FOREST AND STREAM. 



327 



f Yale over that of any other amateur crew in the States. 

 Tt is stil 1 capable of amelioration, and, as strength, muscle, 



nd pluck are not wanting, Yale crews may be made even 

 mn T e formidable than they are now." .... 



Why can't Harvard follow the example of Yale, and 

 pither send a man to England to acquire the English style, 

 nr if practicable, import an Englishman to Harvard who 



an coach the crews? In my own time we were fortunate 

 Slough to be coached for a short time by an ex-'" varsity" 

 stroke from Cambridge, England, and his hints were inval- 



uable. 

 Before concluding, 



I must walk on more dangerous 



ffround' dangerous both from the nature of the soil and 

 *i^ scantiness of my information. To 



the 



what extent the 



men use such appliances as rowing-weights, I am ignorant. 

 For exceptional cases these weights may be essential, but J. 

 Lave grave doubts as to their universal application. It 

 seems to me that the effects of such galley-slave work, eli- 

 minating, as it does, all that is agreeable in rowing, must 

 be depressing, — a result to be deplored, seeing that the 

 spirits of a crew should be raised by all legitimate means. 

 I have heard many a boating-man say that he could pull a 

 stronger oar in the repose of vacation than during the 

 fatigues of the racing season. In former times Harvard 

 men were proverbially overtrained, rarely coming to the 

 starting point with that buoyancy so essential to the sus- 

 tained efforts of a hotly contested race. 



Since we are looking at rowing from a scientific point of 

 view let the men of the present time not only investigate 

 the question of form, but let them go a step farther and 

 solve a more subtle problem, the mutual effects of mind 

 , and muscle. Let them study hygiene, and be conversant 

 with the latest hygienic discoveries. By following these 

 suggestions, Harvard would soon become the cynosure of 

 all rowing men on your side of the Atlantic, and, what is 

 of infinitely more importance, would regain and maintain 

 her supremacy with the least possible expenditure of time 

 and strength. Most truly yours, 



F. Crowninshield, in Harvard "Crimson." 



f MH mid gfrxpping. 



For Forest and Stream. 



Trapping in the Southern States. — We proffer a few 

 hinls on trapping, but our hints for all kinds of fur ani- 

 mals must only be local advice common in the trapping lo- 

 calities south of St. Louis and Cairo. Our first lessons 

 were from H. J. Kimball, one of the best old trappers in 

 Wisconsin, who of late years always spends his winters 

 south of St. Louis in the swamp lands of Missouri, Ar- 

 kansas, or Northern Mississippi. Finding the pleasure of 

 trapping and woodcraft so enticing in connection with the 

 mild winters compared to those of the far north, we have 

 spent nearly every season in the profession since our first 

 initiation. The common way of fitting out is to have one 

 or two companions, and if going in a country where rivers 

 and lakes are plenty, always have a good light dugout or 

 light battcau. If you have much luggage two will be 

 found necessary, but always aim to take only such an out- 

 fit as is only really necessary. Each time we go we find 

 something that we can dispense with, and so lighten our 

 load. To make things comfortable we take a seyen-foot 

 "A" tent, made to button up close in front, which, when 

 rightly set, will keep out all cold winds; two pair of good 

 woollen blankets, one good chopping axe for camp use, 

 small straight iron pot, small heavy tin pail to make coffee 

 in, good irving pan with horn handle, and last but not of 

 least importance an "Arkinsaw skillet" or Dutch oven for 

 baking bread, etc. This is sufficient for the culinary de- 

 partment, with the little etceteras of tin cups, tin plates, 

 spoons, knives and forks. When in carnp we have always 

 found the prepared self raising flour just the thing, which 

 can be procured at any large city. The white cornme'il of 

 the South is very nice, and easily prepared either for corn 

 bread or for a good bowl of mush and milk when the lat- 

 ter can be obtained. A supply of fat pork to cook your 

 fresh game with, some salt and a jug of molasses com- 

 plete the contents of the mess chest. A good double bar- 

 rel shot gun, or shot gun and rifle, should be along, and a 

 small axe for each man to carry when setting out his traps. 

 In setting traps for muskrat, coon and mink or wildcat, 

 there is little art. The bait must be placed in such a man- 

 ner that the animal to reach it must walk over the trap. 

 Never put the bait on the trap, but usually from twelve to 

 eighteen inches beind it. The traps should be lightly cov- 

 ered with moss, dry cypress leaves, or any dead leaves pul- 

 verized over the trap, by rubbing up between the hands. 

 Be careful that no bits of sticks or twig3 are left on the 

 trap to come between the jaws when sprung. Insetting 

 for otter or beaver we use no- bait whatever, simply setting 

 in the little paths made to and from the lakes, bayous, 

 creeks, rivers, etc., their landing places when coming out 

 of deep water to feed or play. For beaver we frequently 

 set on their dams, or cut open one of their houses and put 

 the trap on the landing just inside, then stop up the hole 

 on the top to keep out daylight, for they usually lay inside 

 their houses during the day. For otter we use No. 2, and 

 for beaver No. 4 trap. For coon, wildcat and mink, No. 

 1, and No. for muskrat, all made by S. Newhouse, Onei- 

 da Community, N, Y., which are the best traps made. To 

 make trapping profitable one must tend to his traps^ and 

 should visit them every day. In skinning furs we always 

 case otter, mink, coon, and muskrat, and split the beaver. 

 The hides that are cased should be stretched over smooth 

 thin boards of the required length and width, and it is 

 preferable to dry them in the shade, but never before the 

 heat of a fire. In firing up pelts they should- he free from 

 al l fat, as in the case of coon, when too much fat is left 

 ou it becomes reisty, and the pelt often spoils. 



Profitable trapping is attended with much labor and 

 often hardships, so that the successful trapper is never a 

 lazy man, Good trappers, where trapping has not been 



followed and varmins are plenty, frequently make from 

 $50 to $100 a month; yet there are many amateurs who do 

 not make $75 the whole winter. Southern furs are not 

 worth near as much as those caught North, yet one can 

 make up in numbers what he lacks in price, so that we 

 think from what we can gain, a trapper in the southwest 

 country can make about as much clear money as trap- 

 pers in Wisconsin, Michigan, or New York. 



Shethab-boznai. 

 -♦♦♦. — 



Virginia,-- That our remarks from time to time upon 

 the abundance of beavers in Virginia were with sufficient 

 foun dation would appear to be verified from the following 

 item which we find in the Brunswick Advocate, published at 

 Lawrenceville, Va. : — 



"Messrs. Jones and Kellogg are still making our town 

 their headquarters. The weather has been unusually cold 

 aud unpropitious for their business. They are, however, 

 making some "catches" — seven beaver, one fox and coon 

 having been snared. The fox was caught in a trap which 

 had been set for a mink. We were particularly struck by a 

 remark of Mr. Kellogg in reference to his capture. He 

 said they seemed numerous and would fall an easy and 

 valuable prey, but that he did not design or desire to in- 

 terfere with the sports of the huntsmen of the country. 

 He says the beavers seem to have been very much more 

 numerous two years ago than they are now, and conjec- 

 tercs that they have made their way higher up the streams. 

 We have had very free and familiar conversation with the 

 'trappers," and believe we can ask for them the polite con- 

 sideration which our people always give to good men. 

 With proper facilities they will rid the country of a pest 

 to the laud-owner, and will ask less than our farmers are 

 in the habit of extending to strangers." 



«♦♦♦- 



—For excellent Furs, in this winter weather, go to C. 

 G. Gunthers' Sons, 184 Fifth avenue. See advertise- 

 ment elsewhere. 



lew §jublicatt0ws. 



Nuttall Bulletin. — The closing number for the year 

 of the Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club contains a number of 

 interesting articles on the habits of some of our birds, and announces 

 besides the addition of several new species to the fauna of the Uuited 

 States. The need of some such periodical as the one under discussion has 

 long been felt by all ornithologists, and it is a matter for general con- 

 gratulation that this journal is so well worthy of the support which it 

 receives. It could hardly be otherwise, however, for it is edited by 

 Prof. J. A. Allen, with Prof. Baird and Dr. Couea as Associate Editors, 

 and certainly no periodical could have any stronger ornithological back- 

 ing than is implied iu these names. 



Mr. Earnest Ingersoll opens the number with a summary of "Our 

 Present Knowledge of the Nidification of the American Knights." The 

 essay is written in Mr. Ingersoll's usual attractive style, and the tug- 

 gestion that all ornithologists should be on the watch for the nest of the 

 tiny Reguli is a timely one. We shall before long publish the papers in 

 full iu order that such of the readers of Fobbst and Stream as do not 

 see the Bulletin may also be on the alert. Dr. Cooper notices some 

 novel and curio. is features in the breeding habits of the Western house 

 wren {Troglodytes aedon var. Parkmanni). Mr. Ridgway furnishes 

 some valuable information "On the Geographical Variation in Dendraca 

 palmarum," and describes a new subspecies, the remarkable point of 

 the communication being that the bird in question seems to form an 

 exception to what have been regarded as well established laws governing 

 the size and coloration of birds from the Atlantic coast and the Missis- 

 sippi Valley respectively. Dr. Merrill, TJ. S. A., in his "Notes on 

 Texan Birds," adds five new species to the fauna of the United States, 

 and in addition gives the breeding habits, previously unknown, of two 

 species. Dr. Brown's pungent article on the "Birds of New England" 

 closes the number. The General Notes contains several items of inter- 

 est, notably the capture of Helminthophaga celata in Massachusetts, 

 and the occurrence of Taulalus loculator in Pennsylvania and New 

 York, the latter in! erecting fact having been noticed in Forest and 

 Stream at the time (July 20th, 1876.) 



It is highly satisfactory to have at last a journal of Ornithology, and 

 one, too, which can be relied on. We could wish only to have one 

 change made in the Bulletin, and that would be to have it issued each 

 month instead of but four times a year. We hope, at no distant day, to 

 sea this alteration made. 



£n*wti* §o jfeariiezytmdmtf. 



No Notice Taken of Anonymous Communication*. 



J. J., Milwaukee - — Where can I get a bona fide Dandie Dinmont 

 terrier?' Ana. We do not know of any pure Dandie Dinmonts for sale 

 Perhaps some of our readers can inform us. 



E.W. F., Wethersford, Conn.— Can you inform me of thennmber of 

 prizes taken by Saltus 1 Dash; also when and where taken? Is Bonnet 

 Cane an Irish setter? Ans. 1. At Watertown, '75, and at Philadel- 

 phia, '76. 2. Bonnet Carre is half Irish. 



J. F. K., Washington, D. C— I have a breech-loading rifle or carbine 

 marked "Starr's Patent, Yonkers, N. Y." It seems to be a stranger 

 about here. Please tell me where I can got ammunition for it. Ans. By 

 sending to H. C. Squires, No 1 Courtlandt street, this city. 



W. S. S , Pottsville, Pa.— Please say when the close season for pinna- 

 ted grouse and quail begins in Arknasas. whether there is a State law 

 governing the killing of game, and whether pinnated grouse will live 

 and thrive in this State? Ans. No close seasons In Arkansas, and no 

 State game laws. Pinnated grouse doubtless once inhabited parts of 

 Pennsylvania, and if replaced would thrive there again if unmolested. 



C B . , Rackester.— Has the Legislature within the the last six months 

 passed any law affecting the hunting of rabbits with ferrets? or is there 

 any old law? I find the game constables in this vicinity are prosecuting 

 all parties they can catch at it. Ans. There have been no amendments 

 to the general liws within six mouths, but the law of 1875 prohibits the 

 kiiling of rabbits with ferrets. 



T. J. W., Philadelphia —1. Where on the Chesapeake can I find 

 good duck'shooting in January? 2. Give me the address ©f second- 

 hand b ok dealers in New York, Boston and Brooklyn. Ans. 1. 

 Crossfteld, in Somerset county, Md. The upper part of the bay is fro- 

 zen solid. 2. In New York, Leggat Bros., No. 3 Beekman street; 

 Brooklyn, N. W. Swaine, No. 136 Fulton street; we do not know the 

 names of dealers in Boston . 



J. G. S., Bridgeport— I want to know exactly what a choke-bored 

 gun barrelis; that is, how far from the muzzle contraction commences,: 

 and how much it ii contracted ; also whether it is a straight taper to the 

 muzzle; in fact, what is the usual shape of the inside' of the barrel of 

 a choke-bored gun? Ans. As there are many ways of choke-boring we 

 must refer you to Mr. W. W.. Greener's latest work, "Choke-Bored 

 Guns and How to Load Them," which contains descriptive cuts; We 

 can send you a copy;- price, ; $3.50. : - - 



Nix, Fall River.— Where can I address the dealer in aquarium good 

 spoken of in a paper issued a few weeks ago? Ans, Humphreys & 

 Collier, No. 58 Courtlandt street, or Frank Schopp, No. 71 Fourth ave. 



Geo. H., Grantville, Mass.— My setter dog is troubled with a dry 

 husky cough, sometimes ending in an attempt to vomit. Will you have 

 the kindness to tell me what I may do for him. Ans. It is probable 

 that your dog is afflicted with worms. Give him 60 grains of powdered 

 areca nut at three dQses two hours apart, and six hours after giving the 

 last dose give him one ounce castor oil. 



W. E. D., Fall River, Mass.— Will a paper cartridge 3-16th of an inch 

 longer than the chamber of a gun effect the shooting qualities? If this 

 same cartridge is made to fit the chamber with a turn over would It not 

 upon being discharged be forced back 3-16th to as long aB at first? Ani. 

 The result would probably be greater recoil. The proper thing to do is 

 to so cut and turn your shell that when opened out by the explosion they 

 will then fit the chamber. 



G. C. P., New York.— Please have the kindness to advise me what 

 four sizes of shot are best adapted for up-land and duck shooting, and 

 what is the best brand of American powder? Ans. 10, 8, 0, 4, viz 8 and also 

 10 for quail, woodcock and snipe, 6 and 8 for ruffed grouse, and 4 and 6 

 for ducks. We cannot discriminate between brands of powder; you 

 must experiment for yourself. 



G. C. T., Sheepshead Bay.— I have a fine setter pup about eighteen 

 months old. He has been very bad with distemper. He is all right ex- 

 cept a weakness in the small of his back, so weak at times that he can- 

 not stand at all. Can you acquaint me of any relief for him? Ans. 

 Your dog requires strengthening food, such as beef broth, etc., and 

 careful nursing, avoiding all dampness or cold. Distemper frequently 

 leaves its victims as you describe. 



W. Y. W. R., Rutland, Vt.— Please inform me of what is requisite to 

 have my dogs recorded in your Kennel Register; what the cost is, and 

 how soon you will have the book out. Ans. Simply send us the pedi- 

 gree, when a certificate of registration will be returned. We can send 

 you blank pedigrees if you want them; no charge. The book will be 

 issued as soon as we can possibly find time to prepare it; very shortly 

 we trust. 



W. n. C, Attleboro.— 1. I have a breech loading shot gun about 2| 

 inches drop of stock. Can I have it bent to about 3J inches and stay 

 2. Where can pure bred beagles be had, and what price? Ans. 1. As 

 a rule gun stocks can be bent by steaming to the extent you mention. 

 2. Beagles are frequently advertised for sale in our paper, but we know 

 of none at present. 



Naturalist, Lowell.— 1. What is the best way to take rust out of my 

 breech-loader, and what kind of oil is the best ? 2. What size of shot 

 do you recommend for fox hunting— can as large as "T" be used to any 

 advantage? 3. What is the bo»t way to hunt foxes? Ans. 1. If benzine 

 will not take out the rust marks you will have to use the scratch 

 brush. Belmontyle is as good oil as any to prevent rust, or Eaton's Rust 

 Preventer. 2. "T" shot is as good as any. 3. Foxes must be hunted 

 with hounds. 



J, M. W. H., New York.— Will you please inform a reader, what is 

 the best time (amateur and professional) made in the following: One 

 mile walk, 3 mile walk, 7 mile walk, and 10 mile walk? Ans. One miie, 

 amateur, 6:48; professional, 6:23. Three miles, amateur, 32:15; profes- 

 sional, 20:27. Seven miles, amateur, 53:47; professional, 51:51. Teu 

 miles, amateur, 1:26:37; professional, 1:17.33. It is possible that some 

 of these figures have been slightly lessened during the past year, if so, 

 we will print a revised list next week. 



H. L. J., Cincinnati.- -I have ample means to initiate or to supplemen t 

 a plan for building a hotel, or Sportsman's Home, in Florida. This to 

 be a home for our families and a rendezvous for sportsmen. The site I 

 am inclined to, is near the line of the Transit railroad. With whom can I 

 correspond, to carry out my project speedily ? and will Forest and Stream 

 co-operate? Ans. Correspond with)Col. J. B. Olliver, Genl. Agent Florida 

 Laud and Immigration Co., P. O. Box, 5,520, New York city A propo- 

 sition for this identical purpose is now under consideration by Forest 

 and Stream. The location agrees with yours and a determination will 

 soon be arrived at which may make it most desirable to have further cor- 

 respondence with you. 



Amateur.— 1. Will you please explain in your next issue the terms 

 "dropped to wing," and "backed," as used in your report of "Field 

 Trial?" 2. Is the red Irish Better generally an intelligent and tractable 

 dog, and apt to make a good bird dog? 3. Is not the recoil of a choke- 

 bored gun greater than that of the ordinary cylinder bore? Ans. A dog 

 so broken "drops to wing" or comes to the "down charge" when a bird 

 is flushed. To "back," is to sustain the point of another dog; that is 

 to stop or come to a point himself when he finds that the other dog has the 

 scent of birds and is pointing them. 2. Yes. although perhaps requiring 

 more work to keep in proper subjection and disc ipline than some other 

 breeds. 3. No, not when properly loaded, with the shells fitting the 

 full length of the chamber. 



J. F. A., Walnut Grove. — 1. I am going off for a little while and I 

 wish you would recommend me a good book that I can take along with 

 me to read at my unoccupied time and will do me good. I wiBh y^ou 

 would name a book that is a good one for me? 2. I have a nephew, to 

 whom I want to give a gun and I am in doubts between a double muzzle 

 or a single-barrel breech, or Phoenix; he is sixteen years old and as tall 

 and strong as a man; his chief shooting is quail and chicken, with a few 

 ducks in spring. Which do yon think I had better get him? 3. Can a 

 Colt's 36-cahbre revolver be changed to a cartridge one? and at what cost? 

 Ans. 1. Next to the Bible read "Frank Forester" or Lewis's "American 

 Field^Sports." 2. We should prefer a double gun even if it had to be a 

 muzzle loader. 3. The alteration can be made but the Company will not 

 take a single pistol to alter. Ask a gun dealer to exchange it for you. 



E. J. R., Wethersfield, Conn.— My setter bitch Bridget has the dis- 

 temper still and is discharging copiously from the nose. She does not 

 eat well, but has not fallen off in flesh much, and seems quite strong. 

 I keep her out in my kennel as I am afraid to bring her in to the fire for 

 fear of giving fits. Is it best to give her any cooked meat? How long 

 does the distemper last? Is it best to keep her near the fire. The dis- 

 temper powders you sent to me have helped amazingly, had I better give 

 her more? Ans. Give her enough of the distemper powder to keep her 

 bowels open and by all means keep her comfortably warm; no dog can 

 be cured of distemper, unless he is kept in a comfortably warm clean 

 place. Beef or mutton soup with well boiled rice is as good as can be 

 <nven; well cooked oat meal mush or cake for a change is well. Some- 

 times dogs are helped by giviDg them bones to gnaw, such as they can- 

 not swallow. It is impossible to say how long a case of dieteiu. 

 per will last, so much depends upon how the dog is affected by it and the 

 attention and aemedies used for her cure. 



A. B C— Please state in your next issue wha t a young man can en- 

 gage in in Florida in the way of fruit growing; say he has $503 io $1,000 

 cash . Is game plenty there? and is there any land to be had for set- 

 tling on it? Would you advise such a person to go there to seek his 

 fortune? Ans. Possibly 100 miles of the railroad running from Fer- 

 nandina, on the Atlantic Ocean to Cedar Keys, on the Gulf of Mexico is 

 a bnsy hive of workers on early vegetable market farms. The average 

 number find watermellons, cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, beans, &c, 

 profitable the first year. These crops are grown on land planted in oranges 

 bananas, lemons, flgs, &c. As soon as these trees come into bearing- 

 say- from three to seven years— there is an ever-increasing, steady income, 

 perpetually. The particular advantages that have attracted so many 

 market gardeners to this section are, sure, regular and quick communica- 

 tion by rail and steamships with the northern, eastern,, and. western 

 cities; lands will grow oranges -without- fertilizing, and the trees are 

 never diseased; as fine hunting and fishing as any State affords. The 

 lands are very cheap. All such inquirers as A. B. C. will have questions 

 very satisfactorily answered if they will write to Col. J. B. Oliver, Gen- ' 

 eral Agent Florida Land and Immigration Co., P. O. Box 5,520, N. Y. 

 city. 



