contributor to this number of a sketch entitled "The Canvas- 

 ser's Tale." The subject, as may be imagined.is one in which the humor 

 of the inimitable Twain finds a capital field. Mr. James Russell Low- 

 ell contributes "An Ode for the 4th of July, 1876." In "Crumbs of 

 Travel" Mr. J. W. DeForest introduces us to the mysteries and incon- 

 gruities of a British boarding house. Besides those we have mentioned 

 there are a number of papers by writers the majority of whose names 

 are familiar. 



— « — i 



Ko Notice Taken of Anonymous Coinmunicationa. 



G. W. C, Northampton, Mass.— Will you give the address of some 

 patty who has Scotch stag hounds for sale? Ans. We know of none at 

 present, but they are frequently advertised in our columns. 



J. M., Chicago.— Which style of rubber boots is the most durable, the 

 plain black rubber, or that having brown cloth on the outside? Ans. The 

 brown cloth or ''mackintosh;" besides the color being better for duck 

 shooting, &c. 



J. H. P., Philadelphia.— Please tell me if you can where I can get 

 "snake-tanned," or as some say, "Indidn-tanued," deer skin moccusins. 

 Ans. Can be obtained from H. A. Bromley, M. Ryder, or A. Moore, 

 St. Paul, Minnesota. 



Top Sijai*, Cazenovia, N. Y.— Can you tell me where I can procure 

 artificial bird's eyes with raised pupils? Ans. Our dealers in taxider. 

 mists goods report that they have never met with artificial eyes with 

 raised pupils. 



H. H., New York.— Will yon please inform me if there is good shoot 

 ing at St. Augustine? Ans. Very fair sport can be had in the immedi" 

 ate vicinity of St. Augustine. Quail are abundant and also ducks and 

 shore birds genet ally. 



C. W., New York.— What scrt of shooting can be had now near South 

 Amboy, say within five or six miles of it? Where is the best place for 

 ducks near there? Ans. Quails, ruled grouse and a few woodcock. 

 You will find much better duck shooting on Barnegat Bay. 



E. W. C, Germantown.— Would like to know where would be a good 

 place on Chesapeake to go on Thanksgiving day after ducks, and what 

 would be probable cost for one day's gunning. Ans. At Havre de Grace. 

 Md., you will find duck shooting and duckers with boats, decoys, etc, 

 at about $25 per day. 



R. E., New Orleans, La.— 1. What book on "Training Dogs" do you 

 consider the best? 2. What breed of dogs is the most easily taught to 

 "tree" squirrels? 3. What is the price, in your city, of a pointer or set- 

 ter pup. of good pedigree? Ans. 1. Dink, Hutchinson, & Mahew, price 

 $3; can send a copy. 2. A Scotch terrier would be good for the purpose. 

 3. About $25. 



Inexperience, Washington, D. C— I have a skye terrier who con. 

 stantly scratches, and also bites the hair on her legs and back. Appar- 

 ently there appears to be neither skin disease or fleas. Can you suggest 

 any cure? Ane. Give him a small dose of cathartic pills occasionally, 

 feed no meat, and give her exercise every day, the more the better. 



F. E. B., Harrisburg.— My setter dog three years old, after carrying 

 him in wagon two or three miles, becomes very sick and vomits; before 

 vomiting he pants very much. Can yon suggest a remedy? Ans. Give 

 your setter as much wagon riding as you can before feeding him, and he 

 will soon become accustomed to the motion, and will pot be affected 

 by it. 



C. B., Springfield, Mass. — Can you give me the name of some locality 

 about the latitude of North Carolina where I can find good quail and 

 partridge shooting during December? I should prefer North Carolina, 

 Texas, Kentucky, or Virginia. Ans. We have found good qnail shoot- 

 ing near Greensboro, N. C , and on the Ohio river bottoms in Virginia 

 and Ohio below Wheeling. 



W. H. L., Philadelphia.— Please inform me of the best way to get to 

 the Homosassa river in Florida, and also if sweet oranges grow there? 

 Ans. By rail from Jacksonville to Cedar Keys and thence by boat; or 

 by boat from Jacksonville to Silver Spring, thence back to Ocala, thence 

 wagon, thirty-six miles to Homosassa, See "Camp Life in Florida/? 

 t>t&ij*ted ■# u$i page gfc Sweet oranges grow 'to perfection itefft 



F. F. B., Battle Creek.— 1. What is considered the best color for a set- 

 ter? Is white a good color? 2. Can you give me the directions of a house 

 publishing a book upon training sporting dogs, also the price? Ans. 1. 

 White is a good color, but we prefer orange and white, black and white, 

 or black, tan, and white. 2. Dinks, Hutchinson, & Mayhew; price $3, 

 is one of the best works on training, &c. Can send to you a copy. 



Dick, Fowler, Ohio.— What would be the cost of a trio to Texas and 

 a stay of four weeks, and what would be the best route? Also what 

 point should I go to to have plenty of bird shooting? Ans. It costs $42 

 to go to Dennison which is near the northern boundary of the State. 

 Take Missouri, Kansas and Texas R. R. Can get good quail and grouse 

 shooting anywhere along the line. 



W. L. A., Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia.— 1. Has there not been a book 

 on North America Bats by Dr. Coues, published lately? If so where 

 can I get it, and at what price? 2. Is the manatee found at the present 

 time in Florida? Ans. 1. We believe that Dr. Coues has such a work on 

 hand, but it has not yet been published. 2. Yes; in considerable num- 

 bers, but it is. of course growing scarce each year. 



Snipe, London, Ont.- Can you tell me what one and one-half brace of 

 English pheasants are worth? The hens laying last year 30 eggs? Ans. 

 We can not tell what live pheasants are worth, but there are probably 

 many persons who would like to have them and willing to pay liberally. 

 You had better fix your own price and advertise them, when you wiil 

 doubUess have many offers. 



J. McK., Philadelphia. —Not having much faith in imported dogs, 

 "blue-bloods" or blue Beltons, wishes to hunt his native dog against one 

 of them for one month every day. Ans. J. J. Seitzenger, Esq., of 

 your city, has a thoroughbred blue Belton setter named Czar, imported 

 by Mr. Horace Smith, our Field and Kennel Editor, which he is willing 

 to match against any dog as to bottom and staunchness on game. 



J. A., Aurora, N. Y.— 1. Please tell me how to reblne a rifle barrel, 

 and if the old browning will have to be removed? 2. Is Stevens "Hun- 

 ters pet" well adapted for short range off-hand shooting? 3. Is there 

 any law on squirreis in this State? Ans. 1. It is a trade secret; send 

 your gun to a gunsmith. 2, Yes; very accurate up to 200yardd, 3. No 

 general law relating to squirrels. 



E. H. J., New York.— I am thinking of making a fly rod of the wood 

 called "green heart," but before doing so I would like to learn several 

 things about the quality of this wood. 1. Has it as firm and reliable a 

 spring as lancewood? 2. Would it do to make a 6 or 8 oz. rod entirely 

 of it, butt, second joint and tip? 3. Would it need staining? Ans. 1. 

 Yes; better. 2. All but the tip; the latter made of lancewood would be 

 better for so light a wood. 3. No. 



E. S., Baltimore.— I have a setter two years old that hunts splendid 

 without a gun, but when taken into the field at the first lire gives up and 

 becomes a blinker for the rest of the day; does not run away, but lies 

 down and will not hunt. Do you think there is any hope of his ever be- 

 coming a hunter? Have tried leashing him to another dog, and every 

 known expedient, without success. Ans. In our next issue you will 

 find an article upon the subject of gun shy dogs. 



G. E. W., New Haven, Conn.— Can a dog that is A No. 1 in other 

 respects be made to bark at a hole whenever he drives anything in, such 

 as squirrels or rabbits? I have Buch a one, and would like, if possible, 

 to have him acquire that. Will you please tell me how I can teach him? 

 Ans. Perhaps a little moral suasion may cause him to give tongue on 

 proper occasion, but we doubt if he would any longer be A No. 1 iu 

 other respects. 



W.T.R., New York City.— I have a Greener breech-loader, 10 bore, 9£ 

 pound*, 30,inch barrels. I did not purchase it as a choke-bore, but re- 

 cently made with it with 3£ drachms powder, 1£ oz. No. 7 American 

 shot, 30-inch circle, 40 measured jards, the following consecutive tar- 

 gets: 241, 236, 209, 112, 247, 239, 243, 240. Please tell me whether you 

 would consider the gun a choke-bore, or how the gun compares with 

 choke-bore performances under like conditions. Ans. There is very 

 little doubt but that your gun has been choke-bored. 



E. S.andG.S., Bonneau's P. O.— I have a setter puppy about 1§ 

 months old that has had red mange for ten months. I have tried sever- 

 al remedies, rubbing with sulphur and lard, washing with carbolic acid, 

 sulphuret of potassium, etc., but all have failed to cure. Ans. Adda 

 little turpentine to the sulphur intment you are using, and the day af- 

 ter applying it wash the dog with carbolic soap; and besides give him 

 eight drops of Fowler's solution of arsenic twice a day for three days. 



W. H. M., Sterling Run, Pa.- -I have a setter; he is about three or 

 four years old and is sick. The chief symptom that the setter has' ia 

 that he is very poor, nothing but a walking skeleton; appetite very poor; 

 will eat nothing unless it just happens to please. Ans. Have mailed to 

 you some condition powders, which give as directed, besides which give 

 him a piece of garlic the size of a small marble twice a day for three 

 days. 



Tbapter, Columbia, S. C.-rl. Where would you advise us to go to 

 trap this winter, where to buy our traps, and to what city go direct from 

 here nearest the place. 2. How many guns and rifles should we take? 

 3. Please say how far a Moore & Harris double muzzle loader 12-bore 

 31 -inch barrel will kill duck with No. 4 shot. Ans. 1. Go to Virginia, 

 in our issue of November 2d, in the department of Furs and Trapping, 

 you will And a description of the places to trap. If you cannot buy 

 your traps at home send to the Oneida Community, at Oneida this State. 

 We question whether you would make it pay. 2. One shot gun and one 

 rifle would be sufficient. 3. 40 yards would be an outside distance. 



F. K. G., Noroton, Conn.— 1. What is the charge of powder and shot 

 for a Remington gun, 12-gauge, 8* lbs., for ducks? 2. Which is the best 

 for ducking, paper or brass shells? 3. What effect will three wads have 

 over the powder? Ans. 1. About 4 drs. powder to l£ oz. shot. Some 

 guns of same weight will bear 4} drs. powder. We always use as much 

 powder as the shoulder will comfortably bear. 2. There is very little 

 difference between paper and metallic shells. The latter for duck shoot- 

 ing alone are good and more economical. 3. Many guns shoot harder 

 with three wads on the powder. 



Sandy Hook, New Yo'k.-- -I am informed that Capt. Bogardus and 

 Green Smith once upon a time shot a pigeon match, 25 birds each, 20 

 yards rise and one yard boundary: Green Smith scored 23, Capt. Bogar- 

 dus, 16. Is this performance on record? Did the two gentlemen named 

 ever shoot a match under such conditions, and if so, what was the scores? 

 Ans. Such a match was shot by the gentlemen named at Dexter Park, 

 Chicago, on October 7th, 1875. The scores were "nil" on the first round 

 also in shooting off the first tie (of misses); on the second Mr. Smith 

 killed his first bird within the required one yard boundary and won the 

 match. No record was kept of the birds killed out of bounds. 



C. R. M., Pittsburgh.— 1 . I have a double muzzle loading shot gun, 13 

 gauge, 28 inch barrel. It made the following pattern at 30 yards: right- 

 barrel, 86; left-barrel, 56; 20-inch circle, 3 drs. powder, l£ oz. No. 7 

 shot. It has not got the name of the maker on it. What is your .opin- 

 ion of it? 2. Will a cross between a pointer and a setter make a good 

 bird dog? 3. Should a growing pup be fed all he will eat? 4. Do yon 

 know of a good squirrel ground near Pittsburgh? Ans. The right-hand 

 barrel made a good pattern, the left is not good, but you should not 

 judge of the shooting of your gun without repeated trials, so as to see 

 trie average. 2. We have seen exceedingly good dogs bred by crossing 

 the pointer and setter, but by no means approve of such breeding 3 

 A growing pup should be frequently well fed but not kept grossly fat. 4*. 



No. 



—Seven miles nearly north from Charlottesville Virgin- 

 ia, is the place where the army surrended by Gen. Burgoyue 

 in the Revolution were located as prisoners of war. The 

 foundations ot the cabins in which these prisoners lived 

 can be seen at this day, and in the forests are seen thg 

 graves of those who died while they Wsrs quartered there* 

 The fields retain the Darnt-^ H* w ! t&ttMsi '"'* 



