FOREST AND STREAM, 
953 
o’cl 
j n , inters for catfish. They use set lines with 400 to 600 
■>K>ks, bait with salt mackerel, and hoist these lines every 
Jack tide. Thirty to fifty pounds is good fare for one 
line per day, Some of these lines are over one and a half 
miles in length. Some of these fish weigh up to five 
pounds, VAN W, 
New York— Neifi Hamburg, Dec. 18th.—W. S. John¬ 
son, of Poughkeepsie, recently killed, back of Ellenville, 
19 woodcock and 8 partridges. VanW. 
New Jersey — Ocean County, Dec. 22 d. —No ice as yet. 
Shooting for ducks during the past week in the stormy 
weather was the best of the season, and some good bags 
were made, one stand killing eighteen redheads and 
broadbills in one morning. Moor hens ( poule d'eau) are 
here in millions ; as soon as ice comes great fun can he 
had with them in air-holes. • Quail out quite plenty 
since the rain. S. K., Jr. 
Tennesee — Nashville, Dec. 22 d. — A sportsman walking 
through our market house yesterday, would have doubt¬ 
less come to the conclusion that this was the country for 
him. Deer, wild turkeys, ducks, quail, squirrels, rabbits, 
and opossums, in profusion while at the lower end of the 
building were quantities of black bass, striped bass, perch, 
jack fish, buffalo, drum, and channel cat. To give an idea 
of the supply, quail were selling at $1 a dozen, and wild 
turkeys and venison about ten cents a pound ; fish pro- 
porti onately cheap. J. D. H. 
Florida — Titusville, Brevard Co,, Dec. 13th. —Just re¬ 
turned from a trip to Banana River, near Cape Canaveral. 
Deer, bear and ducks very numerous. Killed three deer 
in the De Soto orange grove one night, fire-hunting; 
also.one very large black bear in the Hall hammock. 
The bears are very fat now, in fact, like hogs, this one 
having three inches of fat on the rump. They feed now 
on the cabbage palm berries and on the horseshoe crabs. 
They come out on the river shore at night to capture 
the crabs, and are shot from a skiff, with a strong reflect¬ 
ing head-light, I surveyed over a township (six miles 
square), and passed hundreds of thousands of cabbage 
E alms, and did not find a single one that was not marked 
y the claws of the bears, made in ascending 
the tall, straight trunks to feed on the numer¬ 
ous sweet berries which are now ripe. These berries are 
about the size of a large currant, black, with a verj'- large 
stone, and tasting something like dried dates. They are 
very fattening to the bears and also to swine, and are 
much liked by children. 
The narrow strip of land between the ocean and Ban¬ 
ana River has fully twenty times more bears and deer to 
the acre than any other part of the State I have seen, and 
I have travelled the eastern part pretty well over in the 
practice of my profession. The marshes i>f Banana River 
are now teeming with ducks, and will remain so until 
May.; I noticed the black duck, sprig-tail, bald-pate, 
shoveller, blue and green-winged teal, slieUdrake, little 
blue-bill, ring-neck, grey duck and dippers. The Florida 
Gallinules and “ coots,” as here called ( Fulisa Ameri¬ 
cana), are in every bay in countless millions. They are 
fat and tender, living on turtle grass, and cannot be told 
from a rabbit, if skinned and properly * cooked. Quail 
and rabbits are numerous also on shore. Pelicans—the 
brown ones (Pelicauus furcus) —breed over there. The 
river is alive with mullet and bass. Thirteen mullet 
jumped into our boat, attracted by the bright light. The 
deer tracks in the cane fields are too thick to be counted. 
Al. I. Gator. 
Indian Territory— Fort Sill, Dec. 16th.—The past sea¬ 
son was so dry in this section that game is vervgoarce. 
Chickens hard to find during the season; quailarc not 
abundant, and widely scattered, and we have had no 
ducks worth speaking of. Turkeys, of course, can be had 
by the cart-load, by going after them moolight nights, 
or they can be bought for fifty cents, occasionally less. 
Plover were very abundant last summer and fall, and 
stayed with us a month later than ever before known. 
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, were killed. Buffalo have 
almost'disappeared from the Territory, and for that rea¬ 
son the deer will diminish, in numbers, as the Indians 
will kill more than formerly. G. W. 8. 
SHOOTING MATCHES. 
KnickerbockerY t acht Club.— Port Moms, N. Y., Dec, 
2Gf/i.—The first handicap match at glass balls, was shot 
off during the i-ain storm in the morning, fifteen balls 
each :— 
D. F. Cauglilin.25 yards—I 0 11 11 0 1 1 000 1 0 0-8 
W. Potter, .Tr..25 yards—0 01001001110010—8 
T. N. Jacques.25 yards—0 1101101011010 0—8 
A. A. French.25 yards—1 000101011 0 111 1— fj 
F. B. Chedsey. 23 yards—0 01101 0 0111101 0—8 
S. C. France.18 yards—1 1000011111111 0—10 
A. Steinke.....18 yards—0 1101010111 11 1 0-10 
T. T. Nixon.18 yards—1 01101 100100000—6 
IV. Fulton, Jr.18 yards—1 10110011110 01 1—10 
Shooting off the ties :— 
France , 
Steinke. 
Fulton., 
1 0-4 
1 0—2 
0 0-2 
In the afternoon the weather was more favorable for 
shooting, and the pigeon match proved a very interesting 
contest. Sweepstakes ; 10 birds ; 21 yards rise ; 80 yards 
boundary :— 
8, O. France_ 
W.Fulton. Jr.!. 
T. N. Jacques... 
A Steinke. 
V, U. Chedsoy... 
A. A. French ... 
J. It. Cole. 
T.T. Nixon. 
J>. F. Caughlin.. 
C. Baker. 
1110010111-7 
• 0111111001—7 
-1111011111-9 
•1111001110-7 
•oiiiiiiiii-a 
... 1111110111-9 
... 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 l-io 
..1111110111-9 
1111110 110-8 
... 1111110101-8 
J. R. Cole won first money, second being divided be¬ 
tween Messrs. Jacques, Ohedsey, Frenoli, and Nixon. 
All hands have improved greatly in pigeon shooting since 
the Thanksgiving match. 
Tom’s River, Dec. 18th .—A shooting-match took place 
here to-day, including many of the best shots in town. 
(Weather quite cold, with light wind). Conditions: 7 
birds each; 5 traps; distance 25 yards; both barrels 
allowed; no restrictions on powder; It ounce shot; those 
wishing to shoot 1) ounce to fall hack to 27 yards ; sweep- 
stakes : 
G. low. 0 111111—6 E. Naylor. 
C. Applegate_10 11110-5 
J. Waiuwrlght.. 0 110 10 0-3 
E. Potter. 111110 1-6 
P. Potter . 001111 0—4 
E. Rockwell _ 0 0 0 0 with’w 
G. Low, E. Potter, E. Naylor and H. C. Glovor divided. 
Second sweepstakes ; 3 birds ; same conditions; winner 
taking all the money:— 
Chos. Miller.,.0 11—2 
__ 0111 il 1-0 
J. Applegate.... 1 0 0 1 0 0 0—2 
H. O. Glover — 111 1 l 0 1-0 
C.B. Lewis.. 10 0 110 1-4 
W.James. 0 110 11 0-4 
J. Cluto. 1111111—7 
E. Naylor. 111—! 
H.C. Glover. 10 1-: 
J. Oiute.....,.-. 
G. Low. 
_C.B. Lewis. 111-3 
1 11—3 A. Bailey .. .. 0 0 1—1 
1 1 0—2 | B. Worth.-. 0 0,-0 
J. Oiute won ties, having killed 15 out of 16 birds. 
S. K., Jr. 
New Jersey Gun Club — West Side Park, Dec. 18th. 
—Regular monthly shoot at pigeons for champion badges, 
handicapped rises ; club rules ; H, and T. ground traps, 
A lot of very fast birds :— 
rams. 
R. Wavnc. .. 23 
C. Scdor. 22 
W. Hug-hes. 22 
G. Wilms.. .31 
B. Dusonberrv. 21 
H. Geiger. 22 
T. Hughes. 21 
J. Cable. 21 
W. Steers. 21 
Ties on 6 ; 25 yards:— 
Warno. 1 1 1 
Sedor. 1 1 1 
1110111-6 
101111 1—6 
V 1 1 1 1 1 1-6 
0 11111 1—1! 
111001 1-5 
0 0 110 11-4. 
1001011-4 
0100011—3 
1 0 0 * 0 0 0-1 
deuce oTthe propriety of his presence and association 
with others engaged in an undertaking for which popu¬ 
lar favor is sought. 
We await further results before entering into questions 
of detail. _ _ _ _ 
The Question of Type.— The diversity of model, rep 
resented by cutter and sloop, has how been so freely dis¬ 
cussed throughout the land, that the proper time seems 
to have come to close a discussion, a further continuance 
of which would fail to be of benefit to the public. This, 
of course, only so far as. we are concerned editorially, for 
to correspondents full liberty is accorded to bring to no¬ 
tice any facts they may observe in relation to the perfor¬ 
mances of model. 
Never before was the important question of type so 
fully set before the public in all its bearings as through 
these columns, and we have the satisfaction of knowing 
that the differences between, and peculiarities of the two 
grand divisions are now better understood than a year 
or two ago. This was the main object we had in view in 
starting the topic. As a number of cutters have already 
been built, with a couple more in frame and numerous 
others in prospect, should the commercial “ boom ” con¬ 
tinue, a class of cutters seems now to have been fairly 
Hughes and Wilms withdrew. 
Sweepstakes ; 21 yards rise ; classified :— 
established in American waters, and we leave it to the 
future to show whether or not such vessels are destined 
Scdor.1 1 1—3 
Geiger. 1 1 1—3 
Wilms .1 0 1-2 
Barclay.1 0 1—2 
Pearson.* 0 1—1 
Ties divided. 
Sanders..0 0 1—1 
Steers—, —.. 0 0 0-0 
Cable. 0 0 0-0 
Second sweepstakes ; same conditions 
C. Wnrne. 1 
It. Waruo .0 1 1—; 
Wilms...1 * 1-1 
Poarson.1 1 0—5 
Geiger.0 1 1—5 
Cable.1 1 0-5 
1 0-} 
■ 0-2 
Sedor . 
SamU-rs _ _ .. 
Barclay.. —,,. 1 0 0—1 
Smith. 1 0 0-1 
Stem's.0 0 1-1 
I.Hughes. ...0 0 0—0 
Ties on 2 ; 25 yards : — 
R. Warne.1 1-2 I Geiger.1 0-1 
Wilms.1 1—2 [ 
The rest missed their first. 
G. L. W., Secretary, 
Yachting and boating. 
THE YACHT RACING ASSOCIATION. 
During our absence- tlie movement to form a National 
Yacht Racing Association, as first mooted and advocated 
in these columns, has taken actual root in the appoint¬ 
ment of a committee to further consider the subject in 
January. Concerning the movement much has yet to be 
said, hut for the present we must content ourselves with 
a few words of advice which, we are certain, will not be 
amiss in view of the important bearing the proposed 
yacht racing association will have upon the racing pros¬ 
pects in America. 
It will be manifest to those having the success of the 
Yacht Racing Association at heart, that the executive ele¬ 
ment of such an association must be composed of gentle¬ 
men of repute. The presence of any person or influence 
of questionable character or tainted reputation in busi¬ 
ness circles will, as we are advised, he considered suffi¬ 
cient by the leading clubs to ignore the whole matter. 
The active co-operation of the New York Yacht Club, 
Seawanhaka Yacht Club, Atlantic Yacht Club, Eastern 
and Boston Yacht Club, and other prominent organiza¬ 
tions, is absolutely necessary, unless the enterprise is to 
drop to something of second rank and of only local influ¬ 
ence. Those most directly interested in the furtherance 
of the scheme cannot, therefore, be too careful in the 
selection of the individual members who are to handle 
the helm and steer the ship through the mazes of tech¬ 
nical problems, which will have to he solved upon a ra¬ 
tional basis in order that their deliberations may he 
acceptable to the fraternity at large. "We appeal to the 
committee not to allow themselves to he “ captured” in 
whole or in part by any person or persons who have an 
axe to grind of their own, and whose connection with the 
movement is certain to bring it into bad odor among the 
more influential clubs of the country. Unless the direc¬ 
tion of the affairs of the Yacht Racing Association is con¬ 
fided to the care of persons whose character will hear 
the closest scrutiny, and unless the steps taken are such 
as to make the Yacht Racing Association a thoroughly 
national combination, it will be useless to expect further 
support or sympathy at our hands. There is yet time to 
enforce such measures as will lead to success, and with 
an earnest desire to promote the best interests of all, we 
hope these words of caution will not fall upon those who 
•< having ears to hear, they hear not.” 
The committee, as at present constituted, is more or 
less self-appointed. It remains to he seen whether the 
outcome of the next step to be accomplished at the Janu¬ 
ary meeting will be such as to receive the willing co-op¬ 
eration of all dubs. No characterless person muse be 
permitted to fasten upon the movement, nor should the 
promoters allow the wool to be pulled over their eyes and 
lend themselves to an advertising dodge of a precarious 
business venture. The line between the disreputable and 
respectable elements of society must be drawn some¬ 
where. The mere fact of a person's being outside the 
walls of a jail should not he considered sufficient on¬ 
to form a permanent fraction of the nation’s yachting 
marine. With the hatch of letters published last week, 
selected from a dozen or more, we close what has been 
an effort on our part, brought to a more successful issue 
than had been looked for at the outset. 
A CANOE CONGRESS. 
I T gives us pleasure to state that the efforts which have 
been underway for some time past to form a National 
Canoe Club are about to bear fruit in a general move¬ 
ment of the canoeing world throughout the continent. 
That something ought to be done to sdt this sport on a 
sound basis and give it that impetus which only com¬ 
bined action can produce, has been evident for several 
years. The time is ripe and the opportunity is now 
offered. Hitherto canoeing has languished in America, 
not from lack of enterprise of individual owners, hut 
rather from want of harmony and that fellow feeling be¬ 
gotten only of thorough organization and a community 
of interests. The constantly augmenting body of canoe¬ 
ists throughout this broad land, blessed with incompar¬ 
able waterways, hays and bayous fpr the prosecution of 
their health-giving and charmingly romantic sport, may 
congratulate themselves upon having hi their ranks some 
leading spirits who are certain to bring to a successful 
issue anything they undertake. These gentlemen, all of 
them worthy of support and confidence, have banded 
themselves together for the energetic furtherance of the 
canoeing interests in America. It is proposed to call a 
general convention of all concerned at a convenient point 
in the middle of next summer and to establish what must 
become a recognized authority of strong influence in 
furthering the best ends of canoeists in the United States 
and New Dominion. Anything which promises to pro¬ 
mote the welfare of the gentlemon sportsman and to 
place the manly pastimes on a sound, liberal and endur¬ 
ing basis in America, meets with the heartiest indorse¬ 
ment, and has the fullest support of this journal. 
As the call for the formation of an association of yacht- 
men was first made in these columns — a call which has 
since borne fruit—we give space with pleasure to a simi¬ 
lar undertaking on the part of a class which is gathering 
strength so rapidly that it bids fair soon to rank with the 
knights of the paddle on the other side of the Atlantic. 
The following is the call as issued :— 
A general convention of canoeists will be held at Cald¬ 
well, Warren County, N. Y.—head of Lake George—Au¬ 
gust 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th, at which it is proposed to 
perfect the organization of a National Canoe Club, of 
which local clubs now existing will be branches, and to 
take such further action in the interests of the pastime 
as maybe deemed expedient. Sailing and paddling raceB 
will be arranged for each day, the conditions of which 
will he duly announced. All canoeists are invited to at¬ 
tend, and as a preliminary measure are requested— 
whether owning canoes or not—to send their names to N. 
H. Bishop, Esq., Lake George, Warren County, N. Y.' 
indicating their willingness to join the National Club; 
annual dues to be nominal. Membership will carry with 
it the right to fly the National Club signals ; will secure 
the temporary use of boat-houses belonging to enrolled 
clubs, and will entitle the member to one copy of the 
club publications. There are several excellent hotels at 
Caldwell, and camping places will bo secured for all who 
desire them. Invitations will be extended to English and 
Canadian canoeists to attend—with their canoes_as 
guests, and assurances have been received that they will 
be well represented, Your active cooperation is earnestly 
desired. You are particularly requested to send the ad¬ 
dress of all canoeists in your vicinity to Mr. Bishop, and 
to invite their cooperation. Your suggestions as to the 
course to be pursued will be of service. 
C. L. Norton, 849 Broadway, New York, 
Com. New York Canoe Club. 
Chas. E. Chase, 287 Broadway, New York, 
Com. Jersey City Canoe Club, 
Robt. D. Wynkoop, Jersey City, N. J. 
Rev. Chas. A, Cheesy, Landalf, N. H. 
E. A. Ransom, Jersey City, N. J., and others. 
The names appended aie those of well known canoeists. 
