FOREST AND STREAM. 



apply to the law of the State of Pennsylvania, or, only to 

 that of any State in which the close season may extend for 

 a longer period. That is, the defendants may claim that, 

 as the laws of Missouri permit quail to he shot until Feb- 

 ruary 1st, that they have a right to sell them until Febru- 

 ary 15th in Pennsylvania. We think that the second 

 clause of the section, wherein it is provided that the pos- 

 sessor shall prove that such birds were killed within the 

 period allowed by the act," or outside the limits of this 

 State at some place where the law did not forbid the kill- 

 ing of the same, covers the point, and makes the meaning 

 of the law perfectly clear. Otherwise, why did it not read 

 simply that it would be lawful to have in possession quail, 

 etc., lor a period of fifteen days beyond the time named 

 for the commencement of a close season in any State. In 

 any case, however, the wording of the law is bad as 

 affording a loophole for escape from its intended provis- 

 ions, and should be altered. 



Virginia.— The subject of game laws is now being agita- 

 ted in Virginia, and the Legislature has appointed a Joint 

 Committee to consider and report an act looking to the 

 better protection of both fish and game. The difficulty is 

 to frame a general law which will be acceptable to all dis- 

 tricts, but the severe snows of this winter, which have ex- 

 tended also into Virginia, show the necessity not only of 

 stringent enactment, but of care and forethought on the 

 part of land owners to preserve the quails. Brunswick 

 county has a Game Association, under whose auspices lo- 

 cal laws have been passed. In their- district the folio <ving 

 close seasons, which we find in the JBrunswick Advocate, 

 are observed: — 



1st. The general law of the State which forbids the kill- 

 ing of deer from the 1st of January until the 15th of 

 July. 



2d. The statutory provision which forbids the killing of 

 wild turkeys from the 1st of February to the 15th of Oc- 

 tober. 



3d. The amended statute which absolutely forbids the 

 netting and trapping and otherwise destroying partridges 

 for five years, and permits them to be shot only from the 

 15th of October to the 1st of January. 



Florida Birds.— Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe Writes a 

 pathetic appeal to the Semi-lropical on behalf of the song 

 and other birds of Florida, and concludes by saying: "Who 

 now will appear for the birda? Who will get a protection 

 law passed that will secure to us the song, the beauty, and 

 the usefulness of these charming fellow citizens of our 

 lovely Florida?" We noticed in our last issue the fact 

 tiiat our correspondent "Al Fresco" and other Florida 

 sportsmen were preparing a comprehensive game law to be 

 submitted to the Legislature of that State. In its provis- 

 ions we are confident that the mocking bird, the red bird, 

 the nonpareil, and all others which delight the ear with 

 their song or the eye with their bright plumage, will find 

 ample protection. It will remain for all good citizens then 

 to see that protection is something more than an empty 

 word. 



Save the Quails.— A correspondent sends us from 

 Philadelphia the following curious instance of severe 

 weather driving a quail to very unusual haunts: — 



"I have just been reading with much interest the editorial 

 in your last issue entitled "Save the Quail." As an evi- 

 dence of the importance of farmers and inose interested in 

 the preservation of game, doing something to save our 

 game birds from starvation, I write to mention that yester- 

 day aiternoon 1 saw a quail walking -along the side-walk 

 of Logan Square in this city, and picking up crumbs, &c, 

 thrown out by the neighbors for the sparrows. The bird 

 finally entered the square and I lost sight of it. Logan 

 Square, as you probably know, is in a densely populated 

 and closely built up portion of the city, and the poor bird 

 must have been badly starved before daring to venture so 

 far into the midst of civilization. 



"A friend, who lately spent a, few days near Oxford, in 

 this State, relates that quite a large bevy of quail would 

 come daily quite close to the house to pick up tood thrown 

 out to them. Game protective associations, 1 should think, 

 could easily carry out such a plan as you suggest for feed- 

 ing the birds during cold and snowy weather and save many 

 of them for future sport and food." K. S. K. 



Another correspondent writes from Bridgewater, Mass:— 

 "I came home the first of January, this year, and thought 

 I would see if there were any quail left over from the tall 

 shooting. I went out and within a radius of one-halt mile 

 of the house I found four flocks, in one there were three or 

 four left, in another eight, another ten, and one bevy 

 within 400 yards of the house contained twenty-four birds. 

 This last flock had probably been overlooked oy nearly all 

 the gunners, there having been but seven birds killed trom 

 it. I saw a number of places where the quail had after 

 flying a short distance buried themselves in the snow, it 

 being just like flour, and from the looks of the places, 

 should judge they stayed there all night. That night came 

 a snow storm which turned to rain and sleet, forming a 

 thick crust which I am afraid made a grave for most of 

 the quail in this section, as I have n^been able to find a 

 single bird since. If I had been at m>me a few days earlier 

 I could have prevented it, but as it was I was just too late, 

 aud I am very much afraid my quail shooting next year 

 Will be poor. 



"JNow it there are any of your readers so situated that 

 they can keep quail through the remainder of the winter 

 months I advise them by all means, whether they enjoy 

 the fall shooting or not, to take it upon themselves to look 

 after the interests of the game birds in their section during 

 the remainder of the cold weather, and look especially after 

 the quail, they will not stand the long cold winter like the 

 ruffed grouse, and something should be done to alleviate 

 their sufferings." C. A. R. 



A Connecticut correspondent writes : — 



"Your valuable journal is continually placing our sports- 

 men and lovers of out-door sports under •biigations for its 

 noble efforts to preserve our game birds and fishes; and 

 your article in a late number of Forest^ and Stream en- 



titled "Save the Quail," is very seasonable indeed. Here 

 in Connecticut we appreciate and understand very well 

 how important it is to do something for poor "Bob White" 

 during this severe winter, and the daily press, notably the 

 Cow ant and the Times of Hartford, aredoing good service 

 to save our quail. The Hartford Courant published an 

 appeal to the farmers, and very soon after received a letter 

 from a gentleman who says. *He has now thirty quail 

 which he has trapped and is taking care of until spring, 

 when they will be released.' I know of some other farm- 

 ers in New London county, who have one or more bevys 

 which are fed regularly every day. At one farm the lady 

 of the house has between thirty and forty quail boarders, 

 who appear at the kitchen door every morning for their 

 breakfast. They are her pets, and I am sure receive as good, 

 if not better, fare than is usually bestowed upon the barn- 

 yard fowl. Every one who can, should do something for 

 'Bob White' this distressing season, even those wbo dwell 

 in cities. The city sportsman who enjoys his October va- 

 cation, can do something by hiring some trustworthy per- 

 son to trap and keep over a bevy of quail, or at least to 

 furnish the starving birds with a square meal occasionally. 

 By doing this our city friend would be surprised at the 

 increase of quail when he visits his hunting grounds next 

 fail. Von G. 



The Baltimore Sun says:— "The Philadelphia Sport- 

 smen's Club has secured 500 live quail for distribu- 

 tion among their members, to be put out in the 

 spring, as without doubt the recent severe weather has de- 

 stroyed many, and unless some such action is taken the 

 prospect for quail shooting next season will be very poor. 

 The same practice has characterized sportsmen in other 

 sections, notably in Western Maryland and the Valley of 

 Virginia, where huntsmen are paying liberally for trapped" 

 birds, which they propose to feed during the winter and 

 turn loose in the spring. In Southern Maryland, it i3 

 learned, the flocks have not been decimated as much as was 

 feared from the cold, and the true sportsmen are feeding 

 and taking all the care of them possible." 



Connecticut is not far behind, aud we learn from the 

 Norwich Courier that "the most extensive feeding of quails 

 to preserve them from the severity of the weather, which 

 has yet been reported in the State, is in Middlesex county 

 where five farmer sportsmen are now feeding in rooms in 

 their houses over thirty-three dozen quails for the purpose of 

 breeding next spring, and one farmer is feeding three flocks 

 of about forty under juniper bushes is a pasture lot. An- 

 other has quite a number under his corn bouse, that come 

 out and feed regularly with his hens." 



A North Carolina correspondent writing from Morgan- 

 town, under date of January 23d, says: The weather here 

 has been fearful, twenty inches of snow fell, and four- 

 teen inches of it remained on the ground for two weeks, 

 the mercury being one morning down to b° below zero. 

 The poor birds suffered, many being frozen, and more 

 killed by hawks, pot-hunters, and other vermin. I heard 

 several boasting of killing a whole covey at one shot. I 

 have done what I could, and have one hundred and twenty- 

 eight quail which 1 am keeping for seed. It is surprising 

 how tame they soon become. When I whistle some of the 

 old cocks answer at once, and the moment food is put in 

 they go to work like so many chickens. 



Geo. H. Morgan. 



It is not often such severe cold is found as far south as 

 North Carolina. From Massachusetts we learn from our 

 correspondent, "Concha," tlat "the snow storms of the 

 past month and severity of the weather, have proved fatal 

 to many of the quails that were so very plenty in the fall. 

 The trouble is, that in a storm, as the biros cluster to- 

 gether on the ground under a rock, or by the snow drifts 

 over them, they perish of starvation, i saw, two weeks 

 since, ia a neighboring town, a flock of twenty-three come 

 into the barnyard and feed among the rose bushes and the 

 litter of the barn." 



We regret to learn from our Niagara Falls correspond- 

 ent that "the prospects for quail shooting the next season 

 are very poor indeed. The early ireeze and heavy snow 

 must have made sad work with those that were leit over, 

 and they were very few. If there is not something done 

 to replenish them, there will not be enough left for a square 

 meal for a fox next season." 



Our object in printing so much of this correspondence 

 on the quail question, is that sportsmen in one section may 

 see what those of another are doing to preserve the birds 

 and profit accordingly. Our London correspondent, whose 

 letter will be found in another column, puts the question 

 very pertinently when he says that "protection" is not eon- 

 fined to merely passing a game law, and occasionally pun- 

 ishing an infringer of the close season, but in studying 

 the habits of the birds and taking measures to restock and 

 propogate. 



Black Bass.— A correspondent writes us from Fall 

 River, that "last week, Bigg & Dunham, of New York, 

 shipped a lot of black bass to this place. Are such things 

 allowed in New York, if so, where are the game protection 

 societies? The parties here respecting the law immedi- 

 ately returned the fish." The close season for black bass 

 in this State extends from January 1st to May 20th. We 

 see no reason why they should not be as closely protected 

 as trout. 



OUR WASHINGTON LETTER. 



FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. 



Protection of game— feeding the partridges— brook 

 trout in maryland— the potomac fisheries, etc., 



ETC. 



— The Putnam House at Palatka, pleasantly located on 

 the St. John's river, is meeting with its usual favor. Its 

 manager, Mr. F. H. Orvis, has enjoyed deserved popular- 

 ity for many years among summer and autumn tourists in 

 New England, as proprietor of the Equinox House, in 



Manchester, Yt. 



. 4 » » : 



—A Muskoka (Canada) correspondent tells us that so far 

 the winter in that section has been unusually fine, only 

 about a foot of snow having fallen; the days ckar and 

 bright, with sunshine, but quite low temperature. 



Honesty in commercial labels is one of the most important safeguards 

 to seller and buyer. When one reads the brand B. T. Babbitt's Toilet 

 Soap, he may know that it is the best soap for the nursery. Therefore 

 it is safe to reason nothing can equal it for bath and toilet. It is not 

 artificially scented, yet as sweet and pleasant as it is pure and effective. 

 — Advt. 



"Washington, D. C, January 20th, 1877. 



THERE are many true sportsmen among the citizens 

 of Washington, and they might be of incalculable 

 value in the protection of game and fish, if they would 

 unite and all work for a common purpose. Pot hunters 

 are becoming more numerous every year, birds are killed 

 out-of season and trapped by them at every opportunity, 

 but this could soon be stopped if our sportsmen would take 

 the matter in hand. I believe a sportsman's club was or- 

 ganized here two or three years ago, but it seems to have 

 given more attention to rifle practice than anything else, 

 and has, therefore, not devoted that time to the protection 

 of game which might be expected of the organization. 

 Col. J. O. P. Burnside, a true sportsman and a genial com- 

 panion, was one of the leading spirits in the club, and it is 

 to be hoped he will take the matter in hand with a view to 

 the organization of an association, the primary object of 

 which shall be the protection of game and punishment of 

 all offenders against game laws. I could name fifteen or 

 twenty proraineut gentlemen who will aid in such a move- 

 ment, and I am sure there is no reason why Washington 

 should not have a Game Protective Association second to 

 none in the country, as to the standing of its members, or 

 in its efforts to preserve game. The very severe weather 

 of the present winter has demonstrated the fact that such 

 organizations can be of great service, by raising means to 

 have cartridges trapped and cared for until spring, when 

 they can be turned out to breed. A few hundred dollars 

 would secure and keep a thousand birds during the hard 

 weather, and instead of having them die of starvation in 

 tbe fields, we would have at least twenty-five birds raised 

 by every pair preserved and good shooting the ensuing fall 

 would be the result. 



Recent advices from Virginia are to the effect that in 

 many instances the birds have starved to death. With 

 everything frozen hard, the ground covered with ice and 

 snow, it has been impossible for them to find necessary 

 subsistence. In some cases 1 have heard of farmers feed- 

 ins: the birds, and if this practice was more general the re- 

 sult would be gratifying. A gentleman who owned a mag- 

 nificent farm in Virginia, not many miles from Washing- 

 ton always had plenty of birds on his place for himself and 

 friends to shoot in season because he fed them in winter, 

 and never permitted any one to molest them out of season. 

 I have known of instances where partridges became quite 

 domestic when fed in winter, and frequented not only the 

 barn-yards but the neighborhood of the kitchen door to 

 get their food. A correspondent of the Baltimore Sun 

 mentions the fact that in Carroll county, Western Mary- 

 land, nearly every farmer has been feeding a covey of 

 birds, and the sportsmen almost to a man, have trapped 

 great numbers of them, which they will turn out in the 

 spring. Some have a dozen, others have twenty, and some 

 have as high as forty or fifty. This same correspondent 

 says: "If the sportsmen of Baltimore will sit down with 

 folded hands, and not exert themselves to protect game 

 when they are dying from starvation and cold, is it any 

 wonder that farmers object to them gunning on their prem- 

 ises to kill up the game which they (the farmers) themselves 

 have protected and kept over the winter? But on the other 

 hand, if the farmers would see that the sportsmen would 

 do all they could to protect birds during the winter, very 

 naturally there would not be as much objection to gun- 

 ners. The Society for the Protection of Game ought at 

 this time have at least one thousand partridges cooped to 

 turn out in the spring. Parties in the country will trap 

 them at ten cents a bird. I could have bought as many as 

 I desired at that price." 



The sportsmen of Washington, by efficient organization 

 and united action, might accomplish a great deal, and 

 there should be concert of action between the sportsmen 

 of the two cities, as they oftentimes shoot over the same 

 fields. Through their efforts wholesome game laws could 

 be enacted, and properly enforced, which would give us 

 plenty of birds in season. Two prominent restaurant 

 keepers in Baltimore were recently arrested and fined for 

 having in their possession partridges out of season. These 

 prosecutions were instituted by the Association in that city 

 for the Protection of Game and Fish. 



A good deal has been said and written within the past 

 few weeks as to the poisonous nature of partridges now on 

 account of being compelled to feed upon laurel leaves, 

 which are regarded as a deadly poison to man. A gentle- 

 man having some curiosity in the matter, recently dissect- 

 ed the craw of one of these birds, and found it filled with 

 laurel leaves. 



The Maryland Fish Commissioner, Maj. T. B. Ferguson, 

 has a number of eggs of brook trout now hatching in the 

 propagating waters at Druid Hill Park to restock the wa- 

 ters of Maryland with that speckled beauty. During the 

 next month the young fish will be given to applicants free 

 of charge; but a description of the waters to be stocked, 

 extent, locality, source of supply, into what stream or bay 

 they are discharged, character of bottom and wa+er grass- 

 es kind of fish now inhabiting the waters, etc., must in 

 all cases accompany the application for the young fish. 

 The Commissioner will decide as to the adaptability of the 

 waters and localities. In distributing them preference 



