FOEEST AND STREAM. 



815 



plant of the -water-lily family) furnish a natural blind into 

 which the boat is hauled, and for an hour or more the ducks 

 fly over to and from their favorite haunts in great numbers, 

 within easy shot. By half-past seven o'clock, after having 

 brought down a respectable number of them, the sportsman 

 can return to the hotel, where he will find an excellent break- 

 fast awaiting him, and, with an appetite sharpened by the 

 bracing atmosphere of a frosty morning, he can do full jus- 

 tice to it. After breakfast he can hunt the neighboring fields 

 in which the birds are then feeding, and have his own good 

 time among them until noon, and again repair to the hotel for 

 dinner. In the afternoou he can resume his sport in the field, 

 or seek the ducking points again, as they fly in the evening as 

 well as morning, and have more good birding before sun- 

 down :— and here I may mention that Maccubbm is well sup- 

 plied with decoys for the use of his guests. The big ducking 

 guns are unknown on the Patuxen t, and consequently the 

 ducks are not frightened off as in many other localities where 

 such guns are used. 



The most desirable season for duck shooting extends from 

 about the 20th of November to the 10th of December, aa they 

 are generally plentiful between those dates, though several 

 varieties remain in that river all winter. Mallard (Arras 

 boschds), black duck (Ar-ras oiacura), known there as black 

 mallard, green wing teal (Querquedula , carolinenm), blue wing 

 teal (Querquedula discors), bald pate (Mareca americana), and 

 sprig tail (Dafila acuta) are the most numerous, and their 

 favorite food is said to be berries or seed of an aquatic plant 

 which grows extensively in tie Patuxent, known in that 

 locality as "Tuck-a-hoe," an erroneous name, no doubt, as the 

 Tuck-a-hoe, sometimes called Indian bread, is a bulbous plant, 

 growing beneath the surface of the earth. The berries or 

 seed produced by this plant in the Patuxent are about the size 

 of a pea, and after the heavy frosts they drop from the stem, 

 and the water in every direction is covered with them. It is 

 said that they add tu the flavor of the ducks feeding upon them, 

 and the great abundance of such food which they procure soon 

 fattens them, and makes them very palatable. The blue wing- 

 teal and bald pates leave the river for a more southern latitude 

 at the approach of cold weather, generally by the middle of 

 December, but the green wing teal, mallard, black duck, and 

 sprig tails remain all the winter, as there are numerous 

 springy places around the creeks and marshes which are never 

 frozen, and in such places they find abandance of food. There 

 is but little wild celery in the immediate vicinity of Notting- 

 ham, and consequently no canvas-backs or red heads are found 

 there. Early in the season there are some few; but they soon 

 devour all the celery in that section, and go further down the 

 river near Huntiug Creek, about thirty miles below, where 

 they find an abundance of it, and are plentiful there. Jack's 

 Bay, just below this creek, is one of the favorite feeding places 

 for these dueks, and many are killed there in November and 

 December. Geese and swans are al?o plentiful nearthe mouth 

 of the river, but they often ascend the stream up to and above 

 Nottingham. These fowl, however, seem to prefer large 

 sheets of water, and on account of the stream being narrow 

 near the village they do not tarry in that vicinity long. 



JAOKSNIPE 



shooting in the spring on the marshes and meadows around 

 Nottingham equals that of any other section of the country. 

 Sometimes if the weather be favorable for them they are found 

 in immense numbers, and afford glorious shooting. In the 

 spring of 1870 they were so plentiful that Mr. Maccubbin, in 

 company with a gentleman from Baltimore stopping with him, 

 killed 481 in five days. Just opposite to the village are many 

 acres of low land, covered with reeds and grass, but over 

 which the tide never rises unless there is a continued northeast 

 storm. About February the vegetation upon these lands 

 being thoroughly dried by the cold weather of winter, is 

 burned, and the heat produced thereby bring3 the worms to 

 the surface, making first-class feeding-grounds for the snipe; 

 besides the destruction of the vegetation puts the land in 

 favorable condition for hunting over it. Maccubbin, who 

 is a close observer of the habits of all birds, says he has fre- 

 quently watched the snipe feeding among tussocks left on 

 these grounds after the burning. They insert their bill to its 

 base in the soft earth, and wabble it about a few seconds, as 

 if feeling for the worm, but, suddenly withdrawing, turn their 

 head sideways and peep into the opening. Soon they observe 

 the worm, and quick as lightning make a dive and take him 

 from the hole. At first he was under the impression that the 

 bird kept boring for the worm until one was found, but upon 

 taking a little stick and making a hole in the earth, he ob- 

 served that a worm soon came into it, and thus he became 

 satisfied that the bird first made the hole with his bill, and 

 then waited the appearanoe of the worm which he gobbled up. 

 The snipe shooting there in the fall, when the birds are re- 

 turning South from their breeding grounds, would be just as 

 good as in spring; were it not for the fact that the marshes 

 which they frequent upon their return are covered with a 

 dense growth of grass and reeds, in many places five and six 

 feet high, and almost impenetrable for either the sportsman or 

 his dogs. The snipe marshes, as above mentioned, are much 

 higher than those upon which Ortolan and Reed birds are 

 found, and are seldom covered by the tide. The vegetation 

 upon them cannot be burnt before the return of the snipe in 

 the fall on account of it being green, but the frosts of wintei 

 take all life out of it, and in spring the fire soon destroys the 

 whole of it. There are places in these marshes, however, 

 known as " hog wallows," sometimes covering a space of an 

 acre or two, and if the- sportsman can find such places in the 



fall he is sure to bag some snipe. The. hogs from the sur- 

 rounding country are allowed to run at large during the sum- 

 mer, and they often select spots on these marshes to wallow, 

 where they beat down the vegetation, and here the snipe are 

 found in fall ; but it is absolutely impossible to hunt the marsh 

 at that season as can be done in spring. R. F. B. 



Massachusetts— Worcester— The rifle team of the Sports- 

 men's Club attempted, again to shoot for the badge offered 

 by Mr. Nathan Washburn on the loth. The wind was bad 

 all day, and upset the target at the end of the fourteenth 

 round at 900 yards. A full score was shot at 800 yards, as 

 follows: C. B. Holden, 72 ; Capt. Smith, 70 ; S. Clark, 67; 

 F. Wesson, 63 ; A. L. Rice, 61 ; G. J. Rugg, 56, At 000 

 yards 14 rouuds were fired, the score closing as follows: 

 C. B. Holden, 60 ; A. L. Rice, 58 ; Capt. Smith, 57 ; G. J. 

 Rugg, 53 ; F. Wesson, 51 ; S. Clark, 45. The match is to 

 be "shot over again on Wednesday next. A novel match, 

 and one which will create considerable interest, is also an- 

 nounced for this week. The announcement comes from 

 Portland, Me., that Mr. L. C. Daniels, of that city, and 

 Hon. Wm. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill), will shoot a match here 

 on that day for $100 a side. The latter has a national repu- 

 tation as a crack shot, and such a match will doubiless at- 

 tract quite a concourse of local experts. 



Connecticut Rh?le Association.— Willawbrook, Nov. 10.— 

 Semi-monthly target shoot for mid-range badge. High wind, 

 rain and sleet \ 



William Parker, New Britain... 50 H P King. -New Britain 4fi 



Wallace GlUlu, Bridgeport 49 FrecfWessel, New Britain 45 



<"' i tease, New Britain 48 W H Binns, Hartford 44 



DrHB Woodward, Middletown 47 FTStudley, Hartford 48 



Nov. 17.— Competition for champion mid-range badge for 

 1877. The wind very light and slightly changing ; 500 yards 

 range : 



H Woodward, Middletown 

 .1 B Hawley, Hartford....... 



C O Case, New Britain 



II P King. New Britain 



VV Guuti, Bridgeport 



N Wasliburu. Hartford 



S A HuboarU. Hartford 



.... 55455.5555 5—49 

 ....55555 4 5 55 5—49 

 .... 5555 55546 6^9 

 ....555555545 5—49 

 .... 55 5 5 55554 5—49 

 .... 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5— IS 

 .... 564555545 5^8 



G\V Yaks Hartford 55 5 554545 5-4S 



W Parker, New Britain 545555550 4—48 



F T i-tudiev, Hartford 54544 4554 4-45 



DH Edwards, Hartford.. , 4 5. 4434555 5-44 



Total 526 out of a possible 550. 



Best average shooting ever done at this range. The first 

 nine only 13 points below the possible 450. Average of the 

 eleven is 95.63 ; of first nine, 97.11 ; of five leading scores, 98. 

 Gen. Hawley s score was shot for practice and not in com- 

 petition for the badge. 



Quinnii'ac Range.— New Haven Rifle Association, on No- 

 vember 29th, Thanksgiving Day, some three matches will be 

 shot. There are no end of prizes, and a general good time 

 may be expected. 



Ceeedmook, Nov. 14.— Weather was fine, and there was a 

 good attendance. The second competition for the Skirmish- 

 er's Badge was' in order, for which there were fourteen en- 

 tries. The match was open to members of the National 

 Rifle Association and to members of the National Guard of 

 anv State in uniform. Weapon, the military rifle issued to 

 the regular army or navy, or to the National Guard of any 

 State ; distances from 200 to 500 yards ; the badge to be- 

 come the properly of the person winning it, three times', not jj 

 necessarily consecutively. Nothiug equalizes chances so ' 

 much as this skirmishers' match. Riflemen of distinguished ,; 

 merit some' imes make very poor scoring in this particular ' 

 school of practice. Elevations must be caught exactly at 

 the moment, and a man in rapid motion is oftentimes shaky 

 when he shoots. An improvement in this skirmishing 

 match is quite manifest, and no doubt next season there 

 will t'e many new men who will try their hand at it. We 

 give the leading scores : 



Advance. Retreat. Total. 



JaniesBoss 21 16 37 



Capt C B Truslow 16 15 31 



G 1? Merchant 12 17 29 



ABVanHeusen 9 20 29 



N U Ward H IT 28 



JullusFreid 9 18 2T 



P McMorrow « J 2 26 



WMFarrow 10 14 21 



CaptJLRice 10 21 ■ 



CHEagle 5 14 19 



JBHolland ;— 4 13 17 



It will be found on examining this table that better 

 shooting was done on the retreat than in the advance. It 

 will be worth while to find out whether this is the result of 

 an accident or has a cause. Following the Skirmishers' 

 Match came the running-deer competition, the prize being a 

 Winchester repeating rifle. We have before described this 

 moving target. It is sufficient to state that the deer is about 

 the size of life, made of iron, and runs head on. It slides 

 on a track and makes about ninety feet in some five seconds. 

 The trouble so far among the competitors has been that in 

 using magazine guns single-loading guns have been handi- 

 capped. To remedy this, Col. Wingate has determined to 

 allow but one shot, at each run. Four runs are allowed to each 

 competitor at a distance of 100 yards, without restriction as 

 to the entries a shooter may make. The entries were 36. 

 Mr Geore-e Wateiman made. 10 out of a possible 20. If Mr. 

 Waterman wins again he will -claim ihe prize. Mr. Farrow's 

 score was 9, Mr. C. H. Eagle's score 8. Though we rarely 

 give scores other than those in regu'ar matches, it is worth 

 while to make some record of a very extraordinary line of 

 shots, made by Mr. Thomas Lamb, Jr., on the 14th— at 900 

 yards the very wonderful feat of scoring thirty bull's-eyes 

 was made by Mr. Lamb. Inquiry as to the character of the 

 ammunition shows that Mr. Lamb used 103 grains of pow- 

 der, with a Remington-pointed bullet. This score is among 

 the most wonderful yet made. Of course Mr. Lamb is a 

 leading rifleman, having been on the reserve of the Ameri- 

 can team of 1877. The Seventh Regiment Rifle Club shut 

 for " the rifles" on the same day, Capt. J. L. Price making 

 30 out of 35 at 200 yards ; Mr. Engle was second with 28. 



Nov. 17.— Saturday being the last day of the season, the 

 attendance was large. The weather was pleasant, and there 

 was hardly any wind. The first match contested for was ihe 

 Turf, Field and Farm badge, at 2 p. m. There were 32 en- 

 tries, and the conditions and scores were as follows i Open to 

 all members of the National Association, excepting the win- 

 ners of the two previous badges of this title ; distance, 200 

 yards ; pos ition, stan ding ; two sighting and ten scoring shots 



WMFflrrow 5 444445 5 4 4— 18 



C H Johr 4 54454 445 4—43 



T Rogers 4 4 4 4 4 5 4 4 5 4—42 



D Banks 4 3 4 5 4 3 4 5 5 5—12 



A Anderson * 2 4 4 555345 B— 42 



HWGuurlay 4 4 4 5 5 3 3 4 5 4-41 



,T H Oroltman :< 4 3 5 5 3 4 4 5 5-41 



WCReddy 5 3 4 4 4 4 3 4 5 5— It 



SS Leach 4 346444 4 4 6— 4.1 



O Dewing 5 4 4 3 5 4 4 4 3 5—41 



GB Morse 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 4 5—41 



W R Liverraore 4 4 4 5 4 4 4 4.4 4 — it 



DrMMMaltby 4 4 4 3 4 14 4 5 4—40 



O A. Iteed 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 5—40 



FHHoiton 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 5 4—40 



1? L Eames 4 54443444 4-40 



ti Oass 4 35444434 5 — 40 



JRTeacKle 3 4 5 534345 5— 10 



E GrifflliC 4 44844444 4— SB 



AM Miller 4 3 4445444 3-34J 



George Waterman 3 34444444 4—38 



P McMorrow 3 54443443 4—38 



C W Minor , 3 3 4 3 4 5 4 3 4 4— W 



JGrant 4 83 5 33444 4— 3T 



JGavattagn 5 4 3 4 3 3 4-4:: 4 



AFFiniels 4 484344 3 5 8— 3T 



GF Merchant 3 4443444 3 3—30 



C! P Bonnett 2 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 3—36 



CReuaud , 8 44 232545 4—W 



\V B Cochrane 3 83843444 4—35 



NDVVard , 5 4 3 4 4 4 3 4 4—35 



James Ross 8 43 4 33454 0—35 



J B Holland 3 3 4 3 4 4 3 4 3 3—3. 



S Sargent i 4 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 4-34 



,T T Fryer 3 3024 3 355 5—33 



K W Trice 4 2 4 4 2 2 3 3 4 3—31 



SFKneeland 4 2 2 4 3 4 3 3 4 2- si 



CETruslOW 8 3 2 430333 3—27 



The second competition for the Spirit of the Times badge 

 took place at 3 p. m. There were 32 entries, and the trophy 

 was won for the second time by Mr. O. H Johr of Brooklyn. 

 The conditions and scores are appended : Open to all comeis ; 

 distance. 300 yards ; position standing ; two sighting and ten 

 scoring shots: 



CHJohr 4 4444445 5 4—42 



J R Grohman 4 4 4 4 4- 3 3 5 4 5-40 



F.Sargent 3 45432535 5—40 



AFFiniels , 5 3444 8 343 4—37 



FHHoiton 3 3 5 3 3 4-486 4—37 



N D Ward 4 33544355 S— 37 



George Waterman 3 5 3 334345 3— 3G 



W H Cochrane, Jr 3 4343 3 444 4-36 



BELcwie 3 54344442 3—36 



JGrant 2 44424434 4-t5 



Dewing 4 f> 3 5 3 3 5 3 3—34 



H W Gourlay ., 3 243443 3 4 4—34 



W Minor ■ 2 433 3 4435 3—34 



JHTeackle 4 435044 3 4 3—34 



Ed rifling » 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 4 4—34 



AM Miller «. 4 40444335 3—34 



James Ross 3 43433343 4—34 



KZ titer 3 4 4 3 2 4 5 8 5—33 



D Banks 4 44433440 3—33 



P Bonnett 3 42334335 3—33 



WCReddy 2 2 5 3 3 5 4 4*3-31 



SFKneeland 4 3303333 3 4-30 



SSLefCQ 2 35223334 3—30 



GL Morse 3 4 4 3 4 4 3 8 2—30 



/V Anderson 3 33244232 4—30 



JTPryer 3 044 3 3322 4-28 



GF Merchant , 4 43354304 0—28 



J B Holland * 44344200 4—27 



PMcMorrow 3 43200444 3— S7 



FLEames 3 4025 3 342 0-26 



GAKeed : 3 4 3 3 4 3 2 3—25 



The Seventh Regiment Rifle Club shot for a Remington 

 special military' rifle, which was won by Capt. J. L. Price 

 for the third time upon the score of 46, and he thereby be- 

 comes the owner. 



A gold badge was shot for by the Irish-American Club, 

 which was won by Dr. M. M. Malt by. The scores were as 

 follows, the highest attainable number being 100 points: 



DrM M Maltby 86 ' CaptS F Kneelund 61 



Capt J Kerr 74 Major J 1' Piyer .,.45 



Lieut P Parrelly "...74 Corp Cavanagn ' .36 



Capt. Kneeland, in practice, made the score of 43 out of a 

 possible 45 at 500 yards distance, with a Sharps new model. 



Syracuse, Nov.li. — The lastshoot of the Amateur Rifle Qlnb 

 was for a prize presented by Mai. Henry Fulton of the Ameri- 

 can team. The winner was Dr. C E. Rider, he winning in 

 each of the three matches. The following is the score : 

 200 yards. 800 yards. 



W S Smith, Jr 3 43542344 3—35 4 4 4445438 3— 38— 73 



E Angevine 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 3—35 44543 8 3 44 8— 37— 72 



C Buckley 3 44443444 4—38 2 2 4 3 4 3 4.5 4—32—70 



C E Rider 5 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4—12 444444455 5— 43-SS 



S A Servls 4 54545344 4—42 44444554 4 4— 42 -S4 



Morsemeee Range, Nov. 16. — The seventh competition for 

 the Hodgman trophy resulted in the finest score ever made at 

 the 500-yard range. Mr. Dusen berry having made 116 out of 

 120, and having the unparalleled run of 11 cartons in succes- 

 sion. The scores are as follows : 



Creedmoor 

 count. 



Dusenberry 66 5 666666666665656G 5—116 lull 



Farrow 5 5566545 5 5 6 56656665 5—101 98 



Ward 5 66356656664454 6 565 5—104 95 



Quinu 55656565 6 5564645445 5— lOi 96 



Fisher 4 65465655 5 654 6 6555 4 3—101 9,1 



Bnngram 4 55455550566654 5 555 3— 99 95 



Mr. D iiBenberry used a Sharps' rifle. 



Editor Forest and Stream—I read, in your paper of Nov. 

 15, of a wonderful score made by a lady in New Orleans, 

 with a Remington rifle at 500 y r ards, at a rest, as follows : 88 

 out of 90, carton count. The score made by Mr. Charles 

 Dusenberry, Jr., at Morsemore, 500 yards, without a rest 

 (that is, any position within the Creedmoor rules), carton 

 target, was for the seventh competition of the " Hodgman " 

 trophy— 116 out of 120, carton count, or 100 out of 100, 

 Creedmoor count. Shaeps' Ckebdjioob. 



— At the last meeting of the Cincinnati Amateur Rifle Club 

 the following gentlemen were elected: Geo. Twaclitmann, 

 President ; W. E. Limberg, Secretary. They will have a 

 shoot on Thanksgiving Day at their fine range at Groesbeek 

 Ohio. 



Zkttlek's Gallbhy, Nov. 15. — The first competition for a 

 gold medal, presented by Sergt. M. B. Engel to Co. G 

 Seventy. first Regiment, N. G. S. N. Y., was shot for at Zet". 

 tier's Rifle Gallery, 307 Bower}'. The rules were the same 

 as those governing the military matches at Creedmoor ; 10 

 shots off-hand, with the following score ; possible 50 ; 



Sergt: Alex Steele 41 Oapt A LWeboer 35 



Corp E Demmler 35 Private H Tarrall Sk 



Private GT Addis< u 35 Private M B Moore ' * 28 



Drummer A W Cochran 85 



Next, Bhoot wUl take place Nov. 22. 



Confin's Galleey.— A. match of rapidity and accuracy was 

 held on the 19th at Mr. Conlin's gallery. Rules -To shoot 

 one minute and a half, loading and firing, best score to win. 

 Dr. Dudley scored 74 in a possible 100, winning the gold 

 badge, Mr. P. Lorillard, Jr., making second score. Dr. Dud* 

 ley secured the badge, having won it three times. 



