FOREST AND STREAM. 



315 



the coming year, which may now be obtained at the offices 

 of the Association, No. 23 Park Row. The annual meet- 

 ing of the association will be held at the "Rendezvous," 

 ■No 9 West Thirteenth street, on Tuesday, January 9th at 

 8 p. m. Five new Directors will be elected, and the 

 reports of the officers for the past year will be presented. 



—A rifle match has been projected between Companies 

 C and K, Twenty-third Regiment, Brooklyn, to take place 

 at an early date. 



Rhode Island.— The third competition for the Newport 

 marksman's badge was shot at that city on the 8th inst. 

 The conditions were 10 shots each at 200 yards. The 

 strong wind blowing during the day not only kept away 

 many of the original competitors but made good shooting 

 vptv difficult. The following are the scores:— 



very difficult, 

 Name. Total 



W M. Farrow 39 



H.H.Totteu 30 



W. R. Landers oo 



Name. Total. 



H. Bull, Jr. 37 



E. Braman M 



Q. S. Slocum ..33 



- At the close of ihe championshp competition, a friendly 

 match under the same conditions was shot between E. H. 

 Totten and H. Bull, Jr., resulting in a score of 35 for the 

 latter against Mr. Totten's 33. 



Fine Marksmanship.— Last week Mr. Arthur T. Jones, 

 formerly of Turin, and representing the noted Whitney 

 Arms Co., of New Haven, Conn., gave our marksmen a 

 fine exhibition of his skill with one of the superior Creed- 

 moor rifles manufactured by that company. At 800 yards, 

 after sighting his gun, he put every bullet he fired into the 

 hullseye, after which several crack shots tried the arm, 

 many of them meeting with like success. The rifles made 

 hy that company which Mr. Jones exhibited, appeared to 

 be complete in all the essentials which are needed to make 

 a perfect weapon, and in accuracy and power surpasses any 

 ever before brought here. — Louisville Journal, 



fame $§ng nnd %nn. 



GAME NOW IN SEASON. 



Moose, Alces malchis. Pinnated grouse or prairie chicken, 



Caribou, Taranclus rangifer. Vupidoma cupldo. 



Elk or wapiti, Oervus canadensis." Ruilcd grouse or pheasant, Bonasa 



Red or 'Virgiiiia deer ,6 Ail ginianus. umbellus. 



Squirrels, red, black and gray. Quail or partridge, Ortyx Virginia- 



Hares, brown and gray. mis. 



Wild turkey, Meltagiis gallopa- Woodcock, Philohela minor. 



vo 



"Bay-birds" generally,including various species of plover, sand-piperB, 

 Snipe, curiewe,oyster-catchert>,eurr-birds, phalaropes, avocets, etc., com- 

 ing under the greup Limicoloz or Shore Birds. 



—In our last issue we stated that the fare to Currituck 

 for the round trip per Old Dominion steamers, was $24. 

 The officers of the line inform us that the price has been 

 reduced to $18, and this amount includes meals and state- 

 room to Norfolk. This fact may be of interest to future 

 inquirers. Surely no sportsman in pursuit of pleasure can 

 find it at a cheaper rate. The steamers of the Old Dominion 

 line are noted for the general comfort which they provide. 



—Mr. Arthur Duane, of Bergen Point, and Mr. Joseph 

 Earle, of Brooklyn, have returned from Currituck, where 

 they killed 292 ducks, 8 geese and 2 swans; 80 of the ducks 

 were canvas-backs. Tluy had about five full days' shoot- 

 ing during the late cold snap. 



Pot Hunting.— The Uniontown (Pa.) Standard says:— 



''Several hunting parties passed through here last week 

 with a fine lot of game- of all kinds. We never saw as 

 much game killed in one season in this section before — 

 quail, pheasants, and rabbits by the hundreds; also a num- 

 ber of fine looking deer and a few turkey. We heard of 

 one party making a fine bag last week in about one and a 

 half hours, killing some 29 quails— 25 of them in two shots. 

 "VVe call that extra good shooting. It is not every sports - 

 man(?) who can kill 25 quail in two shots. It is a science 

 that requires long practice and great nerve," 



We should think so; and if the wretched pot hunter who 

 succeeded in exterminating two bevies of quails by shooting 

 at them while they were huddled on the ground had a 

 charge or two of shot lodged in his own miserable carcase 

 it would be but serving him right. 



The Michigan Turkey Call.— Our correspondent, 

 "Archer," writes:— 



"Seeing in your last issue a notice of a Michigan Turkey 

 Oiil, I am tempted to give my experience. First, your 

 correspondent says nothing of the material the box or call 

 is to be made from. Second, he must be a better "musi- 

 cian" than the writer, to make it call satisfactorily if made 

 of the dimensions given. The material should be Spanish 

 cedar, and the best size, as far as my humble, limited ex- 

 perience goes, is: two and one-half inches long; three : 

 fourths to seven-eighths deep, and one inch wide. Cut a 

 piece of smooth slate so th* t it will lie nicely in the bottom 

 of the box; have the top smooth and even, and no resin 

 will be needed. I make the box of the same material 

 throughout, and put together with brass pins. Brads or 

 glue spoil the sound, not giving sufficient vibration. If 

 made from pieces of cigar box, be sure that no paper re- 

 mains on the box, and use the thinnest portions. 



Mr. F. H. Vanderburg, of Port Huron, Michigan, tells of 

 a call that answers admirably. It consists of a short piece 

 of Spanish cedar, with a good sized nail driven half 

 through it; draw a piece of slate across the head of the 

 nail. 



To operate either of these calls, hold the slate between 

 the thumb and middle finger of the right hand, while the 

 call is held by the thumb and middle finger of the left. 

 Above all things, do not make over Jive strokes for a single 

 call— oftener four. If you exceed this number you will 

 get no turkey, for a turkey can count. If any desire these 

 calls, and do not desire to take the trouble to make them, I 

 will procure some for them from the maker of mine. The 

 price, I presume, is twenty-five cents, as that is what he 

 has charged heretofore." 



[Our correspondent is certainly very kind, and no doubt 

 ttany readers will desire to accept his offer. We will 

 cheerfully give his name to any applicants. — Ed.] 



Captain Bogatjdtjs in California.— A dispatch to the 

 Herald, dated San Francisco, December IBth, says that 

 Captain Bogardus SB&'(?i!ftt&d& I&bisson, ciuunptoB-ef ' 



California, shot a pigeon match at Oakland Park on that 

 day for a purse of $250, 60 single birds and 20 pairs, under 

 California rules. Bogardus killed 52 single birds and Rob- 

 inson 53. Owing to the darkness only 18 pairs each were 

 shot at, Bogardus killing 26 birds and Robinson 32, the 

 latter winning the match. Robinson killed 25 birds con- 

 secutively and Bogardus 16. The referee was strongly in 

 favor of Robinson, and the evident unfairness of some of 

 his decisions against Bogardus were severely commented 

 upon by the crowd, and probably had the effect of dis- 

 turbing Bogardus, but his opponent shot so carefully and 

 well that it is doubtful if Bogardus would have won even 

 had the decisions been fair. Another match, under Prairie 

 Club rules, will probably be arranged between the two 

 men, when a fairer test of their skill may be expected. 

 ■•*•«. 



LOADING SHELLS. 



Olympia, W. T., Nov. 28th, 1876. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



Since reading the unfortunate accideut that happeued to 

 Dr. Thebaud while loading a shell, the nerves of mauy 

 sportsmen have undoubtedly been disturbed while going 

 through the operation. 



The caution of "A. C.H.," of Bridgeport, published in 

 your valuable paper of the 2d inst., is very opportune, and 

 should be strictly adhered to in every instance as the only 

 safe rule, viz., to always cap the shell before loading. My 

 experience has been exactly the same as that of "A. C. II." 

 The cap must be well set home, every time to guard against 

 missfire, and in doing so I generally explode five or six out 

 of every 1,000, but of course without any harm while the 

 shell is empty. This I think is caused by a slight rupture 

 of the edge of the cone. I have often wondered that 

 sportsmen do not become thoroughly disgusted with their 

 attemp's to load their own shells without the pi oper con- 

 veniences. Many of them no doubt think that for 

 all the shooting they will do it will not pay to make any 

 extra preparation, hence you will see them attempting to 

 load one shell at a time, and generally capsizing one out of 

 every six, and spilling their shot, etc., and spending as 

 much time in loading fifty shells as it would take to load 

 000 with the proper appliances, besides the danger to 

 themselves and unnecessary annoyance. My plan of load- 

 ing shells may be of some service to sportsmen geneially, 

 and with your permission I will give it: 1 have a loading 

 board, constructed of two ash boards an inch thick each, 

 and dressed level so as to fit closely together. These are 

 attached together by two pairs of small brass butt hinges 

 on the edges, so that they will open and close like a book. 

 The upper board is spaced off with a pair of dividers for 

 as many shells as it will conlaiu without weakening the 

 board too much, and then bored through the board with an 

 extension bit set to fit the shell. The shells should fit snug- 

 ly but freely into their holes in this upper board. The 

 bottom board is then marked to correspond, and is also 

 bored three-eighths of an inch deep, with a bit sufficiently 

 large to receive the base of the shell freely, and the center 

 of these holes are continued through the board with a f 

 bit, over which the cap rests without any pressure from 

 any sourse whatevei. When capped ieady to load, the 

 shells are placed in the upper board from tne under side, 

 and pushed down till the Mange of the shells rest against 

 the under side of the board; then the boards are closed 

 and secured by a small brass hook attached to the edge op- 

 posite the hinges. The shells can then be filled by placing 

 the board on the knees of the operator, and using a small 

 tunnel in the left hand to guide the powder and shot into 

 the shells; the wad on the powder can then be driven 

 home safely and smartly with a small wooden mallet with- 

 out the least danger of explosion. 1 do not believe, how- 

 ever, in ramming powder too snugly in any gun. 



My board is 10x13 inches, and contains seventy 10-gauge 

 shells, which I can cap and load in fifty minutes. This 

 board can be of any size to suit the operator, and I can 

 assure all who try this plan that they will not complain of 

 any annoyance or inconvenience in loading their shells 

 hereafter. 



It will be seen that not even a No. 10 shot, or any other 

 substance, can possibly pass from the surface of the upper 

 board to the lower one while loading, hence perfect safety 

 to the operator is guaranteed. To remove the shells after 

 loading, open the boards and place the upper side or muz- 

 zle of the shells on a stand or table, when they will all start 

 back, and can then be easily removed. Pacific. 



Our correspondent, Mr. Kendall, who was in this city 

 at the time of the accident, and took particular pains to 

 enquire into the cause, writes us as follows:— 



"Your Philadelphia correspondent, N., and all other 

 interested parties, are informed that the metal base of the 

 shell which caused Dr. Theband's death, and the rest of 

 the debris found after the explosion were carefully pre- 

 served, and can undoubtedly be inspected on application, 

 either to Dr. Reynold's, of West Fourteeenth street, or to 

 Mr. Paul Theband, of No. 119 East Thirty-fourth street. 

 Having investigated this matter at the time, I gave the con- 

 clusion arrived at. I wish to add that, to the eye there was 

 no evidence that the pot of the shell was thin or defective 

 in strength. The suggested explanation was purely theo- 

 retical. 



What is certain is, that the explosion took place under 

 conditions precluding the possibility of any hard substance 

 having been in contact with the head of the percussion 

 cap. It may be that the anvil was a little longer than 

 usual, and pressed with unusual force against both pot and 

 fulminate, the former being of full strength, but in this 

 instance suffering some little vibration from the blow of 

 the mallet, or possibly the primer was defective, and par- 

 ticles of the fulminate were rolling loose around and about 

 the anvil. In such case, minute portions would be sure to 

 catch between the anvil and the inner surface of the pot, and 

 any sharp vibration might ignite the fulminate. 



This accident has clearly shown the danger of using 

 brass loading tubes. Why not make these instruments of 

 wood, or papier mache, which, if blown to pieces, could 

 scarcely inflict other than surface wounds?— Port Royal, 

 & C. Charles G. Kendall. 



[It may be of interest to our readers to know that at a 

 recent meeting of the New York Pathological Society, Dr. 

 Sands presented the anterior portion of the right lung, re- 

 moved from the body of the unfortunate Dr. Thebaud. It 

 seems that it was not the shell which caused death, but a 

 portion of the brass cylinder in which the. shell had been 



pasteboard accompanied it, and wars removed shortly after 

 the accident. The report which we find in the Medical 

 Record says that "the autopsy was made by Dr. Finnell, 

 during which the pericardium was accidentally opened by 

 the Deputy Coroner. On raising the sternum a square 

 piece of the brass cartridge cylinder (If- inches) was found 

 firmly imbedded in the anterior pot tion of the lung. The 

 right margin of the piece of brass was concealed from 

 view, while the left margin presented a sharp angular 

 edge, which penetrated the lung, made a small perforation 

 into the pericardium, and lay in direct contact with the 

 left venticle of the heart." Dr. Thebaud was afflicted with 

 chronic pneumonia, as was shown by the condition of his 

 lungs. It was the universal opinion of medical men that 

 any attempt to remove the foreign body would have been 

 unadvisable, owing not only to the condition of shock un- 

 der which the patient labored, but also the known exist- 

 ence of organic disease of the lung and the dangerous 

 proximity to the heart.— Ed. J 



-*>.*. 



Connecticut— Salisbury, Dec. 16.— Ducking has been 

 rather poor the past fall hereabouts, and though there ha3 

 been several "wild goose chases," of some miles, yet no 

 golden eggs or the goose that might lay them have been 

 seen. Woodcock have been scarce also, but more English 

 snipe have been shot than for many seasons. Partridges 

 (grouse) have been unusually abundant and fine, and now 

 that the law is so soon to protect them (Jan. 1st) that it 

 may be whispered through your speaking trumpet, Forest 

 and Stream, without danger of their utter extermination 

 by your host of crack shots. There is an effort to be 

 made to introduce quail (a bevy of which are occasionally 

 seen) and it would be a good thing to do. 



J. Ives Pease. 



Pennsylvania — Greenville, Dec. dth. — Certain sporta- 

 mcn(?) in these parts have been detected in using pick and 

 shovel in hunting rabbits. "A word to the wise," etc. The 

 terrible cold weather just now will be severe on quail and 

 such. It is our prayer that it may not last long. 



W. H. B. 



Virginia— Wytfieville, Dec. Vth. — A wagon was driven 

 into town Wednesday loaded with bear meat, venison, 

 wild turkeys, pheasants, rabbits, &c. They were killed in 

 the Stony Fork neighborhood, in this county, we learn, 

 and belonged to different parties. Twenty cents a pound 

 was asked for the bear meat at first, but it went off at a 

 shilling. 



Non tit Carolina — Morgantowti, Dec. lllh. — Quail 

 shooting has been fairly good this season, but most of it 

 has to be done in the woods. My score since the season 

 opened is 25-3, but I have made none of the heavy bags — 

 50 or 100— which I read of in Forest and Stream; 26 has 

 been my best, and when I walked home by starlight it was 

 with the proud consciousness of having done well. 



G. H. M. 



Newbcrn, December 8lh.—A. party of gentlemen 

 from Edgecombe county came down here last week 

 and killed eleven deer besides smaller game, mostly 

 around Slocums creek, sixteen miles below Newbern. 

 Brother and self bagged a fine lot of mallard here in the river 

 on Tuesday. y J. E. West. 



Poplar Branch, Currituck Co., Dec. 10th. ~ I and Chailey 

 Ilauce of Flushing, L. I., had some fun shooting duck 

 yesterday evening "from 3 o'clock to half past 4 o'clock. 

 We shot 110 duck, American widgeon, sprigtails, black 

 ducks and mallards. We had one breech-loader and one 

 muzzle-loader, and you may just bet we had fun for a 

 short time. The wind was nortnwest, blowing a storm and 

 cold. We had to break our Avay home through ice, arriv- 

 ing at the house with our game about 6 o'clock. 



D. W. LlNDSEY. 



South Carolina— Port Royal, Dec. lbth. — Since my last 

 we have had quite a cold snap, the mercury ranging a little 

 below freezing during the eights, but not uncomfortably 

 cold during the daytime. An undoubted effect of such 

 early cold weather will be to bring ducks and geese in 

 large numbers to their southern haunts. Two or three 

 Beaufort sportsmen are now on the Combachee waters in 

 pursuit of mallards, etc., while the writer has but now 

 been able to get his skiff ready for service, and hopes soon 

 to make good use of her. Rumor has it that the Naval 

 Commission appointed to investigate the question is unani- 

 mous in recommending this point for a permanent naval 

 station. This being so will make things lively after a time. 

 Politically all is as quiet here as a summer's day, and no 

 intending visitors need fear being eaten by an African can- 

 nibal, or to be spitted by a ferocious Ku Klux. The Arctic 

 owls have not reached this point as yet, but we have many 

 peregrines. Being keen fellows they know how to take 

 good care of themselves. Port Royal is not on the main 

 land, but on Port Royal Island. The town of Port Royal 

 is some fifteen miles distant from the main. Rusticus. 



Florida.— Eight men went out deer hunting from St. 

 Augustine, and returned each, with a buck strapped to his 

 saddle. They came into town together, and the scene has 

 been clearly described by the local press. 



Sporting Party Lost. — A party of four fishermen 

 formed the project of winteiing in the forests of Fortune 

 Bay, N. F., in February last, for the purpose of making a 

 large catch of trout in the lakes and gulleys of that quar- 

 ter, which abound with those fish, in order to try the ex- 

 periment of salting them and establishing a trade in pickled 

 trout. No account was ever received from them, though 

 constantly up to the end of June the friends and relatives 

 of the missing men searched the forests for their bodies. 

 Not until near the close of September was the mystery 

 cleared up, when a trouting party, composed of several 

 telegraph operators, and their friends, discovered four 

 skeletons near a gully. The unfortunate fishermen must 

 have lost their: way, and been immersed in the drift during 

 one of the terrific blinding snow storms that prevail in that 

 section. The truth of this is not vouched for. —Halifax 

 {Nova Scotia) Herald. 



—The Harvard Library contains 200,000 volumes; Yale's 

 Library has 100,000; Cornell and Brown University have 

 40,000 each; Michigan University has 22.000; Dartmouth 



