FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



GAME IN LUZON . 



I am a great admirer of Recreation. 

 While in the States I had no trouble in 

 obtaining it; but here, if I fail to go to 

 the newsstands as soon as a mail arrives, 

 it is impossible to obtain a copy. 



Game is abundant in these islands, and 

 it is getting more effective protection just 

 now. The protection, however, is inciden- 

 tal and not intentional. The islands are in- 

 fested with ladrones, and as all the towns 

 within a radius of ioo miles are garrisoned 

 by U. S. troops, the natives are strictly 

 prohibited from firing guns. The troops 

 are permitted to discharge firearms 

 only when in pursuit of the fleet footed la- 

 drone. Scarcely a day passes without a 

 band of the latter being rounded up in 

 some one of the interior towns, with more 

 or less "good" natives to show for it. 



On a recent trip up the Pasig river and 

 into the Laguna de Bay, on every sand bar 

 numerous snipe and white and brown 

 cranes were seen feeding. On the ap- 

 proach of the steamer they would fly up, 

 only to settle down again a short distance 

 away. In the lake I saw numerous ducks; 

 none of them seemed wild, merely getting 

 out of the way of the boat. 



At Los Banos the soldiers had a small 

 deer only about 15 inches high. These lit- 

 tle animals are said to be plentiful in the 

 mountains. About a week before I came 

 the natives brought down a large deer. 

 They had hamstrung it and had tied its feet 

 together with stout cord. They carried it 

 by means of a pole run under the cords 

 that bound its fore and hind feet together. 

 They are a most cruel people. When I 

 first came here it was a common sight to 

 see them carry a large hog in the same 

 manner, with the cords cutting deeply into 

 its flesh. The Americans have made that a 

 prison offense, and the natives now adopt 

 a more humane method of carrying live 

 animals. 



Besides the snipe, cranes and ducks I 

 spoke of, doves are found in the lowlands; 

 while in the mountains grouse and quail 

 are plentiful. Of 4 footed animals, besides 

 deer there are monkeys, wild hogs, civet 

 cats and wild cats. And along the interior 

 streams are found the wild cariboa, or 

 water buffalo, which is exceedingly dan- 

 gerous, and readily attacks a man without 

 any provocation. We have the tame cari- 

 boa in the towns. They furnished all the 

 government transportation for months un- 

 til the army mules were brought here. 



If a person is not satisfied with the game 

 I mentioned, the numerous ponds and 



swamps are fairly alive with crocodiles; one 

 18 feet long was caught a while ago near 

 the Laguna de Bay. As the streams are 

 full of fish, a fellow can have his choice 

 of sport. 



I have never seen or heard of rabbits in 

 these islands; but we have the English 

 sparrow, and he is the same pest here that 

 he is in the States. 



Charles M. Stone, Manila, P. I. 



GAME DEALERS KICK. 



New Yorkers who delight in a hot bird and a cold bot- 

 tle are likely to have to go deeply into their pockets to 

 pay for gratifying their appetites this winter, and game 

 suppers seem destined to become a rarity. 



Game dealers in this city declare the federal game law 

 which was enacted last winter, will make it impossible for 

 New Yorkers to get more than one-quarter or one-third 

 part of the game that has heretofore been consumed here, 

 and that so far as they can see their business has been 

 killed. 



New York has been the greatest market in the country 

 for canvasback, mallard, woodcock, quail and all the other 

 birds that give sport to the gunner and delight to the 

 gourmand. More game of all kinds was consumed here 

 than in all the other cities of the country put together. 



But the sportsman has been making his way into 

 scarcely settled regions, and as game grew scarcer, or, 

 more wary, he has induced the State Legislature to draw 

 legal cordons about it. State after State was pre 

 vaileion to pass strict game laws, and finally, to add to 

 these clauses absolutely prohibiting the exportation of 

 game; but with New York's moneybags for the temptation 

 these laws proved insufficient, and game still found its 

 way here. 



Smugglers continued to ship venison from Wisconsin 

 marked as fence posts. Prairie chickens went out as but- 

 ter' and quails were labeled eggs. 



All of these shipments centered in Chicago, where the 

 law protected them, and when the open seasons he \m 

 here there was a ready source of supply that was equal to 

 the demand. 



The new United States law is designed to end all this, 

 and dealers declare they see no way in which it can l>e 

 evaded. Under its provisions every package must be 

 marked so as to show the name and address of the shipper 

 and the contents of the package, and it makes a penal 

 offence for any one tc*ship, or for any common carrier to 

 transport any game the shipping of which would be un- 

 lawful under the statutes of the State from which it is taken. 

 The penalty is a fine of not more than $200 for each 

 offence, to be laid on both shipper and carrier. 



The only great game producing States from which gamr 

 may be lawfully shipped are Nebraska and Missouri, and 

 bills have been prepared in these States to prohibit it. 



In addition to the Federal law there is a new State gamo 

 law which cuts this city off from the supplies of gaim* 

 which have heretofore come from the interior. Tin's law 

 prohibits the shipping of game in any part cf the State or 

 that coming from anywhere within 25 miles of the border, 

 except when accompanied by the owner, and limits even 

 such to a small quantity. — New York Herald. 



Yes, it is hard on the game dealers and 

 the epicures, but they deserve it. The 

 dealers have gone on violating the laws 

 and inducing market hunters to do so till 

 the game is threatened with extermination. 

 Hence the Lacey law. 



Now let the game dealers handle barn- 

 yard fowls, and let the hotels and the clubs 

 serve these with the cold bottle. — Editor. 



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