4io 



RECREA TION. 



some of our eggs with Mr. Leasure for those of 

 the pure Mongolian (so-called, but properly 

 Chinese ring-necked pheasant), as I believe the 

 Oregon pheasant is more gamey than those of 

 our English cousins. 



Four of our birds escaped last summer, and we 

 have advices that they have wintered all right. 

 Thos. W. Fraine, 



Chairman Bird Committee. 



A NOVEL FOX HUNT. 



Pittsfield, Mass., Feb. 16th, 1895. 



Editor Recreation. 



During one of the blizzards of last winter, a 

 friend telephoned me that a fox was in his 

 meadow ; said he had been there all day, and 

 most of the time for several days. He wanted 

 to know if I would not come out (some two miles 





g-. _Jt <J ■ p? ' \^. 



Mr*""" 



|\ 



or more) and see if I could not get him. As it 

 was the coldest day of that cold time, I declined 

 with thanks, telling him that when the weather 

 grew warmer, if the fox still continued to make 

 that particular meadow his headquarters, I would 

 be on hand. 



Meeting my friend the next day, I made some 

 inquiries which enabled me to successfully plan 

 for Reynard's capture. By Monday, the weather 

 had moderated. My friend left word at the 

 office that the fox was there, and sending word 

 to two friends whom I had invited to go with me, 

 I ordered a fast horse and cutter to call for us in 

 five minutes, and we were soon on the way. We 

 had nearly reached my friend's residence, when, 

 as we were passing over a hill, we saw the fox. 

 He was out in the centre of a meadow, some 500 

 yards across. He looked handsome as he trotted 

 around in search of mice, etc. While we were 

 watching him, about a dozen or fifteen snow 

 birds flew toward him. How quick he noticed 

 them ! Crouching low, he awaited their ap- 

 proach. They were flying close to the snow, 

 when, as they passed over, he made a high leap, 

 and evidently secured a small bite for his interior 

 department. He trotted up to a little knoll, 

 where he seemed to enjoy the fruits of his efforts, 



apparently wishing, as he looked around, that he 

 had another. 



Leaving George at the barn, overlooking the 

 field, we had our driver take us to a knoll, some 

 40 or 50 feet high, near the woods, which I had 

 found the fox was in the habit of going over 

 every time he left the meadow. 



In half an hour we reached the top, although 

 we had to struggle through snow four to five feet 

 deep. Here my brother selected a corner in the 

 fence, which nearly concealed him, and which gave 

 him a good view of anything that might come 

 on to the knoll. Then I attempted to reach a 

 tree at the base, where, if my brother missed, I 

 would be apt to get a shot. The time had 

 elapsed that I had said we would require to get 

 into place, before I reached the tree. George 

 had already started out onto the meadow, carry- 

 ing his favorite 38-40, with which he secured the 

 big bull moose on our trip in October, and was 

 making his way towards the fox, keeping in range 

 of some bushes as he crawled slowly along ; but 

 somehow 01" other, the fox either saw or winded 

 him and started. He had got to within about 

 150 yards, but owing to his exertion in getting 

 through the deep snow, failed to hit the fox, 

 though he fired several times before he got out 

 of range. 



In a few moments, I heard my brother shoot 

 once, and then again ; then all was still. Mak- 

 ing my way up on to the hill, in answer to my 

 inquiry, he said, "I got him ; there he is, over 

 there." Going in the direction indicated, sure 

 enough, there lay the sly varmint. We found 

 the ball from the 45-90 had passed through the 

 top of his back. He said the fox was running 

 when he fired. The first shot missed, but he 

 hit him with the second. We picked him up 

 and started for the sleigh, getting back to the 

 office in less than than two hours from the time 

 we left it, quite elated with our success. 



C. D. Butler. 



Editor Recreation. 



Bellevue, O. 



It seems to me there is a chance for you to 

 elevate the tastes of your patrons to means of 

 recreation quite as healthful as and more edifying 

 than simply catching fish and killing game. 

 Worthy as these may be, under proper circum- 

 stances, the study of geology, zoology, botany, etc., 

 may be made quite as interesting and recupera- 

 tive, if properly conjoined with social camp-fire life 

 and joyous games. Last season our little party 

 that camped on the slopes of Mt. Tacoma about 

 two weeks did no hunting ; but, in connection 

 with the two neighboring camps of four or five 

 each, we had " lots of fun " and genuine recrea- 

 tion. Camp life may be made glorious, even 

 without rod or gun, pipe or bottle. The time 

 ought to come when many parties, of both sexes, 

 habitually take to the wilds of the north and 

 west, and spend weeks in simple, restful outdoor 

 life. The hunting and the fishing might be done by 

 the few in each party who particularly enjoy such 

 sports, while the greater number should habit- 

 ually get an abundance of sport out of the various 

 schemes that intelligent persons will naturally 

 invent. I believe in living out of doors a while 

 each year, for every city man and woman who 

 can possibly get away from the "busy haunts of 

 men." Lyman B. Sperry, M. D. 



