FOREST * AND STREAM. 



127 



J5fo iHqnnql 



To Correspondents.— Those desiring us to prescribe for their clogs 

 win please take note of and describe the following points in each ani- 

 mal: 



1. Age. 2. Pood and medicine given. 3. Appearance of the eye ; 

 of the coat ; of the tongue and lips. 4. Any changes in the appearance 

 of the body, as bloating, drawing In of the flanks, etc. 5. Breathing, 

 the number of respirations per minute, and whether labored or not. 

 6. Condition of the bowels and secretions of the kidneys, color, etc, 7. 

 Appetite ; regular, variable, etc. 8. Temperature of the body as Indi- 

 cated by the bulb of the thermometer when placed between the body 

 and the foreleg. 9. Give position of kennel and surroundings, outlook, 

 contiguity to other buildings, and the uses of lhe latter. Also give any 

 peculiarities of temperament, movements, etc., that may be noticed ; 

 signs of suffering, etc, 



THE CARE, TRAINING AND MANAGE- 

 MENT OF DOGS. 



AS the taste for field sports increases, we bear from every 

 Charter the inquiry : " How shall I obtain a good dog ?" 

 Tins is a question that must be answered largely by the com- 

 mon sense of the propounder. While believing that every 

 one iu need of an animal should take the same pains to inform 

 himself as to the characteristics and points of the race, in the 

 same manner as he would if ahorse were desired, we are aware 

 that many have not the time, or lack the inclination for such 

 study. Such we would advise to put themselves in communica- 

 tion with some dealer of known character and reliability, with 

 the determination to abide, by the result. Some men never 

 are, and never can bs satisfied; for the reason that few have 

 the honesty to acknowledge that they do not knoAv how to 

 break or handle a dog, and such usually ruin the animals that 

 they purchase. ITence from overweening self-sufficiency and 

 superficial information on the one hand, opposed to practical 

 knowledge on the other, arise most difficulties between the pur- 

 chaser and the dealer. We are convinced that if the most 

 skillful of breakers should sell twenty of the brst dogs ever 

 whelped to the same number of purchasers, allowing them the 

 privilege of trying them and then returning if they failed 

 to suit, at least one-half the animals would be thrown back 

 upon the breaker's hands, and he himself slandered. And 

 this difficulty will continue, for the reason that almost every 

 man who shoots well believes that he must necessarily be 

 fully competent to undertake the management of dogs. To 

 be able to shoot well is to be desired ; though there is no great 

 difficulty in. acquiring the art ; there are plenty of men with 

 but a mere modicum of intellect who are proficients; but to be 

 able to handle a dog skilfully is a very rare and much to be 

 desired accomplishment — one well worthy the close attention 

 of every sportsman, particularly if compelled to purchase dogs 

 Broken by other hands. A skillful handler has no difficulty 

 in purchasing a good animal, because he knows what to expect 

 from a strange dog, and how to work to gain his confidence; 

 on the other hand, there are many purchasers who never give 

 an animal a chance to show his education, and saddle their own 

 ignorance upon the dog and his breaker. 



While it is frequently argued that each one should break 

 his own dog, and while allowing that there is much to be said 

 in favor of so doing, it cannot, be denied that the number of 

 those who are capable of the complete self -government neces- 

 sary to the succesf ul education of the animal is extremely limit- 

 ed. As proof of this, look at the numbers of children, and 

 the training they receive! If we cannot successfully control 

 tliem, how much less can we hope to succeed with an animal 

 to whom speech is denied, and in which the power of under- 

 standing is but limited. 



It is not within our province to point out the choice of breeds, 

 distinctions of color, etc. ; these being matters in which the 

 purchaser must please himself. But a few hints of a general 

 character may not be. amiss. 



First satisfy yourself as to the antecedents of the animal in 

 question. Purchase no dogwhose pedigree is entirely unknown, 

 at the same time avoiding all suspicious taint whether of form, 

 character, or disease. See him in the field (it broken,) and un- 

 der the gun ; note well his mode of ranging, and that he does 

 not rake. See that he possesses a good nose, is staunch on 

 point and charge, heels properly, is not gun shy, is a tender- 

 mouthed retriever, and quick to respond to command. Study 

 his trainer's mode of delivering bis commands, ana if he be a 

 foul-mouthed, loud shouting individual, shun both him and 

 his dogs ; for you may be assured that he who uses expletives 

 in abundance, and bellows at his dogs at the top of his voice, 

 is not possessed of the temperament requisite for their proper 

 training. Even if they appear well broken, it is not seemly to 

 purchase animals, in the working of which it becomes neces- 

 sary to transform yourself into an animated fog-horn, alarming 

 both the iieigborliood and the game. Better than all is the 

 dog who works by the silent method, obeying the movements 

 of the hand. 



Not only see the dog in the field and note the breaker's 

 method of working, but try your hand under his supervision. 

 Nothing is more detrimental than to attempt to work a dog 

 whose, ways you do not know, and who likewise does not 

 understand yours ; the result is always disastrous ; you lose 

 your own self-command as well as the animal's respect for 

 you, and in sheer self-defense ho becomes sulky; the crack of 

 the whip with an accompaniment of oaths does not mend the 

 matter, but probably irretrievably ruins the animal. 



Having satisfied yourself as to physical attributes "and ob- 

 tained your dog, do not at once turn" him o^er to another to 

 feed and care for, but let this duty devolve upon yourself 

 alone. When a dog changes masters he will attach himself to 

 the first person who treats him kindly ; consequently it is im- 

 portant that you be the one to whom the affections of the ani- 

 mal are transferred. Take full charge of him then, and feed 

 with your own hand until he has learned to know y our person, 

 your voice, and to look with pleasure for your coming. As 

 soon as safe, let him loose from the chain, take him to walk, 

 , and attempt to gain his confidence by gentle coercion and 

 kindness, showing him meantime that you are his master and 

 that he must obey. A few days' attention. w T ith the < 

 of reasonable skill and patience, will accomplish all this, when 

 he may he taken to the field. 



Let it be remembered that no dog can be so perfectly 



broken that when he goes into the hands of a stranger he will 



at once work and obey him with the same readiness that he 



■ ted toward his former breaker and master. Also take 



him out alone, as no dog will or can work well in a new 

 place and among strangers ; to demand such would be to ask 

 more of the animal than could be expected of yourself. 

 Working a dog alone for a single day, of even half a day, will 

 have the effect to start him aright, and save trouble and vexa- 

 tion afterward. You may have to use the whip, but in such 

 a case apply it judiciously, without anger, pointing out to the 

 animal his fault. By no means lose your self-control, for the 

 result will inevitably be disastrous, both to the animal and 

 yourself. 



As before, if gentlemen who purchase broken dogs to shoot 

 over could be impressed with the necessity of exercising good 

 .judgment iu their management, there would be no difficulty 

 in purchasing good, staunch, well-broken dogs. In conse- 

 sequence of mismanagement many breakers will not sell a 

 dog to any one, unless t hey know to a certainty that the pur- 

 chasers possess skill and will exercise it. Many trainers re- 

 fuse to break dogs for strangers at any price, for fear the ani- 

 mals will pass into the hands of bunglers and thus be con- 

 demned. 



It is important that your animal be provided with a proper 

 habitation. It is true, a dog can be kept in a barn or a 

 stable, but those who keep them there can best inform you 

 whether their dogs are capable of answering the purposes 

 designated. The sense of smell is acute in the dog, and as 

 every odor that salutes the nostrils owes its flavor to the mote- 

 like particles held in suspension in the air coming iu contact 

 with the sensitive membrane with which the olfactories are 

 lined, we cannot but suppose that the stench of the effete ma- 

 decaying vegetable matter, and ammoniacal gases, 

 which constantly originate in and around such buildings, are 

 more or less detrimental to the nose of the animal. 



"The merciful man is merciful to his beast." Exercise 

 that mercy and build .your dog a house in the open air, away 

 from the barnyard, and so far distant from other buildings 

 that they may not interfere with either the sunlight or circu- 

 lation of pure fresh air. Give him a large yard to run in, and 

 plenty of grass under foot ; above all see that quitch or dog- 

 grass {Triticum repens) is planted therein, for it will not only 

 tie eagerly sought and eaten by the animal, but goes far to- 

 ward preserving his health, if more than oue dog is kept, a 

 building of two rooms may be erected, each opening into 

 separate yards, that one may be occupied while the other is 

 cleaned, or for convenience of separating the sexes. Doors 

 and windows are essential to admit of free entrance; and a free 

 circulation of air. The bench on which they lie should be 

 fronted that the dogs may not crawl underneath, and provided 

 with plenty of bedding in the shape of straw, shavings or beach 

 sand ; if none of these are available, spruce cuttings may be 

 substituted with advantage. An excellent plan is to have the 

 bench movable on rollers, that it may be trundled about 

 freely, and even run out doors. Let the bedding be 

 shaken up and aired in the sun each day, and at least once a 

 week replaced by fresh material, the benches and room having 

 first undergone a thorough scrubbing. The yards also should 

 be cleaned and raked frequently, every attention being paid 

 to neatness and cleanliness, as dogs are liable to many diseases 

 to which poverty and nastiness will very much contribute. 

 Turpentine or strong whitewash will be found to aid in the 

 prevention or eradication of vermin. If the floor be of wood, 

 see that it is thoroughly wiped and dried after cleaning, and 

 before the dogs are allowed to enter the house, as damp is 

 prejudicial to canine health. 



House your dogs every night, but turn them out on going to 

 feed them iu the morning. At such times a little attention to 

 their coats will not be amiss, such as combing and brushing ; 

 when the hide is very greasy a little chalk rubbed in before 

 brushing is advantageous. Water should be supplied in 

 abundance, that the animals may drink when thirsty. If a 

 pure stream be led through the yard, all the better ; but if this 

 be impossible, supply them freely with quetnsware drinkirjg 

 pans, which must be kept in the shade, and emptied and re- 

 plenished twice each day, being thoroughly washed at each 

 alternate refilling. If a piece of roll brimstone is kept in the 

 water pan, it will aid materially in keeping the dogs in con- 

 dition. Iron dishes, even when porcelain lined, are not to be 

 used, the metal itself oxidizing, and its porcelain lining con- 

 taining lead and arsenic in dangerous quantities. 



If but one animal is possessed, a small dog house will suffice; 

 but let the roof be not only water tight, but see that it projects 

 sufficiently beyond the ends and sides to protect them from 

 the driving rain. The top may be made movable for conven- 

 ence in shaking up the bedding, and sunning and airing the 

 interior. The house should moreover be raised sufficiently to 

 avoid the dampness of the ground underneath, and provided 

 with a door hung from above in such a manner as to easily 

 swing in or out. Avoid the general fault of too small a ken- 

 nel, many of them not allowing sufficient room for the occu- 

 pant to turn round comfortably, and see that no projecting 

 and unclinched nails remain which may injure the eves.— Hal- 

 lock's Sportsman's Gazetteer. 



—Dr. Strachan has just received from Mr. Smith of Strath- 

 roy, a Leicester Peeress puppy, four months old, lemon and 

 white, which he names Lady Leicester. She is to be added to 

 the N. T. Kennel Club kennels. 



Name Claimed. — I claim the name of Ross for my liver 

 colored setter dog pup, out of Lakiu's Ned and Dunham's 

 Jessie, born June 23, 1877. 



—I claim for my Dan— Petrel field trial setter dog pup. 

 whelped July 23, 1876, the name Thorn ; and for my Hanger, 

 Minnesota pointer dog pup, whelped July 7, 1877, the name 

 Bobin Hood. W. H. Deane. 



SPLIT BAMBOO RODS. 



To Our Customers and the Public -. In reply to the damaging 

 reports which have been circulated respecting the quality of 

 our split bamboo rods, by "dealers" who are unable to compete 

 with us at our reduced prices, we have issued a circular which 

 we shall be pleased to mail to any address, proving the falsity 

 of their assertions. 



CONBOT, BlSSETT & MaLLESON, 



— {Adv. Manufacturers, 65 Fulton Street. N. Y. 



The New York Shooting Coat.— Mr. H. C. Squires, 

 No. 1 Cortlandt street, is the inventor and manufacturer of a 

 brown velveteen shooting coat which leaves nothing to be de- 

 sired. The pockets and lining are made to take out, so that 

 it may be worn for early fall or winter shooting. Not the 

 least among its many excellencies is the game bag attachment. 

 Call and examine and you will no longer be without one. 



GAME IN SEASON FOR SEPTEMBER. 



Moose, A Ices malchis. 



Caribou, 'f'nrrfiiiln.1 langifer. 



Elk or wapiti. &>r 



Red or Va. deer, " 



Squirrels, red, black aud gray. 



Hares, brown and gray. 



Heed or rice bird, IMiclionyx oryz- 



ey, M'lewiris iiallopavu. 



Pinnated grouse or pr'anie cluck- 

 en, Ciipiilonia cupido. 



Huffed grouse or pheasant, Bonam 

 wmbellua. 



Quail or partridge, Ortyx Virginia- 

 nut*. 



Black-bellied plover, or ox-eye, 



tarola helvetica* 

 1 ! .'!' vet, j&gittiiMs semipal- 



long-sttankg; Wmcmtnpus 



Woodcock, Philohela minor. 



1 i .iowitcher, 



Mii.-niyinrn-iju'fi.t irriiieux. 

 .'"' - ' i piper, or ox-bird' 



Great foarbied godwit or marliu, 



Mmosafedoa. 

 Willet, Totanvs semipalmatus. 



Tattler, Totanvg 



Yellow-shanks, Totrnivs flavipea. 



Bay birds " generally, including various species of plover, sand- 

 piper, snipe, curlew, oyrter-oatcher, surf birds; phalaropes, avoceta, 

 etc., coming under the group Limacolm or Shore Birds. 



i$2T The frequent alteration of game laws makes such con- 

 fusion that sportsmen are kept quite in the dark as to when 

 shooting on various kinds of game is permitted. We there- 

 fore append the following table for reference : 



States I 



HI 



Ind.... 

 Iowa... 



Minn... 

 Wis.... 

 Neb.... 

 lians. . . 



Sep 1 to Jan 15 

 Oct 1 to Feb 1 

 Aug 16 CO Her. 1 

 Aug 14 to Oct! 

 Aug 15toNovlf, 

 No Shooting 

 Augl to Feb! 



Ruffled Grous c 



Quail. 



Oct 1 to Feb 1 Nov 1 to Feb 1 

 Nov! to Jan 1 Nov 1 to Jan 1 

 Sep i'2to Duel.-, iict. 1 to Jan1 

 Sep 1 to Dec liSep 1 to Dec 1 

 Sep 15 to Jan 1 Sep 15 to Jan 1 

 Ho Shooting - . No Shooting 

 tOctyt to Jan 1 



Woodcock. 



Sept 1 to Jan 15 

 July 1 to Jan l 

 July 1 to Jan 1 

 July3 to Novl 

 July-1 to Nov 15 

 No lit-, 

 tions. 



Connecticut— A black bear is reported in the woods of 



Massachusetts — Northampton, Sept. 13. — The Nonotuck 

 Club propose to sow several bushels of -wild rice seed about 

 ponds and streams of this vicinity, for the purpose of attract- 

 ing ducks this way. M. 



Boston, Sept. 13. — I am just returned from a four weeks' 

 trip to the wilds of New Brunswick, camping on the Kilburn 

 and Shogomoc. Have had glorious sport, my last day's bag 

 consisting of seven grouse, three ducks, one crane and two 

 bears. Lot Wabmeld. 



New Bedford, Sept. 15. —Woodcock are very scarce in this 

 vicinity. Shore birds mostly all gone, except mosquitoes, 

 which are " orful." Large covies of partridge and quail give 

 tokeu of first-rale fall shooting. Concha. 



Salem, Sept. 17. — Gunning has been, owing to dry, hot 

 weather, rather scarce of late. Some coots have been seen off 

 Emerson's Kocks, Ipswich Bay, the past week, and the first, a 

 cripple, was seen in Salem Harbor last week. Geo. Stone 

 killed 8 out of 11 blue wing teal in Mill Pond, this morning. 

 Pitman & Brother, of Swampscott, lately shot IS black breast 

 plover with some other birds on Lynn marshes. Teal. 



New York— Canandaigua, Sept. 13.— Sportsmen are mak- 

 ing fine bags of ducks now T on Canaudaigua Lake. 



Bamegat Inlet, Kinsey's Ashly Hause, Sept. 8. — Your cor- 

 respondent killed yesterday seventy-six mud hens (king rail)* 

 Black ducks are abundant. 



Sept. 15.— Black ducks can be seen morning and evenings 

 in large flocks moving about our sedges or islands. Some sprig- 

 tails reported, and a large sprinkle of leal. Our season com- 

 mences Oct. loth. Bay birds not very plentiful. B. 



Pennsylvania— .Srw/i's Mills; Sept. 17, 1877.— Deer are 

 quite plenty south of here, at Blue Mountain and along the St. 

 Hegis River. Several bears have been killed on the' 16 Mile 

 Level and vicinity. Buffed grouse are numerous also. 1 saw 

 in August several flocks, one of 15 nearly grown. They are 

 not much hunted. Mr. Merrill, formerly of the Blue Moun- 

 tain House, when looking for deer on the river the other day, 

 close by the house, shot at and wounded a large panther as it 

 was crossing ; he followed it until dark, but did not overtake 

 it, though he saw two places where it had torn up the ground 

 in its pain and rage, and found considerable blood in the tracks. 



Omo—Sandmky, Sept. 11.— As yet the duck shooting in 

 this locality is rather slirn. but when the open water du ks 

 come it will liven up. Ma'lard and blue-winged teal breed 

 quite extensively in our marshes, but they have been shot at 

 so much since the 1st of Sept., that they have sought quieter 

 feeding grounds. Quail will be unusually plenty all through 

 1 his part of the State, more so than ever before ; but as the 

 law is not off until the 15th of Nov.. and closes the 1st of 

 Jan., it will make the season very short, but from all appear- 

 ances it will be lively while it lasts. Nimbod. 



Florida— MaitlandP. 0., Orange Co. — Deer are very plenty 

 near here. 



Texas— Galveston, Sept. 13.— Bay birds are arriving in 

 large numbers. Plover are in fine condition, but scarce. Teal 

 duck are reported iu Harris Co. I shot the first on the island, 

 yesterday. There is good prospects of sport for fall shooting. 



B. B. B. 



Wisconsin— Oakfield, Sept. 18. — The duck season opened 

 Sept. 1, since which time we have bad some fine shooting on 

 Horrican Marsh. Bags have been made, ranging from one to 

 forty iu one day, according to ability of sportsman, and some 

 have been reported as large as seventy -five. Your correspond- 

 ent bngged sixly-three mallard and blue-winged teal in two 

 mornings' shooting. Horkioon. 



Kkvsks.—GMllicot/w, Sept. 17. —The quail crop is simply 

 enormous this year. 



Nevada— Deer are unusually plenty at Lake Tahoe, and 

 many hunting parties have started out for the sport. 



OALrEOBNiA — Santa Monica. — Deer, water fowls, quail and 

 rabbit shooting offers rare inducements to gunners this season. 



Canada — Ont., Toronto, Sept. 13.— Ducks at Long Point 

 and the St. Clair flats promise this season to be averagely 

 plenty, and knowing ones anticipate heavy bags. 



—The Marquis of Lome, it is said, will visit Nova Scotia 

 next month to hunt moose. 



