R EC RE A TION. 



3 2 3 



QUAIL SHOOTING IN CALIFORNIA. 



EDWARD W. WILD. 



It was the writer's privilege to accompany 

 Manager Robinson, of the big San Diego flume, 

 on a carriage drive through construction camps 

 and along the unfinished grades and tunnelings 

 of that gigantic monument of engineering skill, 

 even to the head waters of one of the two conflu- 

 ent streams from which the supply is taken, 60 

 miles from the city, in the heart of the Cuya- 

 macas (Queamackas). It was a beautiful trip in 

 every respect ; the rugged scenery changing now 

 to the picturesque, now to the calmly beauti- 

 ful, and the charm and the glamour of the Cali- 

 fornia climate and atmospheric effects ever 

 enhancing the delights of our week's experience, 

 At night we rolled ourselves in our blankets, in 

 the engineer's tent, at whatever camp we found 

 most convenient, and in the morning rode away 

 briskly behind our handsome sorrels, or strolled 

 along the grade in the way of inspection to the 

 next camp beyond, an employe always being de- 

 tailed, in the latter case, to drive our team on 

 ahead. 



In this way the most excellent opportunities 

 were afforded for quail shooting, and as Mr. 

 Robinson is one of the recognized crack shots of 

 the golden state, there was ample sport for two 

 — for Mr. R., with his double barrelled breach 

 loader, and for myself, as retriever. The flocks 

 of valley quail were very plenteous all along the 

 route, and it was no trouble for us to bag a 

 score of the birds in an hour's shooting, not to 

 mention those occasionally lost in the sage- 



of our departure from the summit house for 

 home. We were just entering a closely wooded 

 spot, when a peculiar " clucking" sound a little 

 in advance of us, at the right, attracted Mr. Rob- 

 inson's attention. It was a matter of a moment 

 only to stop our horses and creep into the brush, 

 where a handsome flock of mountain quail were 

 soon discerned, strutting about and clucking, all 

 unconscious of danger. It was impossibe to en- 

 joy the view more than a moment, through our 

 peepholes in the thick underbrush, for fear 

 of alarming the birds, and the work of destruc- 

 tion was soon begun. Half a dozen of the birds 

 was our reward. 



brush. These birds are only about one-third the 

 size of the mountain quail, but are the most de- 

 licious eating, and broiled quail on toast (moun- 

 tain fashion) was an every day feature of our 

 menu. Occasionally a handsome mallard duck 

 would fall a victim to my friend's prowess, as it 

 rose from the water, but the quail were our chief 

 source of inspiration. 



It had been our desire, however, to bring down 

 some of the mountain quail, which are almost as 

 large as the grouse and very handsome. They 

 are usually the acme of plumpness, and have 

 beautiful, though subdued plumage; the males be- 

 ing especially handsome with their tufted crests. 

 But we had been disappointed until the morning 



Our trip was fruitful in ducks of various kinds, 

 shot at the little lake nestling in the basin of the 

 hills at the terminus of our route, and but a 

 short distance from the famous " Stonewall " 

 gold mine of ex-Governor Waterman. A gaily 

 plumaged, long legged road runner was also 

 added to our bag before we again sighted the 

 placid waters of the " Silver Gate." 



OUR ARMY RIFLE'S PENETRATIVE 

 POWER. 



A test of the new Krag-Jorgenson rifle has 

 been made within the last few days at Willet's 

 Point, the United States engineer station, under 

 the direction of Captain W. M. Black. 



In order to ascertain the penetrative ability of 

 the bullets, pine boards were fastened together 

 until a thickness of 50 inches was obtained. 

 Two of the shots fired at this target at short 

 range went entirely through it, and none of them 

 penetrated less than three feet. Into oak planks 

 the penetration was 32 inches, and iron plates 

 two-thirds of an inch thick were also pierced. 

 A bullet fired at thin iron plates an inch apart 

 passed through one plate after another until it 

 melted. 



Don't forget that you can make your friend 

 happy a whole year by having Recreation sent 

 to him. How else can you give him so much 

 pleasure at so small an expense? 



