March 80, 1883.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



169 



Bomo of the Captain's sons or sons-in-law for pilots, fine sport 

 Would be assured. A letter to the postmaster of BerliD. Md., 

 asking for particulars and names of the. proprietors of both 

 hotels would, no doubt, secure a reply, as Capt. Coffin might 

 be now either dead or removed. Many of the bay birds" to 

 be found at this latter region of late years have passed by the 

 New Jersey grounds without deigning to stop for even a day. 



PHomo. 

 WADS AND WADDING. 

 OK the subject of wadding, there is a great deal more im- 

 portance than is generally supposed. A good man}' 

 persons seem to think if the powder and shot is all right, it 

 does not matter much what is put between or over "them. 

 The difference between shells loaded with good wads and 

 bad are easily apparent to any one who has used both kinds. 

 Cartridges loaded by g-unsuiilhs as a rule are very carelessly 

 done, the powder, shot and wads are put in by boys and 

 clerks, who do not know or care how they should be 

 charged. I once cut open some of these which' were sold to 

 a friend, and said to be loaded for ducks. They had in them 

 three drams of common FFF rifle powder and oneoune. and 

 a half of shot. Over the powder was one paper wad, set so 

 crookedly that shot and powder could touch, whUe a felt 

 wad on the shot had the paper shell turned down on it fully 

 half an inch. Just imagine hitting or killing a duck at any 

 distance with this load, The usual way is to put two pink 

 or black edge wads over powder and one over shot. I think 

 two pink edge are the least that should go over the powder, 

 as black edge are not as thick or hard, or three of them should 

 be used. Probably the best of all though is to put 

 on the powder, first a thin grease proof and then an 

 Eley's extra-best white compressed hair wad. This is a 

 much more expensive way. but it will pay in the 

 end. If the cheaper thick hair wads are used a light 

 wad must be put over them to prevent the shot sinking 

 in. as they arc not so hard as the extra-best ones. 

 Always have the wadding fit tightly, in a twelve-bore one 

 size larger than the guage for paper shells, and two sizes 

 larger for brass. In the larger gauges, .such as ten and eight, 

 one size difference in the bore is a good deal, and this rule 

 will not apply to them. In England some of the wads are 

 made in half sizes to make up for this. Over shot a thin wad 

 should be used, especially when the shell is turned down, 

 because if otherwise then the shot woidd be scattered a good 

 deal by the increased recoil A well-known English writer, 

 Wildfowler, has given a table for making guns shoot close 

 or scatter at will, by graduating the depth of the crimping 

 on each shell. The increased recoil does not seem to have 

 been considered, and I think a much better way to scatter is 

 to put less wadding over powder, or else divide the shot by a 

 light wad in the middle of it, With brass shells, one of the 

 best wads to put over shot and keep it from starting, is the 

 so-called red fibre wad. Corrugated and perforated shells 

 certainly hold the top wads well, but they create more recoil 

 and do not give as close shooting. 



In regard to the usual way of marking the top wad of the 

 cartridge with the kind of load in it, I see the use of Roman 

 characters has been sometimes recommended, but they are 

 not as good as plain numerals. Put the amount of load in 

 the form of a mixed fraction with the size of shot first, then 

 the measure of powder above the Une and amount of shot 

 below it. Thus, for a load of three and a half drams 

 of powder, one and a quarter ounces of No. S shot, mark it 

 first 8, then a fractional hue with 3£ as numerator and 1J 

 as the denominator. This method will be found much 

 plainer and simpler than others, because its meaning is cauabt 

 easier by the eye when bokiug over a lot of cartridges, and 

 there are not any small fractions with the words drs., pow. 

 and oz. sh't after them to confuse the sportsman, as he 

 know r s without adding them by the place of his numbers 

 what the shells contain. C. W. T. 



Philadelphia, Pa. 



FOX SCENT ON ICE. 



THE assertion of "Sancho Panza," in your issue of Feb. 

 2, that foxes leave no scent on ice is contradicted by "E. 

 A. R," in your issue of March 2. "Sancho Panza" is correct. 

 It is the experience of all observant fox hunters, that dogs 

 can get no scent on crystal ice, unless the day be so mild as 

 to create a dampness or moisture on the surface of the ice. 

 The assertions of "E. A. R.," wherein he states he was eye- 

 witness to scenes of hounds pursuing a fox in full cry over 

 crystal ice for a distance of near half a mile is easily explained 

 in this way. The wind was most likely in their" favor, and 

 they took the scent from the air, or possibly from the track 

 on the opposite shore, which is by no means an unfrequent 

 occurence, with a good lead dog, if the wind is wafting the 

 scent back from the direction in which the animal is leadine. 

 To illustrate this fact 1 will cite a few instances: Several 

 years ago a friend and myself made an appointment for a fox 

 hunt and while tlie dogs were being conducted across the 

 valley to the ridge designated, they became suddenly very 

 restless and uneasy, pulling on their chains and crying piti- 

 fully to be released. The \ alley was composed of open fields, 

 and w T e could see far in all directions, but could not notice 

 anything that, should attract their attention; we. attempted to 

 move onward but the dogs would not be comforted; at last 

 we concluded to let them go. As soon as they were released. 

 they ran rapidly to the windward to the distance of a third 

 of a mile where they began trailing a fox track, at least 

 several hours old. many places partly drifted shut. 



Some years ago 1 passed by the roadside an "encampment 

 of gypsies,"and noticed a fine hound chained near the tents. I 

 inquired if she was trained for game and could be bought. 

 They confidently assured me of her tine qualities for tax 

 chasing and remarked that she had been winding one all day 

 which appeared to lie on the lull opposite the camp, between 

 which there was a large mill dam intervening. I assured 

 them 1 would give their price for the dog if she had courage 

 enough to swim the dam and start the fox. No sooner was 

 the otter made than accepted. The dog was unloosed and 

 off she sped like nn airow, and in less than five minutes after 

 she crossed tlie water, we heard tier first cry on the trail 

 about a fourth of a mile from camp. The fox after being 

 chased a considerable time took the water and had reached 

 the cover of the woods on the opposite shore before the dog 

 made her appearance; yc1 she plunged eagerly into the stream 

 where tlie fox had left its last footprints oil tlie shore and 

 Larked while sv, imming, the same as she did while following 

 Ihe trail. Yet it is not to be presumed that sh" could get any 

 scent from the water. Yet with all tier pewtr she waspush- 

 iug for the opposite shore where she again took the trail. 

 Either of these cases I think fully illustrates what might 

 have occurred in the case cited by r 'E. A. R," 



I have seen trusty dogs hunt the banks of ice-bound streams 

 for miles on either side to get the place w T here foxes came off 

 the ice: but never in my long experience in bunting did I 

 ever see a dog aide to get. any scent on crystal ice when the 

 thermometer stood at the freezing point It is a fact also 

 proven by observation, that dogs will scent the track farlhcr 

 then they will scent the animals. We have all frequently 

 heard say of dogs enttiug on game. They do not cut on the 

 scent of the animal, but the scent of the track. I could cite 

 various instances where I have seen dogs drop out of the 

 pack and cut diagonally for some other point on the track 

 when the fox was circling, but in every instance they were 

 attracted bv the scent of the track and'not by the scent of 

 the animal. I know this, for 1 have seen the fox at the same 

 time that the dogs left the trail and cut for some more adja- 

 cent point. When tramping thickets for rabbits, I have 

 frequently found them sitting unconcealed, where dogs had 

 passed close by without scenting them, and although the 

 dogs might be a considerable distance away at the time when 

 the rabbit jumped from its bed, the dogs would be at once 

 attracted by its scent and begin hunting for the track. 



It is customary to hear ofgame holding its scent, This 

 is an impossibility in the sense in which it is mostly unaer- 

 stood. An animal may prevent dogs from scenting them, 

 by crouching close, and iaying heavily on their feet. Also. 

 birds bv Hying into '.-over and making no tracks. The scent 

 is emitted from glands in the feet in "either case, and that is 

 the secret of no track or little scent, Scent. 



Hariiisbcrg, Pa. 



Sailinofor Coots.— New York, March, 1882.— Editor 

 Forest and Strewn: One provision of the proposed new 

 game, law of this State prohibits sailing for coots. Among 

 the objections to such a law are these: 1. Most of this 

 shooting is done on Long Island and in Connecticut waters, 

 and the people of Eastern Long Island annually derive a 

 revenue of thousands of dollars from sportsmen who go 

 there for this sport, This law^ would cut off that revenue. 

 2. There are very many men who have neither time nor 

 means to go off on Long Island expensive shooting excur- 

 sions. This coot shooting is the best, and indeed the only 

 recreation of the kind left for them. It is surely unjust to 

 deprive us of this sport.— J. W. B. [The reason given for 

 prohibiting the sailing for ducks generally— the provision 

 does not apply especially to "coots"— is "that by chasing 

 them continually with boats, they are permanently driven 

 away and forced to desert waters* where they would other- 

 wise remain until forced away by the ice. The usual way 

 of shooting coots and the most legitimate is, to our notion, 

 line or point shooting, which is not a particularly expensive 

 form of the sport, Sailing for ducks, it is alleged, aud truly 

 so, is even worse for the w T aters than where it is practiced. 

 than battery shooting. In the latter the birds can alight and 

 rest away from the feeding ground, but when sailing is al- 

 lowed they have no rest. The boat can follow them every- 

 where, and if a bunch of birds are seen on the water, 

 whether they be coots, oldsquaws, broadbills, blackduck^ 

 redhead or geese, the boat will try to run down on them, 

 thinking that possibly ' 'this time" they may wait long enough 

 to give the gunners a shot. So the birds are harried and at 

 last driven away.] 



Woodcock in March.— Editor Fomt and Stream: The 

 Herald of March 18 says: "An unusually large number of 

 woodcock have come on from the South this season and lo- 

 cated in the grounds adjacent to the ordinary summer shoot- 

 ing covers in this latitude. There they will remain until they 

 have hatched out their young. Reports from Connecticut 

 and iSew Jersey state that more birds have commenced nest- 

 ing than for many years back, and the outlook for good 

 shooting is most promising. It would be well, however, for 

 the country sportsmen to keep a sharp lookout for lawless 

 pot-hunters from this city, a number of whom make yearly 

 raids into the country about this time, induced by the high 

 prices paid them by the game dealers for these delicious 

 birds." This will startle sportsmen who thought we had a 

 live game protective society in this city. Is there a game 

 dealer in this city who would dare to buy, or offer for sale, 

 woodcock in March? And arc there hotel or restaurant 

 keepers who would offer these delicious birds even to mil- 

 lionaire customers? Has the Herald reporter seen or knov/n 

 of a woodcock for sale? If the above be true, the days of 

 PhUohiiu •minor are indeed numbered. I am assured by a 

 prominent, restaurateur in Liberty street, that there are' no 

 woodcock in market. — John Aveky. [We eanuot answer 

 all of our correspondent's questions. There is, however, no 

 reason to doubt that woodcock are served in New York in 

 March, or, for that matter, in any other month of the year, 

 provided that anyone wants to eat them]. 



Wn.D Animals in tite Flood. — A merchant living at 

 New Texas Landing told a Herald correspondent "that he 

 had purchased nearly one thousand coon pelts within the 

 past three weeks at ten cents each. They were all killed upon 

 an island opposite his residence, upon which the water is 

 only a few inches deep, and every morning the air is still 

 musical with the echo of the hunters' guns. Driven out of 

 the swamps, where the coons' usual food is berries, grapes, 

 etc., they come there at night to fish for crayfish, which are 

 so plentiful in that locality as to form a staple article of food 

 with the people. From the stunted trees and willows they 

 put their paws into the water, which are at once seized by 

 the crayfish, wdio catch a Tartar every time. Your corres- 

 pondent dared not doubt the story, as it was told by an old 

 veterau of sixty -five, Who stood high in the community and 

 whose integrity was vouched for by the officers of the boat. 

 The deer are everywhere flocking to the uplands, and in the 

 neighborhood of Vidalia and Natchez herds of thirty to forty 

 are frequently seen hi the neighborhood of the river bam, 

 Tlie negroes are killing them by dozens, although their 

 slaughter is contrary to the laws of both States. They are 

 in very poor condition, worn ont by lack of food and chilled 

 by the cold water. Several herds have swam Hie river to the 

 h'ills in the neighborhood of Natchez. But few bears are 

 seen, as they can yet live and find sustenance in the trees. 

 Snakes are driven up to the mounds and highlands of Missis- 

 sippi in thousands. The cottonwood logs swarm with them. 

 Moccasins, king and black snakes abound. The negroes are 

 in great fear of them and are very careful to give them a 

 wide berth. One very serious result of the flood is antici- 

 pated in a pest of mosquitoes which generally multiplies 

 under such circumsiances in frightful proportions, seriously 

 interfering with labor and endangering the lives of live stock. 

 The pest of the buffalo gnat has already become a serious an- 

 noyance, and should sickness follow inl.he wake the recorded 

 plagues of Egypt promise to be more than rivalled." 



Look Out forHiisi.— In October, 1877, a man giving the. 

 name of T. W. Studer, representing a New York publishing 

 house, and canvassing for illustrated copies of "Birds of 

 North America," visited this place and obtaiued a number of 

 orders. The work came in parts, and among those who 

 already had them were Messrs. I. D. Ferry and Col. Walter 

 Cutting of this town. Mr. Ferry received a call from 

 Studer, and the latter took thirty-one parts of the work be- 

 longing to Mr. Ferry to bind, giving him in return a receipt. 

 The books were to be bound in one volume, half morocco, 

 price $6, payable upon delivery of the book. He left town, 

 after having" visited Mr. Cutting and obtaining his numbers 

 for the same purpose, and since that day nothing has been 

 beard of the man or books. Numerous letters sent to the 

 New York firm were unanswered. This morning Mr. Ferry 

 met and recognized the man on the street and had him ar- 

 rested at once. He was taken to the District Court for trial. 

 He gave bis name as T. W. Crowley, and said that on his 

 trip in 1877 he used the book of another agent for the firm, 

 named T. W. Studer, therefore he used that man's name. 

 He was charged with embezzlement, and Special Justice 

 Fflley held him over for the July term of the Superior Court 

 in the sum of $500. He went to jail in default, and has 

 telegraphed for assistance to the publishers who employ him. 

 On his present trip he is soliciting orders for ' "Animals of 

 North America," published in part's by Henry J. Johnson & 

 Co., 508 Broadway, New Yovk.—Pittsfidd, Mass., Evening 

 Journal. 



Deer ln the Louisiana Sw r AMPS. — Few persons, we 

 imagine, bad any idea of the vast number of deer still left in 

 the swamps of Louisiana, until they were driven from their 

 fastnesses by the high water of the present season. In the 

 immediate vicinity of Natchez there have been hundreds, 

 and we may probably be speaking within bounds when we 

 say thousands, of these beautiful animals, which have crossed 

 the river within the space of a few miles above and below 

 this city. Worn and exhausted as they have been, after their 

 long swim across the swollen river, they would have fallen 

 an easy prey to the pot hunters who only hunt for profit, had 

 it not been for the extraordinary exertions of the true sports- 

 men of the county, and humane people who despise wanton 

 cruelty. On Sunday last, several gentlemen in their Sunday 

 rambles found a number of deer that had fallen into a ravine, 

 from which they found it impossible to get out. With true 

 humanity they went to work aud dug a pathway by which 

 the little animals could find their way out of the ravine, 

 helped tbem to mount to the top of the bank, and sent them 

 on their way rejoicing to the green woods of the country. 

 Instances of the' same kind of humane feeling have been, we 

 are glad to say, the rule with the people of this vicinity 

 while the disposition to capture and kill the deer has been 

 the exception. — ISalchez Democrat. 



New Hampshire Notes. — Colebrook, N. H., March 34. 

 — The winter is with us ; snow three feet deep in the woods. 

 Deer wintering very well; none killed by crust hunters. 

 Ruffed grouse abundant; fifty would be a fair estimate of the 

 number that have escaped all hunting within two miles of 

 this village. This area comprises the sunny side, of Mt. 

 Monadnock in Vermont, that skill and endurance can climb. 

 I have taken three barred owls from it within four weeks, 

 the last one to-day. After shooting him at Jong range with 

 No. 7 shot, I set my gun against a tree and started up the 

 one to which the owl was clinging, but he let go and sailed 

 away down the mountain side, alighting on a beech in fair 

 view. I could not extract a charge of dust shot before I had 

 learned of a new arrival in the form of a butcher bird. Then 

 the fun began. The two rival poai h irs were trying to settle 

 up their last difference. Only for ih5 noise I should have 

 lost my specimens. When they at last rested, the butcher 

 bird gave vent to a piercing shriek, shaking himself in evi- 

 dent pleasure, almost saying as he turned toward me, "Ain't 

 we having a deuce of a "time with him?' I think we did; 

 but gave the butcher bird the first charge. —Ned Norton. 



Broadbills on Long Island Waters. — "In all my 

 experience," said Mr. Robert B. Roosevelt to a Herald re- 

 porter one day last week. "I have never known of more 

 broadbill visiting the waters of the bay. I have just had a 

 letter from a friend who describes the sport as being wonder- 

 ful." "What is the cause of this?" was asked. "Principally 

 because the scarcity of oysters in the bay has driven all the 

 boats and baymen to other localities. This is the first time 

 to my knowledge that this state of things has occurred, and 

 the ducks, brant and geese left in quiet possession. When 

 they are uudisturbed they bed on the feeding grounds and 

 become quite gentle. Nothing tends more to make ducks 

 really wild fowl than to have a fleet of boats continually 

 driving tbem up from their resting places. The weather 

 was unusually mild during the winter and the foul did not 

 seek extreme southern waters, as they are obliged to do when 

 we have long and extremely cold weather in this latitude. 

 The result is that the ducks have congregated in the Great 

 South Bay before going north to breed." 



A Kansas Resort. — A correspondent of the Topeka, 



Kan., News says of the Baxter Springs iu that State: Spring 

 River has its source iu the Ozark Mountains and its whole 

 contour to the mouth partakes of mountainous characteris- 

 tics. Its waters abound in fish of the finest quality. Moun- 

 tain trout, black and speckled bass, salmon, pike, croppie, 

 buffalo and catfish are abundant. The stream is about one 

 hundred feet wide, and very clear and deep. Its current is 

 swift, and it was known to the Indians all over nearly the 

 whole of North America as "Swift" or "Fast" river. The 

 scenery along its banks is really enchanting, and the woods 

 on either side abound in all kinds of game, such as deer, 

 turkey, black-tailed rabbits, weighing ten pounds, pinnated 

 grouse and smaller game. This is a popular place for pleasure 

 hunters and tourists. The climate salubrious, the scenerj 

 unsurpassed, the drives pleasant and full of interest, the fish- 

 ing splendid, the hunting fine. The Indian Territory is but 

 a mile south of Baxter, and contains many points of interest 

 to the ordinary pleasure hunter. 



New York Woodcock Season.— Hudson, N. Y., March 

 16. — I have been much pleased in reading the arrivals of the 

 different migratory birds, and do not remember seeing our old 

 friend the woodcock mentioned any farther north than New 

 Jersey. We have had the robin, bluebird, and duck with us 

 since the 10th, aud on the 4th Mr. Samuel M. Miller picked 

 up a fine large woodcock that had been killed by striking the 

 telegraph wire. Ruffed grouse were not plenty with us last 

 fall. In the early part of the season could go' out and start 



