FOREST AND STREAM 
591 
ammunition bag in a. cautious manner, lie took also Dr. 
Ferchland’s gun by the muzzle, knowing at tbo time that 
the same was loaded, and dragged it along the dock, In 
some unaccountable manner the hammers of the gun en¬ 
countered an obstacle which drew them not quite back to 
h alf cock, discharging the contents of one of the barrels 
into his left thigh, carrying away a piece of the hip bone 
about five inches in length, which culminated in his 
death at the Long Island College Hospital. 
Were this a case of some tyro, sportsmen and the 
community at large might dismiss the subject from their 
minds as being merely frivolous; but it is not so. The 
deceased was forty-two years of age, an accomplished 
Bportsman, and an expert in the science of gunnery, of 
which he was passionately fond as a recreation, though 
ho had for once—and it causes ns much pain to remark- 
lost bis presence of mind in the expectation of procuring 
a brace of snipe, and beoame careless. The obsequies 
were melancholy in the extreme ; and we can but extend 
the oft repeated advice, if people will only take it for its 
worth—that, no matter how extensively versed in the 
science of guns and shooting, they may expect at any 
time to share a similar fate to that of our departed Han¬ 
sen unless they can keep their wits about them when in 
the hunting field, and not become dangerous by giving 
way to what may he termed a sportsman’s dementia. 
Therefore, we beg of not only the sporting fraternity, 
hut every one concerned, to use the utmost caution in 
crossing fences and hedges, in all cases seeing the gun 
over first, afterwards yourself, and that at a point at 
least four feet above or below the spot from where you 
placed the gun, and at no time allow yourself to stand in 
front of the muzzle of any firearm. Make it your busi¬ 
ness to keep always behind tho locks. And finally, never 
leave a gun standing around the house, bam, or in the 
open air loaded, thus avoiding a possibility of killing, if 
not yourself, somebody else by your carelessness. 
Some people when out gunning point their infernal 
weapons to the four winds of heaven, and the marvel is 
that there are uot more accidents from the careless use 
of firearms than those which find publicity, as examples, 
in the press. Harry Fen-wood, 
GAME PROTECTION. 
Elephantine Cremation.— That famous unfortunate 
wight who was crushed by the weight of an elephant on 
his hands lived before the advent upon this sphere—rather 
let us say, before the cinerary exit from this sphere—of 
Baron Von Palm. The fancy of the Arabian story-teller 
who brought forth from a small hidden casket the 
mighty form of a towering monster, has been reversed 
by the science of the Nineteenth Century, which 
reduces a man to the confinement of a tiny glass bottle. 
And wlratthis soienoe can do with men it can accomplish 
justaseasily with elephants. “ Boy,” the elephant of the 
Berlin “ Zoo,” died the other day, and the directors had 
two tons of elephant on their hands, not counting the 
skeleton which was to be set up. Eight strong men were 
unable to lift the hide, which alone weighed twelve hun¬ 
dred pounds. It was some th ing of a hide, too, being two 
inches thick in some places, Boy" was not fat either. 
Chemical analysis failed to discover the least trace of adi¬ 
pose matter in his muscular flesh, which was as tough as 
the “cheap meat for boai'ders, Mrs. Mack,” they sell in 
■Washington Market. They put the whilom monarch of 
the Indian forests into the crematory furnace, reduced 
his four thousand pounds to a small wheelbarrow load of 
ashes, and sold them for 18s. to a gardener, to he carted 
off and spread over the ground as a fertilizer. Alas, poor 
Yorick! 
A Thunder-storm in High Latitudes.— Our friend 
Philip Vibert, under date of August 9th, sends the follow¬ 
ing account of the remarkable freaks of lightning which 
occurred near Perce, District of Gaspe, Province of 
Quebec :— 
On Wednesday, 6th inst., we had a se vere thunder-storm 
—one of the woist I remember ; it struck here about 10 
• a.m. A boat on the moorings had her mast broken in 
two and sail burnt. On Mount Joli, the fluid entered a 
house by the stove-pipe, coming out by the stove door 
which was closed, burnt, the shoe and sock on the foot of 
a girl who was sitting near the stove ; blackened the foot 
and lower part of leg ; passed over father’s shoulder who 
was kneeling at the window, through a pane of glass, 
leaving a round hole. The girl’s shoe and sock were so 
much burnt, that when the mother touched them they 
crumbled to pieces, It struck a house about a quarter of 
a mile from this, entering the gable just below the saddle, 
ran down the rafter, split the corner post from head to 
heel, shattering the hoards ; they discovered that the 
roof was on fire in time to put it out. Several telegraph 
poles in this vicinity are Bplit; pieces of ten and twelve 
feet are lying on the ground ; and on the road between 
Cape Cove and Grand Biver, seventeen posts in succession 
were struck to the ground. It did not blow, but rain fell 
in torrents during the storm. 
The Valley Farmer Livestock and Poultry Magazine, 
published at Staunton, Va., Alex. Y. Lee, Editor, 
is the only Live-Stock and Poultry Journal published in 
the great Shenandoah Valley. The great State of Virginia, 
once famous for its live-stock, is now rapidly recovering 
from its depletion and drain resulting from the war, and 
the presence of so ably edited a journalinone of her finest 
■districts is one of the best indications of increasing pros¬ 
perity. 
The Massachusetts Woodcock Law.— Massachusetts 
sportsmen are much interested in the case of Messrs. 
Whipple & Hall, the proprietors of Young's Hotel, Bos¬ 
ton. who have been prosecuted by the Massachusetts Fish 
and Game Protective Association for having in their pos¬ 
session woodcock out of season, The old law, it will be 
remembered, proved inefficient beoause it allowed posses¬ 
sion during the close season, provided the birds were killed 
in another State, and the members of the Association 
found it a most discouraging task to secure conviction by 
proving the birds killed in the State. In the new law this 
clause was purposely omitted by the framers of the bill. 
But the counsel of Messrs, Whipple and Hall (the Govern¬ 
ment admitting defendants' claim that the woodcock had 
been killed in Pennsylvania) argued that although the 
clause referred to above had been stricken out, it was still 
clearly the design of the legislators to prohibit possession 
of game killed within the Commonwealth, such intent 
being clearly shown by the word ‘‘ said,” which embraces 
the previous description. Mr. Noyes, attorney for the 
plaintiffs, on the contrary argued that the law was meant 
to prohibit the possession of woodcock during the fixed 
close season for these birds without regard to when or 
where they were killed. Judge Parmenter ruled that the 
defendants had violated the law. They appealed, and the 
case is to come before the higher courts. We sincerely 
trust that the decision will he sustained. If it is reversed 
then the same difficulties will be encountered by the 
Association that formerly rendered their efforts futile. 
This is a test case. In giving it due consideration quibbles 
of ingenious counsel should not be allowed to overrule 
r hat is the evident intent of the statute. 
He Retracts. —Our impulsive correspondent, “Harry 
Feuwood," has discovered the imprudence of his on¬ 
slaught upon the New Jersey non-resident shooting regu¬ 
lation. His communication published a fortnight ago 
has called out a score of indignant protests, and to avert 
a further storm he requests us to publish the following : 
Mr. Editor :—Becoming incensed at the condition of 
game laws in general. I penned a few hasty remarks, some 
of which were true in a great measure, though now, I de¬ 
sire to retract, and to palliate as far as possible, not at my 
leisure, but at a season which seems to me most oppor¬ 
tune. I do love the brotherhood of sportsmen, and have 
a friend or two in New Jersey, whom, should I insult, or 
parade myself before them in any other wise than that 
becoming a gentleman, I should entertain no little remorse 
in that I was rash. Not to those only I desiro to make an 
amende honorable, but to every one, and to the author of 
that editorial, “A Plea for the Woodcock,” of last 
week’s issue, which excited my anger more against myself, 
than did the readers of my effusion against me. It would 
afford me infinite pleasure to meet in your sanctuary at 
a future day, any whom I have offended, that I might 
embrace the opportunity to prove that, no matter what 
enmity may exist between myself and an unrelenting 
world, there is none whatever, or at least I hope none, 
betweeil the brotherhood of sportsmen and their friend 
and servant, Harry Fenwood. 
Most apropos to the above, and to the whole question, 
is the following letter from a prominent member of the 
West Jersey Game and Fish Protective Society. It puts 
the case so intelligibly, that hundreds who may have mis¬ 
construed the law, or been misinformed, will hasten to 
make the amende honorable as the ingenuous “ Harry 
Fenwood ” has now done, and to admit that the law is 
very proper, and that for the purposes intended, it is the 
most effective measure yet devised and put in operation. 
We may have more than this to say in its behalf at a day 
not distant:— 
In defence of New Jersey depriving native-bom citi¬ 
zens the enjoyment of constitutional rights, I answer that 
constitutional rights are good but in this case, Statesover- 
eignty is better. But the law does not debar anybody 
from shooting: that is not the spirit of the law. The 
spirit of the law is to give better shooting, and to facili¬ 
tate the management for the better protection of game 
and game fish. The State has spent thousands of dollars 
iu restocking our waters with fish, and now game socie¬ 
ties are being organized for the purpose of protecting and 
replenishing our quagmire with game. Our farmers, our 
residents, our sportsmen rally to the rescue. Non-resi¬ 
dents are allowed, for just the same fee, all the privileges 
of a native. Are the rabbit garroters, the reed bird mur¬ 
derers, and blackbird assassins of New York, Philadelphia 
aud Brooklyn, such desirable individuals, that, after 
plundering and Bhooting all the game, we must now re¬ 
plenish, and allow them all the rights of one who owns 
his land, pays taxes on it, pays for game and helps protect 
it ? Why, to think that a plucky Centre Market stall boy. 
who would overturn cord wood, or burn a hay stack for 
a cotton-tail, is not entitled to all the rights and privileges 
of a citizen, is truly unconstitutional! 
State of Delaware, look out for Fenwood. You charge 
$5 for non-residents ! See wlrnt a fearful expose his pen 
has given New Jersey ; what fearful names he calls us ; 
and we only charge $2 ! But there are always some good 
grains among the chaff; so Brother FenWoocl keep on 
about the woodcock, we will all join in. I would like to 
saymore, but wheu a inan’puts the words, jurisprudence, 
quagmire, incompetent, unconscionable, and ovev-abun- 
danco, into four lines and makes sense, I'm afraid of him. 
Plainfield, N, J. p. C. O. 
Lewiston, Me., Aug, 21sf, 1879. 
Editor Forest and Stream 
1 was much pleased with your editorial “A Plea for 
Woodcock," as it corresponds'with my views exactly, par¬ 
ticularly the “too much tinkering with tho game laws." 
A change in our woodcock law has been aud is now advo¬ 
cated by a faction of the sportsmen of the State, permit¬ 
ting August shooting, but owing to the recent alterations 
of the opening season by neighboring States, and the co¬ 
operative plan urged by Forest and Stream, I think 
it may safely be sa'id no change will be made. In exten¬ 
uation of the plea I argue that the migratory ‘ ‘ Messina 
quail,” whose acclimatization seems assured, is destined to 
become one of Maine’s principal game birds and that Au¬ 
gust shooting would damage these quail incalculably. I 
also maintain, and shall make the attempt another spring, 
that owing to the milder winters we havo recently been 
having (it being an admitted fact that for the past five 
or six seasons our winters have been remarkably mild in 
comparison with former years) the native quail can be 
acclimated. Probably wo shall have to assist them through 
the winter, and this is the least we can do to add the 
noble game bird to our already depleted stock of game. 
This failing, we can procure a few pairs every spring and 
bag the broods each fall, which would increase enough to 
warrant the outlay. The Maine Sportsmen's Association 
seems assured. The matter has been referred to a number 
of dubs, and all favor the project. A general interest is 
manifested, and public opinion is setting in favor of a 
strict observance of our game and fish laws. 
If you can say anything editorially in relation to this 
non-tinkering with our present law I think it would have 
considerable weight. Those favoring a change — and they 
embrace the majority of the sportsmen of this country— 
claim that August is the only time we have any wood¬ 
cock to speak of. They say in September they are hid 
away moulting, and as soon as done moulting they leave 
us, and Massachusetts and New York sportsmen bag the 
birds we breed. For this reason the present law is vio¬ 
lated extensively in this county, and to discountenance this 
violating of our present law is one of the chief objects of 
this State association, as they incorporate in their consti¬ 
tution a very strict obligation to be subscribed to by every 
member ana club of the association, and will probably ad¬ 
vocate the appointment of a Game Co mm issioner, w'hose 
duty it shall be to look after the importation and pro¬ 
pagation of game, but more particularly see that our pres¬ 
ent and future laws are strictly observed. It is advised 
that this Commissioner have control of our State war¬ 
dens (who now without a head don’t amount to shucks), 
that he employ them to keep him informed, and use 
one from a different section of the State when he desires 
to catch and prosecute transgressors. Our wardens sire 
appointed from the sportsmen to look after and prose¬ 
cute their comrades and fellow-associates, which they will 
never do; but with a head in the shape, of a Commissioner 
they will keep him informed, and he can him self, or 
through a warden brought from another section of the 
State who would have no compunction in the matter, soon 
put a stop to what is now a great injustice to those who 
ao observe the laws, and I’m happy to say this class is in 
the majority. Frank Henshaw. 
A MANLY LETTER FROM OHIO. 
Editor Forest and Stream 
I find the sentiment expressed by Mr. Owen of Wood- 
stock, on page 533, Forest and Stream, of August 7th, 
is quite prevalent, I think the law in question was un¬ 
called for and unwise, and I so expressed myself in a let¬ 
ter to Mr. Reed (our member of the Legislature) before the 
law passed ; but I regret to hear men openly defy and 
threaten to violate any law. I have never seen nor known 
a finer hatching of birds than we have this season; 
and with two fine pointers and a nice gun, the tempta¬ 
tion to shoot will be a serious one for me to struggle 
against. Letme ask, is there not some honorable and gen¬ 
tlemanly way to get out of our dilemma ? Can we not by 
petition'get the la w changed or annulled ? It is not pleas¬ 
ant even to contemplate the feelings I should experience 
in starting out with my dogs and returning with a hag 
of birds killed in violation of law. This law will be but 
imperfectly enforced, and prove a social evil ; it will be 
violated with impunity by hundreds ; and all such viola¬ 
tions beget in the popular mind a careless disregard of all 
laws. It is not dimeut to persuade old and young that a. 
reasonable close season wherein birds and fish are pro¬ 
tected by law, is light; butthis “ Granger law,” as fnend 
Owen calls it, is not right; the people know it: and I 
pity the fool who shall attempt to put it in force, unless 
it be in cases where rowdies and roughs disregard the 
farmer’s interests and rights, by shooting among’ and in¬ 
juring, or frightening stock. I know the farms belong 
to the farmers ; I know the farms have produced the 
food that has developed the birds; therefore, strictly 
speaking, and to be very nice about the matter, the birds 
belong to the farmers; but if the birds are of such infi¬ 
nite value to the farmers, let them be enumerated, and let 
the farmer pay tax on them as I am compelled to pay tax 
on my dogs, or any and all other property I own, I have 
found as many native gentlemen among farmers as among 
any other class of the same number of men, and I know 
that they are not only willing but are pleased, to have a 
gentleman spend a day or so hunting on their premises. 
Even now, I have more invitations of this kind than I 
could fill this season, and the invitations are often coupled 
with the defiant remark, “ I will stand between you and 
the fool law." Farmers often go along and enjoy the 
sport hugely. Mr. B-(for example) went out with me 
in the morning, “just to see the dogs work,’’ you know. 
At nine o’elqck he remarked, “If you think yoU can get 
as many as you need between this and time to quit, I will 
take these ten up to the house and have them cooked for 
our dinners. I will also stay and help at the house until 
after dinner, and then come out with you again.” Know¬ 
ing Mrs. B— -— ’s skill in the culinary art, nothing could 
have pleased me more; but just as I was about to assent, 
I noticed another point was made, and requested him to 
hold one moment and see if I could not add to his freight. 
In one moment I rewarded his delay with two beautiful 
double shots, and he started in hot haste ; but iu less than 
an hour here he came hack, tearing through the weeds, 
all flushed and red in the face with pleasure and excite¬ 
ment, to inform me there was company at the house, 
and that, wheu cooked, the fourteen birds would make 
two for each of us. Perhaps some old two-legged mud- 
turtle, who never had a drop of warm blood in his veins, 
may think I did not enjoy that day? Let him think. I 
do not blame farmers for rising against netters and pot¬ 
hunters ; I will do all I can to protect them and myself 
against this class of creatures; but all should know that 
between extremes lies a beautiful mean, and they who 
