HERE'S YOUR BEAT 



Speaking of horns, Mr. W. C. Darling, 

 of Henderson Harbor, N. Y., shows a pic- 

 ture on page 194 of March Recreation, and 

 asks: "Who can beat them?" Here's a 

 pair that will do it. 



I parallel the dimensions : 



LONGER THAN WILLIAM S. 



Darling Kinsey 



Spread 5354 53^ 



Beam lengths 55 & 56^ 56 & 56^ 



Total beam length 



across skull in 119 



Longest prongs 16 & 17 23 & 2^/2 



I don't understand how Mr. Darling 

 figures out that if his elk horns had been 



mounted "with the animal's head between 

 them, their spread would have been 24 

 inches greater." 



The fair way is to base measurement on 

 the natural position of the horns, and Mr. 

 Darling's picture shows that his antlers 

 are mounted in a natural position, or 

 nearly so, as he can see by comparing 

 with mine, which are attached to a section 

 of the skull, just as they grew originally. 

 If I were to criticize Mr. Darling's pair, I 

 I should say that the upper part seems dis- 

 torted from the natural shape, as if an ef- 

 fort had been made to obtain spread by 

 springing them apart at the tips. 



I don't know that "Me and William" 

 have the only horns in existence that beat 

 Mr. Darling's, but if his measurements are 

 correct, each of my prongs beats the Em- 

 peror's, just an inch apiece. 



Mine are not for sale; just to keep and 

 blow about. 



Geo. Kinsey, Cincinnati, Ohio. 



Yours is the "only gravel on the train," 

 when it comes to sportsmen's periodicals. 

 Frank Poindexter, Eugene, Ore. 



Recreation is the best sportsmen's 

 journal in the country. I would not be 

 without it, if. it cost 5 times as much as it 

 does. J. G. Randall, Isheming, Mich. 



THE WILD GOOSE CHASE. 

 REV. f. c. cowper. 



The night was dark, the wind blew wild, 

 The arc lights nickered in the blast ; 



The wild goose cohorts Southward filed, 

 To warm lagoons, on pinions fast. 



The blinding storm and fitful gleam 

 Of swinging lanterns in the town 



Have wrought confusion in that stream 

 Of living breasts of eider down. 



The leader for the time is lost, 

 The geese, loud screaming with affright, 



'Gainst trees and chimney-tops are toss'cf, 

 A silly host in helpless fright. 



Excitement through the town prevails, 

 And wildly hooting men and boys, 



With guns and stones and clubs and flails, 

 Make night tumultuous with their noise. 



But in the morn the tale was told 

 That but one bird was in the place. 



And he was scrawny, tough, and old ; 

 Sole trophy of our wild goose chase. 



AMATEUR PHOTO BY W. J HEEBNER, 



A MAINE FREAK. 



i9S 



