FOREST AND STREAM 
811 
Beecher, Charles J. Langdon, Mark Twain’s brother-in- 
law ; Dr, Updegraff, ex-Speaker Maguire, and other prom¬ 
inent residents, among whom we recognize several sub¬ 
scribers of ours. The inscription will be prepared by 
Twain. Some people thuik that Rev. Thomas K. Beecher 
ct al, might be in more lucrative business. 
THE FLORIDA MUSQUITO CONTRO¬ 
VERSY. 
T HE discussion of the Florida niusquito question 
having become an issue between the Florida Bur¬ 
eau of Immigration and the Chief Engineers of some of 
the Florida railroads, we shall not be subject to the im¬ 
plication of straining at gnats when we again recur to the 
subject. As these high powers that be seem disposed to 
transform themselves into huge musquitos, and to eat 
each other up, or at least to sting each other to dentil, 
it may be prudent for us to cast ourselves into the bloody 
chasm, and quell the fray by taking up the discussion 
ourselves, and w6 may premise that, like Bret Harte’s 
hero, we've “been thartoo.” 
We have received further testimony, some of which is 
submitted by men who have cruised in Florida waters 
during the winter months, and saw only three musqui¬ 
tos and three fleas. But the most of it substantiates also 
the original statements of “ Al. I. Gator,” regarding the 
size and multiplicity of these pests, hut as no new facts are 
adduced, we shall spare our readers a further discussion 
of the question. It is due to “ Al. I. Gator,” our very 
reliable correspondent, to state that theevidence submitted 
would seem to fully prove that the whole has not yet been 
told concerning the insect pests of South-west Florida. 
The torment there inflicted, especially upon new comers, 
by musquitos and sand flies, is almost unendurable. It 
is no mercy to a man to allow him to go there unpre¬ 
pared for this factor in existence. Better should the 
Florida visitor or immigrant understand that he must be 
jirepared to encounter the pests, so that he may be fore¬ 
armed with hri nets and his fumigators, or at all events 
nerved to endure the suffering until he shall have be¬ 
come poisoned into indifference. For it is a well-known 
fact that a person’s blood may become so thoroughly 
inoculated with the virus that the insects trouble him 
comparately little. A stranger always suffers where a 
native or naturalized inhabitant placidly endures tbe 
bleeding. 
The man who goes to Florida may make up his mind 
beforehand to undergo auuoyance and discomfort of many 
kinds and degrees. The people who picture any land as 
an Utopia, free from all ills, are the people—ten chances to 
one — who have land to soil or rooms to let, or boats to 
hire. That is the rule the world over, and land specula- 
tionis much like any other kind of business in the long 
run. The end will be more satisfactory to all concerned 
if tbe representations made by agents approximate the 
truth. The individual Florida landowner and the State 
Board of Immigration will fare better eventually if 
these representations held out for the prospective im¬ 
migrant are truthful and realized when the immigrant 
appears upon the scene. Forest and Stream claims to 
have done a very important service to Florida in pictur¬ 
ing to its readers the many sporting and other induce¬ 
ments of the State. But we do not belive it to be just to 
our subscribers to set forth any imaginary excellencies, 
nor to cover up any really serious annoyances there to be 
encountered. There are Florida musquitos, millions of 
them ; and Florida sand flies, billions of them ; and Florida 
weevils,-trillions of them; and Florida ant®, quadrillions 
of them ; and Florida fleas, quintillions of them, and 
lots of other Florida things, lots of millions of them ; and 
if any man doubts us, let h i m go and look around for 
himself. If any man or any board of men can find a way 
of abolishing these creatures by denying their existence, 
Florida would be an excellent place to experiment on ; 
and the Forest and Stream is ready at any time to 
publish such an exorcising denial. 
Carrier Pigeons as Physicians’ Messengers. —Mr. F. 
C. Brown, of Framingham, Mass, writing apropos of our 
suggestion that carrier pigeons be employed as messen¬ 
gers on the frontier, calls attention to a novel rise of the 
bird as described by an English physician. Dr. H. J. Pliil- 
pot , in the London Daily Telegraph :— 
My modus operandi is simply this : I take out half a 
dozen birds, massed together iu a small baskot, with me 
on iny rounds, and when I have seen my patient, no 
matter at what distance from home, I write my prescrip¬ 
tion on a small piece of tissue paper, and having wound 
it round the shank of the bird’s leg I gently throw the 
carrier up into the air. In a fewminutes it reaches home, 
and having been shut up fasting since the previous even¬ 
ing, without much delay it enters the trap cage connected 
with its loft, where it is at once caught by my gardener or 
dispenser, who knows pretty well the time for its arrival, 
and relieves it of its despatches. The medicine is imme¬ 
diately prepared and sent off by the messenger, who is 
thus saved several hours of waiting, and I am euabled to 
complete my morning round of visits. Should any patient 
be very ill, and I am desirous of having an early report of 
him or her next morning, I leave a bird to bring me the 
tidings. A short time since I took out with me six pairs 
of birds. I sent a pair of them off from each village I had 
occasion to visit, every other one bearing a prescription. 
Upon my return I found all the prescriptions arranged on 
my desk by my dispenser, who had already made up the 
medicines. 
Forest and Stream Abroad.— It is coincident evidence 
of the wide-spread popularity of Forestand Stream that 
we should receive and print on the same week communi¬ 
cations from three foreign countries as wide apart as 
Mexico, England and India. See the columns of our last 
issue. Forest and Stream is now mailed from this 
office to 101 foreign post-offices, included in 32 different 
countries, 
What An Old Editor Says.— The following quaint 
paragraph is from Colonel Alex. Moseley, the veteran edi¬ 
tor of the Richmond Whig, a journal started in 1824, and 
now one of the oldest in the country, The Colonel is not 
as young as he was fifty or a hundred years ago, but 
be seems to have the “same old fire" he used to have ; 
and we have no doubt if he were provided with the 
marvellous outfit which he seems so much to covet, he 
would give younger sportsmen a racket which would be 
hard to beat:— 
I hope Forest and Stream is flourishing according to 
its merits. I read your lucubrations and those of your 
correspondents with delight and edification. I then pon¬ 
der the advertisements, by no means the least attractive 
columns. They fill me with wonder and admiration. 
The genius, taste and skill employed for the comfort of 
the sportsman are marvellous. I determine within my¬ 
self : “ If I ever get a fortune I’m bound for New York— 
for Conroy’s combination bamboo rod; for Abbey & Im- 
brie’s mist gut and reels, little and big, and the smaller 
the better, for I have never seen one too small for my 
taste ; for Simmons’s suit and corduroy suit; for a water¬ 
proof cape not larger than a pocket-handkerchief; for 
Quebec moccasins up to the knee; for a purse net for 
minnows ; for a pocket hammock aud aHaversack boat.” 
No ! 1 never expect to shoot a gun again. I could not he 
content without a W. & C. Scott’s hammerless No. 12 
breech-loader and a W. Greener “Gun of the future,” 
and indefinite quantities of rubber goods and one or two 
steamboats full of setters, pointers, leonines, etc. The 
imagination is a fruitful source of happiness, and by the 
aid of your advertisements I fancy myself in possession 
of these inestimable blessings. ' A. Moseley. 
— One evidence of increasing prosperity at the South 
is the growing circulation of the Forest and Stream in 
that section. The numerous contributions of Southern 
writers constitute a valuable addition to sporting litera¬ 
ture. Before the war a majority of the most engaging 
contributors to the Spirit of the Times, the only gentle¬ 
man sportsman’s organ of that period, were Southern 
men. We are glad to see them entering the field again. 
By a coincidence, all the literary articles in a recent issue 
of Forest and Stream were from the South, One sketch 
in this week’s issue, it will be remarked, is from the pen 
of a Southern gentleman who is a prominent contributor 
to the English sporting journals. 
GAME PROTECTION. 
Striped Bass. —The law of this State provides that no 
striped bass weighing less than half a pound can be 
caught, killed or exposed for sale; the act of catching or 
having in possession being a misdemeanor liable to a 
penalty of $10 for each fish. This will destroy the sport 
of hundreds of local anglers who have been wont in time 
past to haul in the fingerlings. 
But there is still a question here ; whether after all, the 
destruction of the small fish is not of minor importance, 
and whether a statute prohibiting the capture of fish 
over one-half pound in weight would not further the in¬ 
tent of the law. It is the rule among breeders of live 
stock to kill the young animals which have not yet ar¬ 
rived at maturity. Tiiey do not destroy the stock from 
which they can breed. The same principle holds good 
with the fish. These mature iudividuals are ready to 
spawn ; the fingerlings will not spawn for several years, 
By the destruction of a full-grown fish great numbers of 
fry are destroyed as well. Why are the recognized prin¬ 
ciples which hold good elsewhere not in force^here ? 
Michigan. —The residents of AJpina County complain 
of the inroads each autumn, of great squads of Indians 
from the northern part of the State, who slaughter hun¬ 
dreds of deer for their skins, leaving the carcasses to rot. 
The Alpina Indians are reported to be law abiding, and 
opposed to their marauding neighbors. 
— In some parts of Queens County, L. I,, the game law 
notices are posted so high up that gunners have to climb 
the tree to read them. We suggest to the game societies 
and game wardens that the days of giants are past. And 
no matter how well meaning a man of ordinary stature 
may be, he cannot be expected either to shin up the 
trank of a free to get at the notice, or to carry a telescope 
to read it from the ground. 
Another Bird for America.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: —Mr. Harvie Brown, in a little brochure recently 
published in Edinburg, gives quite an exhaustive account 
of tbe extermination of the capercailzie, one of the great¬ 
est of British game birds, and its subsequent reintroduc¬ 
tion throughout a portion of its former domain. To the 
sportsman in Sweden or among the Tyrols the capercail¬ 
zie is well known and esteemed as one of the gamest of 
birds, not only on account of its immense size, but for 
the skill and caution requisite in its pursuit. The owners 
and leesera of preserves in Scotland are to be congratu¬ 
lated for their perseverance in following up the matter 
until the bird has become finally domiciled again in the 
country. 
From what I know and can learn of the capercailzie 
and its habits I am inclined to believe that it would thrive 
aud multiply in our great Maino woods or in the Michi¬ 
gan pineries. Are not some of our wealthy sportsmen’s 
associations enterprising enough to try the experiment? 
Live birds could no doubt be procured from Sweden 
through tbe friendly services of some of our consuls. 
The capercailzie is a much wilder bird than our wild 
turkey, and would require no more protection. 
G. M. Fairchild, jr. 
The success of the migratory quail importation will 
doubtlessjead to experiments with other birds. 
More Adirondack Deer Hounding . —Brookline-, 
Mass,, Nov. 6th, — Editor Forest and Stream: —In your 
issue of Oct. 30th an article on Adirondack deer hounding 
struck my attention, in wltich mention was made of the 
fact that thirteen deer were hounded to death a few 
weeks since by a party of four residents of New York 
city, with two guides and nine dogs. As cumulative 
evidence of the wholesale destruction of deer in the 
Adirondacks may have the effect of inducing more 
stringent legislation for the prevention of Buch butchery, 
let me add another score of thirteen deer driven into the 
ponds and killed by a small party camping out on the 
Upper Saranac Lake, with guides and dogs, within a 
month or so, in a hunt of one week. Four of them were 
shot by a young man who never hunted before last 
August. If the extermination of deer in the north woods 
is what is wanted, the present law seems to afford every 
facility, and I happen to know that many of the hotels in 
Fran klin County are supplied with fresh venisou twelve 
months in the year. 1 hope that you will continue to 
urge upon the Legislature the necessity of devising some 
way to prevent the wasteful, needless slaughter of deer 
in such manner as above mentioned. C. T, Duncklee. 
SM iW f 
Maynard Rifle Shells.— £e Roy, N. Y„ Oct. 27 th.— 
I have used the rifle on game and at the target for over 
twenty years, and in that time have fired over 10,000 
shots. I at one time owned a breech-loader of the Bal¬ 
lard pattern, cal. .40, using the everlasting shell. The 
shells would expand and give me trouble in spite of all I 
could do. After a deal of trouble and fussing I gave up 
trying to load or use the shells, aud sold the gun. 
I then procured a Maynard, 26-inch, cal. 85, 7j pounds 
weight. The shells that came with this gun did not ex¬ 
pand. But I gave them no credit for this, for they held 
out 30 grains of powder, and this small charge would not 
he likely to expand them any to speak of. 
For flue off-hand practice at from 100 to 300 yards this 
gun was all that I could ask, and for small game it was 
good ; but if I were to purchase another .85 cal. I would 
have it chambered for 40 instead of 30 grains of powder, 
and use a 30-inch barrel instead of 26-inch. 
Last fall I had an opportunity to go to the far West and 
try my hand in that wild section upon such game as 
might turn up. As I had no desire to face a grizzly with 
my little .35. I procured from the Massachusetts Arms 
Company one of their new model extra heavy .50 cal. 
Maynard rifle, barrel 30-incli, chambered for 100 grains 
powder, and using an expansion ball of 830 grains and a 
solid ball of 400 grains. I now expected to have trouble 
with the shells, for I was sure that 100 grains of Hazard’s 
FC powder would expand them. But after a most 
thorough trial I came to the conclusion that they fitted 
the chamber of the gun so nice and even that they could 
expand. But even this gun was not perfect; it had 
a mulish disposition to kick, hut thanks to the butt-plate, 
which was in shape like that on a shot-gun, I escaped in¬ 
jury. “C. L. J.” will please take notice of the shape of 
the butt-plate. This gun weighed over 0J pounds, and I 
packed over many hundred mileB of mountain and plain. 
It was sure death to even the largest game. Out of 
twenty-seven chances on deer I bagged twenty-two; 
thirteen out of tbe twenty-two were running shots, and 
but nine of the whole number received a second shot. 
Fourteen buffaloes and three grizzly bears, with now and 
then an antelope and two big horns, made up the bag. 
One of the bears, a huge male, received tliree shots in 
all; the other's two apiece. 
Something like three weeks ago I procured a third rifle 
barrel for my Maynard ; it is a 24-inch, .22 cal, Galiary 
gun, and I expect to have some fine sport with it the 
coming season now that I am again settled in Western 
New York. 
Those who wish to use a .40 or ,44 cal. will find the 
Maynard arms, chambered, for 40, 60 or 70 grains of pow¬ 
der, according to the length of barrel. The .50 cal. use 
60 to 100 grains, but for large game give me plenty of 
powder—at least 100 grains. Now I do not believe the 
Maynard to be the only good gun in tin's country; but one 
thing is sure, they do not expand and bother. 
Subscriber, 
The Shell Difficulty.— I have read the communica- 
catious of “Bexar” and “C. L. J.” in Forest and 
Stream concerning the everlasting rifle shell, and have 
looked over this week’s Forest and Stream expecting 
that those interested would have something to say re¬ 
garding the difficulty complained of, but find nothing. I 
will, therefore, venture to suggest that probably tbe ex¬ 
pansion complained of was caused by using a too tine 
aud quick powder. Tbe Winchester Arms Co. say in 
their catalogue :— 
“For powder to be used iu rifle cartridges containing 
fifty to eighty-five grains, we recommend the following 
brands and sizes of grain as giving the best results: 
American Powder Co.’s ‘Dead Shot, F. G.\- Hazard 
Powder Co.'s 1 Sea Shooting, F. G.'; E. 1. Dupont & Go's 
‘ Dupont Rifle, F. F. G.’; Oriental Powder Mills’ ‘ West¬ 
ern Sporting, F. G.’ ; Lafliu & Rand Powder Co.’s 
‘ Orange Rifle, F. G.’; Austin Powder Co.’s ‘RiflePowder, 
F, F. G,’ In rifle cartridges containing from twenty-five 
to fifty grains, use one size smaller of the same brands. 
