140 
FOREST AND STREAM 
or partridge, or any quail, sometimes called Virginia par¬ 
tridge, between the first day of February and the first day 
of October; and it shall also be unlawful to catch, kill, or 
injure, or pursue with such intent, any woodcock between 
the 10th of January and the 1st day of July; and it shall 
also be unlawful to catch, kill or injure, or pursue with 
such intent, any turtle dove, sometimes called mourning 
dove, or meadow starling, commonly known as meadow 
lark, between the 1st day of .February and the 1st day of 
August. It shall be unlawful at any and all seasons of the 
year to catch or kill, or attempt to take, catch or kill, by 
means of partridge nets or other nets, or by traps, pens, 
pits or other devices of the kind, any pinnated grouse, 
commonly called prairie chicken, or any quail, sometimes 
called Virginia partridge, except upon his own premises, or 
with the consent of the owner of such premises. 
Sec. 2. The foregoing section shall not apply to any per¬ 
son who shall kill any bird for the purpose of studying its 
habits or history; or having the same stuffed or set up as a 
specimen, or to any person who shall kill on his own prem¬ 
ises any birds in the act of destroying fruits or grapes. No 
person shall destroy, disturb, or rob the nests of any wild 
bird whatever, excepting those of the crows, blackbirds, 
blue jays, hawks, owls, eagles, and other birds of prey. 
Sec. 3. It shall be unlawful for any person to purchase, 
have in possession or expose for sale any of the birds or 
game mentioned in the preceding section one of this act, 
during the season when the catching, killing or injuring the 
same is hereby prohibited. 
Sec. 4. It shall be unlawful for any railroad company, 
express company, steamboat company or other company or 
corporation, or private individual, to have in possession, or 
receive for transportation or carriage, or for any other pur¬ 
pose whatsover, any of the birds or game mentioned in 
section one of this act, during the season when the catching, 
killing or injuring the same is hereby prohibited. 
—The following letter from ‘‘Uncle John” is interesting, 
as showing the kind of game to be found in Colorado. For 
a more general article on same subject, see Forestand 
Stream Vol. No. 10, page 147. That article, which orig¬ 
inally appeared in this paper, went the rounds of the 
country, and finally came back to us credited to the Den¬ 
ver Tribune. There is nothing like going abroad to learn 
the news from home:— 
Philadelphia, March 4, 1874. 
Editor Porest and Stream:— 
I inquired of a friend of mine in Denver City what kind of e;ame there 
was in that country, as I intend to visit there for collecting specimens. 
He writes me that they have quail, prairie chickens, ducks of all kinds 
and geese, also jack rabbits, (long-eared hare). At the foot of the moun¬ 
tains can be found blue jays of different varieties, magpies, crows and 
ravens, and plenty of ptarmigan, called out there the mountain quail; 
these are found about the upper range among the timber. There also 
abounds abundance of sage cock ( Gentrocercus Urophosianus) and quite a 
variety of squirrels, black, white, red and gray, and different species of 
gophers, bear, elk, deer, antelope, mountain sheep, lynx, wild cats, pole¬ 
cats, mink, badger, otter, prairie dogs, muskrats, weasels, &c. They 
caught the other day a singular little animal, sort of mixture between 
prairie dog, ferret and weasel, having a head shaped like a rattlesnake, 
about the size of one of our “cotton tails” (rabbits). It was more than 
a mateh for four dogs in capturing him. Yours truly, John Krider. 
—The Merry Mount Shooting Club of Quincy, Mass., 
participated in their first pigeon match under their present 
organization in that town on Thursday, April 2d. The 
members shot at ten birds each, twenty-one yards rise, 
eighty yards boundary*H and T trap, and governed by the 
rules of the Tremont Club of Boston. The following is 
their score: 
KILLED. MISSED 
O. H. Studley... 
..0 
1 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
1 
0 
3 
7 
P. Chubbuck.... 
..1 
0 
1 
1 
0 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
4 
6 
G. S. Buckley. .. 
..0 
1 
0 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
0 
0 
6 
4 
Edw. Hardwick. 
. .1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
1 
0 
1 
0 
4 
6 
Noah Curtis. 
..1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
0 
0 
1 
0 
1 
7 
3 
Geo. W. Morton.. 
..1 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
0 
1 
4 
6 
C. F. Pierce. 
..1 
0 
1 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
3 
7 
W. E. Stagles_ 
..1 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
1 
1 
1 
0 
5 
5 
Thos. Curtis. 
..1 
0 
1 
1 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
4 
6 
Frank Wilson... 
..1 
1 
1 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
1 
5 
5 
Geo. Monk. 
. .0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
1 
0 
1 
3 
7 
Sami Spear. 
. .0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
2 
8 
C. F. Hunt----.. 
. .0 
1 
1 
0 
1 
0 
1 
1 
1 
1 
7 
3 
Sam’l Bass. 
. .0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
1 
1 
0 
0 
1 
4 
6 
61 79 
A large number of spectators were present, but the day 
though pleasant was cold and windy, which accounts for 
the number of “misses” as the most of the above are noted 
as fine shooters on the wing. 
—A call has been issued to organize a State Sportsman’s 
Association in Ohio._ 
The Rigby Rife. —As this rifle made by Mr. John Rigby, 
of Dublin, is exciting a great deal of attention, it being the 
arm to be used by the Irish eight, at the suggestion of 
many of our readers we publish a brief account of the 
same. The Rigby is a muzzle-loader, and has a combina¬ 
tion pistol handle stock. Diameter of bore 451; largest di¬ 
ameter 480. No. of grooves 7; grooving very shallow; lands 
narrow, about one quarter width of grooves; uniform twist, 
one turn in twenty-two inches. The form of grooving ren¬ 
ders it impossible it is said for the bullet to strip. Bullet 
530 grains, hard metal, solid base, felt wads, powder 90 
grains, Curtis & Harveys No. 6 (14 grains). False muzzle 
loader used. At an official trial at Woolwich, the low trajec¬ 
tory of two degrees, forty-four minutes at 1,000 yards was 
made with the Rigby._ 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
As a careful observer of the development and growth of 
rifle practice in the United States, and having been a wit¬ 
ness of its results in other countries, I offer you a few re¬ 
marks on the subject. 
I must express my satisfaction in recognizing from the 
general tenor of the remarks of your journal on the subject 
of rifle practice, that your advocacy thereof is based on a 
thorough and sound understanding of the true object to 
be gained therefrom, a point which should always be kept 
prominently before the minds of those whose co-operation 
in furthering the work is desired. 
As a pastime simply, rifle practice, though a pleasant 
sport, would not be worthy of the study of the able men 
of the country. Regarded as a discipline, for the nerves, 
the muscles, and the brain, as an accomplishment, the ob¬ 
taining of which shall place our military men on a far 
higher scale in the estimation of foreign powers, and as an 
important addition to the efficiency of the soldier when re¬ 
quired for the defence of his country, it is worthy of the 
earnest advocacy of every man among us, and to this end 
our prominent men should support the movement with 
their influence and with their money. Mr. Bennett has 
recently come nobly forward to give an impetus to rifle 
shooting for the coming season, and his example should 
stimulate others. Prizes.should be freely and liberally of¬ 
fered to the National Rifle Association, and everything 
done to aid the promoters of this enterprise which they 
have inaugurated; and such support will redound, to the 
honor of our country, and to its prosperity in increasing the 
physical power of our young men. In regard to the Irish 
match for which I notice signs of preparation in various 
parts of the country, I would like to advise our distant 
friends to go into training at once, and with a will and busi¬ 
ness exactitude; to select their rifles, raise their targets 
with care, and to study thoroughly the theory of marks¬ 
manship; to become acquainted with the effect of . light 
and shade, of wind and weather, of a rise- or fall in tile 
ground, and also to learn in what respects Creedmoor range 
differs from their own, and to assimilate their premises to 
it if possible. I could suggest much, but fear to trespass 
upon your space. I cannot but feel, however, that no 
effort should be spared, now that the international match 
has become a fact, to gain a triumph for the marksmen of 
our country. Such a triumph would give us cause for con¬ 
gratulation far more than we can at present imagine.— 
Yours, Yox. 
—We have to thank our friend “Veritas” for another 
contribution to our larders. Twenty brace of English 
snipe are not received every day. He says, under date of 
April 8th:—“We have had truly royal sport at English 
snipe here in Virginia. The birds are in fine condition, as 
you will see, some of them being of extraordinary size. 
My friend and self, two guns only, bagged close up to 
three hundred birds in seven days or parts of- days’ shoot¬ 
ing, balance of weather bad. Details of shooting I will 
write in another letter. Home to-night.” 
A BRE ECH LO ADER. 
Baltimore, Feb. 28,1874. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
Iu a former letter I referred to a central fire breech-loading gun made 
in this city. I now take up the “Sneider’s patent breech loader.” I 
will preface my remarks by saying that I have no interest, direct or indi¬ 
rect, in this gun, so I trust you will hold me guiltless of interested mo¬ 
tives. I am writing this only for the benefit of my fellow sportsmen. I 
have always been a gun fancier, have owned many, examined and shot 
more, and while I do not claim to be an expert, I think I know a little 
somet hing on the subject. I have always claimed that the “coining gun” 
would be an American one, and think that “Sneider’s” comes nearer to 
it than any I have yet seen. Unfortunately there are many who think 
that nothing good can be made in this country, that clothes, guns, 
watches, &c., to be first class must be imported. Now I am an American 
in every sense of the word, and am proud of American productions 
and believe that we can make anything, especially in the mechanical line 
as well here as can be made anywhere. Many, if not most, of the valu¬ 
able modern inventions are American, and why should we not make a 
first class gun? Our military arms are sought for by foreign powers 
and acknowledged the best. As a people we think and act for ourselves, 
do not follow in the same old rut, and most inventions are improved 
when taken hold of by us. 
We are not willing “to let well enough alone,” but are always thinking 
how to improve it. Mr. Sneider went over to Europe last year to order 
his barrels, but as they did not seem to get hold of his ideas, he forged 
some out himself and left them as patterns, and his barrels are made 
there of the best material from these patterns. 
The peculiarity of his barrels is that they are very heavy at the breech, 
but do not carry the metal to the muzzle with a gradual taper (on the out¬ 
side), but grow peceptibly lighter immediately above the chamber, then 
taper out gradually. Therefore the weight is where it belongs, well be¬ 
hind, and the barrel, being very thick there, is not weakened by boring 
out the chamber for the cartridge case, nor is the gun clumsy, as would 
be the case if the barrels tapered gradually to the muzzle and had the 
same weight at the breech as at present. The grip or fastening when the 
gun is closed is one of the very best I have ever seen, surpassing all 
others in strength and simplicity. It is at the extreme end of the barrels, 
thus giving more leverage and firmness than if nearer the hinge bolt, and 
it locks the gun both above and below, so that all jumping or jarrin'g of 
the barrels, forward or up, when the gun is fired, is overcome or rattier 
prevented. But to overcome any possible motion, he has a self acting 
compensator, which meets any wear which may take place of the bear¬ 
ings. By a simple attachment he relieves .the hinge bolt from all strain 
when the gun is opened. This I look upon as a most valuable improve¬ 
ment. One of the principal objections I have heard made to the central- 
fire gun is that the extractor is apt to clog with rust or dirt, and I have 
several times had it happen to me when in the field, and could neither 
open nor close my gun. With most of them you have to take the barrels 
from the stock and unscrew the plate beneath the barrels to get at the 
extractor, and often this screen will be found rusted in. In this gun the ex¬ 
tractor can be pulled out readily with the thumb and finger at any time, 
and by taking it out wheu you clean the gun and wiping it, all danger of 
clogging or catching is overcome. The gun is top-action, both j snap 
and lever, so that if by any chance the spring should break yon can still 
use the gun, but as the spring is flat and simple, and opened by the shut¬ 
ting of the barrels down upon it, I do not see how it can possibly break. 
These guns are said by sportsmen who have used them for a 
long time to shoot remarkably well, and the only objection I have ever 
heard made is that they are not finished so finely as the English guns, but 
I suppose you can get finish if you choose to pay for it. They fit close, 
and work smoothly, are beautifully balanced, of correct proportions and 
simple in construction, and as to the finish for my own part I prefer a gun 
perfectly plain without a scratch of engraving. 
Your paper is read by most of the sportsmen here and acknowledged 
as authority. Every sportsman has his own peculiar ideas about a gun, 
and it is difficult to put these down on paper. 
To benefit my fellow sportsmen must be my excuse for asking you to 
publish what seems very much like a puff, bnt I wish “to do unto others 
as I would be done by,” and give them a hint; verburn sap. A sports¬ 
men’s club for the preservation of game is much needed, and I trust the 
gentlemen here will be stimulated by your efforts and form one. There 
are many enthusiastic and thorough sportsmen here, but there seems to 
be apathy about enforcing the game law. While they would not shoot 
out of season they decline to enter complaint. Quail are to be found in 
restaurants and hotels oat of season, under the name of “short bills,” 
and I regret to say that a gentleman told me at the Clubs also. Wood 
cock are shot and eaten in March and April. I agree with you that Mr. 
Hallock’s resolution adopted by the American Fish Culturists’ Associa¬ 
tion was admirable as far as it went, but I wish it could have been made 
to include game and other birds as well. Your paper is doing a noble 
work, and you have commenced none to soon, and I trust your effort# 
will be erowned with success; Wanderer. 
huhting mtd Routing. 
All communications from Secretaries and friends should be 
later than Monday in each week. 
mailed not 
HIGH WATER, FOR THE WEEK. 
DATE. 
| BOSTON. 
NEW YORK." 
| h. m. 
h. in. 
April 9. 
. 1 5 2 
1 50 
April 10. 
1 6 11 
2 57 
April 11. . . 
| ? 20 
4 5 
April 12. 
. ' 8 25 
5 10 
April 13. 
. 1 9 21 | 
6 7 
April 14. 
| 10 12 
6 58 
April 15. 
. 1 IT 1 
1 7 44 
h. m 
1 
Q 
3 20 
Our Halifax letter on Canoe Cruising is unavoidably laid 
over until next week. 
—At the expiration of each yachting season the emir 
fleet of beautiful little vessels which, all through the summer 
has been such a decorative feature in our harbor, vanishes 
away. Where, no one man knows. Some go up the 
Hudson, some out in the Sound and many return to their 
builder’s yards for protection during the winter. The foot 
of Court street, Brooklyn, has long been quite a popular 
rendezvous for a number of our yachts, both large and 
small, and a visit to this place at this season of the year 
will prove interesting to anyone of an aquatic turn of mind 
showing not only how they are stowed away when not in 
use, but the preparations for the coming season. The 
amateur marine architect will also have an excellent oppor¬ 
tunity of passing judgment on the “lines” of the smaller 
yachts which are usually hauled out each fall. To com¬ 
plete the winter arrangements, in the case of one of these 
smaller vessels, the sails are unbent and sent to its particu¬ 
lar store house, together with all the running gear and 
moveable articles of any value, the cabin locked up and the 
masts coated with tallow, or whatever material appears 
best calculated in the eyes of the yacht’s owner to preserve 
the spar from the influences of the weather. Then 
an examination of the manner in which she has been 
shored up takes place, and she is left, in all probability, not 
to be revisited until the ensuing spring. The larger boats 
go through the same process so far as sails, moveable articles 
and mast coatings are concerned, but are left in the water 
and snugly moored in such positions as will free them as 
much as possible from the drift of the ice. On board the 
very large schooners, one or two men, sometimes more, are 
left in charge. 
But at this season, as we said, much more may be seen, 
Workmen employed in every possible way are scattered 
about, masts and spars being treated to a dose of the 
scraper, and in many cases, hulls too, screeching under the 
same instrument. Men with adzes are at work on new 
counters or overhangs and on new planks, wherever found, 
and they may be found everywhere in exact proportion to 
the owner’s opinion of his own abilities as a naval architect 
and in nowise dependent upon the fact that the vessel has 
real faults and requires alterations. Painting, bending sails, 
reeving gear, removing canvas covers from gilded fiddle , 
heads and stern ornaments—everywhere is bustle and activ¬ 
ity among those vessels destined to be the “early ones.” 
“The foot of Court street” is a peninsula, on the right hand 
a shelving shore which, when the tide is out, inclines one 
to the belief that oui harbor is not sufficiently like the Bay 
of Fundy to float out one of the ‘'little ones,” even at high 
water, and on this side of the street may be seen all the 
yachts which have been hauled out; on the other side, how¬ 
ever, is a wharf with apparently considerable depth of water 
alongside, and here are moored the schooners and those 
sloops which have remained in the water during the winter. 
Prominent among those on the right, probably from her 
proximity to the street and not from any individual merit, 
is the “Isabel,” one of our sand-bag-racing-machines, a 
boat absolutely without draft of water, but with great bear¬ 
ings when heeled. She is evidently not intended to sail 
upon her bottom, as indeed one glance at her mast and bow 
sprit would prove a Beyond her is a whole nest of little 
sloops, ranging from thirty to forty-five feet over all, among 
which are the “Modesty,” the pretty little “Idler,’ the 
“Lurline,” the “Lizzie L.,” the “Viking,” which, fromher 
sharpness of floor, we should suspect of having been a key 
boat originally; the “Aquatia,” open; and the “Lookout, 
half cabin. The “Edith,” cabin sloop, seems to have been 
the first under way this spring, as she is already launcke 
and equipped. 
Passing around Mr. Munn’s shop we came first to the 
“Nimble,” a very able looking sloop of about forty feet, 
and next to her Mr. G. L. Haight’s “Genie,” new last 
season, was being launched, having been improved in ap 
pearance during the winter by the addition of an oveihang 
of about four feet. Ahead of her was the “Mariquita^ 
Mr. Cliuver, looking very saucy in her boat of black pain 
and gold stripe; and alongside the last mentioned b° at ^ 
a very pretty little Gabin sloop twenty-nine feet long, w 1 
Mr. Munn has just finished and which we believe is for sa • ^ 
Still further down the street may be seen the “Nautiu, 
“Susie P.” and some others of about the same size- 
celebrated ‘ ‘Lee, ” a boat very much like the 1 ‘Isabel, is 8 ^ 
ing with black lead near by. Coming back the stree 
turning our attention to the vessels in the watei on 
wharf side, we saw the “Meta,” which is being a } tere <( L[ 
a schooner, her performances last fall on her uninten ^ 
cruise down the coast perhaps having decided her o 
that he preferred his canvas in smaller pieces; ^ j 
mast is going in about two feet forward of the oldinas ^ 
and her main mast will be stepped, leaving twenty | 
the clear between the two. We should judge that er ^ ^ 
will be of about the same weight and length as those 
