A Weekly Journal of the Rod and Gun. 



Terms, $1 a Year. 10 Cts. a Copt. | 

 Six Months, $3. 



NEW YORK, MARCH 30, 1882. 



I VOL. SVin.— No. 9. 



| Nos. 39 & 40 Park Row, New York. 



CORRESPONDENCE. - 

 TjHS Forest and Stream is the recognized medium of entertain- 

 ment, instruction and information between American sportsmen. 

 Communications upon the subjects to which its pages are devoted are 

 respectfully invited. Anonymous communications will not be re- 

 garded. No name will be published except with writer's consent. 

 The Editors are not responsible for the views of correspondents. 



SUBSCRIPTIONS 

 May begin at any time. Subscription price, $4 per year ; S2 for six 

 months: to a club of three annual subscribers, three copies for $10; 

 five copies for S1U. Remit by registered letter, money-order, or draft, 

 payable to the Forest and Stream Publishing Company. The paper 

 may be obtained of newsdealers throughout the United States and 

 Canadas. On sale by the American Exchange, 410 Strand, W. C, 

 London, England. Subscription agents for Great Britain— Messrs. 

 Samson Low, Marston, Scarle and Rivington, 188 Fleet street, London. 



AD YERTISEMENTS. 

 Advertisements of an approved character only inserted. Inside 

 pages, nonpareil type, 25 cents per line. Special rates for three, six 

 and twelve months. Reading notices 50 cents per line. Eight words 

 to the line, twelve lines to one inch. Advertisements should be sent 

 in by the Saturday previous to issue in which they are to be inserted. 

 Address all communications, 



Forest and Stream Publishing Co. 

 Nos. 39 and 40 Park Row. New York City. 



CONTENTS. 



EDITORIAL. 



i i .th. ; IV, r ;-■■•■! : 

 Tne Choice of Eans. 

 Tort rait of T. O. Banks 

 The 



TV 



I Lake 



Winter House of the Black Bear. 



Spring Notes. 



Habits of Woodpeckers. 



The New Cheek List. 



The 9( arciiy of Grouse. 



in Arks asasBear Fight. 



N( 



rds. 



Wads and Waddi 

 Fox Scent on Ice. 

 Extermination of Large Game 

 Sea and River Fishing. 

 The Bead Fish. 

 How Is Your Fishing Tackle? 



Sea and River Fishing. 

 The Trout Opening. 

 First Trout of the Season. 

 Trout Fishing' at Spokan Falls. 

 Laws for the People. 

 Epistle to Trout Fishers. 

 Badly Tied Hooks. 



FlSilCULTURE. 



The Deutsche Fischerei Yerein. 

 The Kennel. 



Boston Dog Show. 



Cleveland Dog Show. 



Amateur Training. 



National Derby. 



New York Dog Show. 



Rose. 



Kennel Notes. 

 Yachting and Canoeing. 



The Yawl in America. 



An English Opinion. 



St.a nila rd Freeboard. 



The First Yawl. 



A Yawl in a Piper. 

 Rifle and Trap Shooting. 



The International Match. 



Matches and Meetings. 

 Answers to Correspondents. 



ANOTHER TROUT SEASON 

 /"\NCE more the agile fish, which wears the motley, leaps 



-° into the ring with a cheerful "here we are again" which 

 stirs the blood of the veteran more than that of the angler of 

 but few seasons. The first day of April opens the season on 

 which our fish may be legally taken in the States of Virginia, 

 Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, 

 Connecticut, Minnesota and California. Wisconsin permits 

 it on April 15, and Vermont, Maine, Michigan and the Pro- 

 vince of Ontario forbid it until May. Rhode Island and 

 New Jersey allow it in March; North Carolina in January, 

 while in Iowa and the Province of Quebec they maybe taken 

 in February. 



Within the State of New York the only portion where 

 trout-fishing is at all likely to be a comfortable enjoyment is 

 on Long Island, and about New York city. Even there the 

 winds are apt to be chilling, and we have seen blue noses 

 and aching fingers on those whose enthusiasm impels them 

 to wet their lines on the opening day. For ourselves we pre- 

 fer to wait a month and enjoy nature, pleasant weather and 

 trout at the same time. From New York city probably two 

 hundred anglers will go to the Long Island streams on the 

 first day, no matter what the weather may be, and if it should 

 promise to be pleasant the number will be doubled. 



It is a common fault to sneer at people whose tastes differ 

 from the speaker; and we have heard uncomplimentary 

 epithets bestowed upon those enthusiasts who brave the storm 

 to fish on the first, day. We have it high regard for them, al- 

 though we do not enjoy fishing unless perfectly at case and 

 comfortable both in mind and body. The enthusiasm of 

 first day anglers in spite of weather is certainly a source of 

 enjoyment to them, and that is a good and sufficient reason, 

 if any be required, why they venture forth in overcoats and 

 mufflers to brave the gales that March sometimes bequeaths 

 to April. 



In Virginia and North Carolina the first of April often 

 brings enjoyable weather for angling, but iu the Northern 

 States it is often of a chilly character, which is worse than 

 the severe weather when the hardy northern fisher cuts holes 

 in the iee to take the savage pike, or pickerel. Still it is a 

 cheerful sight to see the veteran don his overcoat and, favor- 

 ing his rheumatic leg, which ho is certain will be worso on 



the morrow, start forth with rod and creel to get the first 

 cast at the fish which have been growing undisturbed all 

 winter, in the hope of capturing one which will beat the 

 record for size on that particular stream. He cares not for 

 east winds, nor rheumatic legs; his coat will moderate the 

 one, and a hot stove at night and plenty of linament will al- 

 leviate the other. He is cheerful and contented if a few 

 trout are still in the stream, and enjoys himself under cir- 

 cumstances creditable to his manhood. Long may he live to 

 enjoy the opening seasons, and may the poachers never in- 

 vade his sanctuary. 



Tho opening of the trout season in the city is an event 

 which has been enjoyed for the past few years, not only by 

 anglers who can't, or do not desire to get out so early, but 

 by others who are interested in fishculture, natural history, 

 or a love of the beautiful. Their headquarters is at Black- 

 ford's in Fulton Market, a notice of whose opening display 

 will be found in another column. This display is a valuable 

 one to those who wish to compare the appearance of trout 

 from different parts of the country, and has grown in popu- 

 larity yearly. We will content ourselves with that opening 

 of the season and will try to give such an account of it as 

 will picture its beauty and usefulness to those of our readers 

 who cannot attend it. We will be pleased to meet you there 

 at any time in the day. 



THE CHOICE OF RANGE. 

 ^HE Committee of the Directors of the Natioual Rifle As- 

 -*- sociation charged with the preparations for the meet 

 with the British riflemen in September next is busily at 

 work. Circulars describing just what is expected on the 

 part of the National Guardsmen of the several States, have 

 been sent out to officers throughout, the United States. There 

 is at least a determination that the existence of the match 

 shall be known to all who might assist in conveying it out. 

 All this is very well, and while this activity of preparation is 

 going on, the gunmakers are not idle. In several of the 

 more prominent armories some very excellent weapons are 

 in the course of construction, intended to fall within the 

 " Military Breech Loader " class under the Wimbledon rules, 

 of cotuse. They may be very far from being a service 

 weapon in the ordinary meaning of that phrase. It would 

 hardly be proper to call a 90 or 100 grain cartridge service 

 ammunition and the match will no doubt be shot with charges 

 of this size. The new Remington .42 calibre rifle, sighted 

 for a mile, will have a test in the preliminary trial at least in 

 connection with the match. Other rifle making firms are 

 working to produce a rifle better than any now in use, and 

 the match promises to bring out some excellent ideas in lone;- 

 range military weapons which it would be well if our regular 

 ordnance offieers would take note of. 



There seems to be some uncertainty as to the target to be 

 used in the match. Our readers will remember that in speak- 

 ing of comparisons of records we pointed out the variations 

 which exist between the shot and mid-range targets in use at 

 Wimbledon and those employed on this side. The programme 

 of selection issued from our American office requires the use 

 of the Creedmoor targets. The British challengers undoubt- 

 edly effect to have their targets used in the match. So long 

 as it is definitely understood which of the two systems are to 

 be employed in the final test, there is little objection to having 

 the practice take place on another target. Comparisons are 

 impossible, but they are of small moment at best, and pro- 

 vided that our percentage of ability is well up in the nineties 

 we have little to fear. 



A real difficulty which the committee ought to look fully 

 in the face is that of range. The committee owe a duty to 

 the public, who will wish to come in no inconsiderable num- 

 bers to become spectators of the match. It is to the interest 

 of the association as well to gratify that desire. Can this be 

 done at Creedmoor? As Creedmoor is at present situated, and 

 with its present facilities for getting to and from the ground, 

 we answer emphatically no! It will be the duty of the news- 

 papers to warn the public away from the mercy of the Long 

 Island R.R. Co. , from the hardship of being dumped dowu upon 

 the wilds of Hempstead Barrens, a mile or more from the 

 gate at Creedmoor, from finding itself exposed all day to a 

 broiling sun or downpour of rain, and then from considering 

 itself lucky to find a chance to get home the same night, 

 even though the return trip is nothing more than a suffocat- 

 ing stand-up crush into ill-smelling freight-cars, dragged 

 along at the rate of five miles per hour. All this is certain to 

 happen if the Creedmoor of the present day is selected as the 

 theatre for the match. Sentiment will urge this range with 

 all its associations as the spot for the match, but common 

 sense will dictate the selection of some other range, or the 



immediate taking of steps to render Creedmoor at least not 

 more than an hour from the city. 



There is no difficulty in making a good choice of range. 

 There is no Hobson's choice in the matter at all. The match 

 can be shot within a half hour of New York on a perfectly 

 appointed range, which will have the advantage, too, of be- 

 ing a neutral range, and cut off the excuse for the to-be- 

 defeated Britishers that they were handicapped by the famili- 

 arity of the home-team with tho range. No dcSibt other 

 problems will suggest themselves to the committee as the date 

 for the match draws near, but this question of a range can 

 be met at once. It can be known at once what may be. ex- 

 pected in the way of making Creedmoor at least as accessible 

 as it was at the time of the matches of 1874 and 1876. Upon 

 the answer to that will depend the task of the committee. 

 Creedmoor should be abandoned without hesitation if the 

 present arrangements for transportation are to remain unsup- 

 plemented up to the day of the match. An entirely new 

 range can be fitted up at desirable points, perhaps, for less 

 money than it will take to make Creedmoor accessible. If 

 it is to be a match fought out in the presence of the public, 

 then that public should be decently treated in the matter of 

 accommodations of travel, which certainly is not the cass 

 with those who have occasion to go to Creedmoor at present. 

 Of course it may be made a private match, shot out before 

 a. small party of invited guests. Such a procedure would 

 not be out of keeping with the conditions ; but on the assump- 

 tion that the public is to lend its support, it is plainly one 

 important feature of the committee's work to ses that the 

 public have access to the scene of battle. 



To Anxious Enquirers. — It frequently happens that we 

 receive letters from correspondents asking for information on 

 various subjects, which are signed only by the initials of the 

 writers, and sometimes by a pseudonym merely. Such re- 

 ceive no attention, and are usually followed, at longer or 

 shorter intervals, by complaining epistles asking why the 

 information sought has not been furnished. At other times 

 we receive letters containing checks, money orders, or bank 

 bills, without any name, sometimes without even the name 

 of a town or State. Of course it is quite impossible to do 

 anything about such letters, and we can only hold them, 

 trusting that in the fullness of time, the sender will write 

 again, giving information which will enable us to identify 

 him. It would scarcely be thought necessary to impress 

 upon people the importance of signing their names to their 

 letters, but it appears that we must do so. We cannot take 

 any notice of letters that come to us without full name and 

 address. We have no desire to print any one's name, but 

 must have it for our own protection. 



The Destruction of Smalt, Birds, to which we alluded 

 last week, is not fully appreciated, except by those who are 

 in the way of knowing — through their acquaintance with 

 taxidermists and professional shooteis — how large it really is. 

 We feel that all working ornithologists will sympathize with 

 us in our desire to .have the song birds adequately protected, 

 and within the past week we have received a number of let- 

 ters expressing interest in the topic. No one should be al- 

 lowed to shoot small birds without a permit, or license, and 

 care should be exercised that such permits should be issued 

 only to proper persons. 



Opening of the National Academy.— The fifty-seventh 

 annual exhibition of the National Academy of De-;ign opened 

 last. Monday. The pictures exhibited are many of them of a 

 very high order of merit, but there is as usual considerable 

 dissatisfaction manifested at the decisions of the hanging 

 committee. Many of the paintings will attract the eye of 

 those who spend much of their time out of doors, and will 

 call up pleasant memories of days afield. 



It is an encouraging sign of the times that some of the 

 great dailies are giving their attention to the preservation of 

 the large game of the West. We copy elsewhere a sensible 

 article on this topic from the Bun. 



The Comtng Bench Show in this city promises to be fu"y 

 the equal of the Westminster exhibitions of the past. There 

 will be many new dogs on the bench, and among them some 

 elegant specimens of fine stock. 



We understand that the draft of the proposed new game 

 law for this State has been sent to Albany, but we have been 

 unable to obtain a copy of its provisions, and must therefore 

 defer any remarks upon them. 



