MakCh 19, 1885. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



14 7 



our present line. They had evidently breakfasted for they 

 were now quiet and evinced no inclination to either move 

 forward or lie down, so we concluded instead of longer wait- 

 ing and watching- to make a short detour and approach 

 within rifle shot of them under cover of a slight rise in the 

 ground lo our left. This movement on our part was so 

 speedily and carefully performed that at our next view of 

 the deer we were within a hundred yards of them. 



They looked very handsome, and all in blissful ignorance. 

 of the prospective "deep damnation of their taking off." 

 We could approach no nearer, but oue needs no fairer op- 

 portunity to do good execution, than given a .45-70 Sharps 

 and a deer broadside at a hundred yards. Here, at least was 

 a place where there was no ground for an argument between 

 bullet and buckshot. We fortunately had taken the precau- 

 tion to plug up the lower opening on our rear sights, and 

 selecting the two bucks, banged, banged. The bullets Were 

 off and both bucks fell, our quota full; but Doc, forgetful of 

 his modest and reasonable figures of the morning, fired at 

 the doc, who yet lingered near her dead companions, seem- 

 ingly astounded at their strange antics. 

 'A clean miss, by Jupiter." 



"A clean hit sure as you're alive," says Tuck. 



"She jumped away in too good form for a wouuded deer." 



"V-c-s, she was lively enough, and went out of sight ap- 

 parently -unharmed, but I noticed she was not going in her 

 natural way. She is favoring some part of her body, and I 

 mistrust she is shot through the belly. We'll come up to 

 her presently and rind where her complaint is." 



With OUT knives we gave the bucks the finishing touches. 

 They had both been struck just back of the shoulder, and 

 died as we would have them without much suffering. We 

 started after the doe and found she had tumbled into quite 

 a deep gully only a few hundred yards from where we had 

 shut her. She was done for, and it was only from Tuck's 

 knowledge of action that we searched for and found her. 

 There are, no doubt, plenty of deer killed and never brought 

 into camp, simply because* they go out of sight apparently 

 untouched, and it would be ou the side of mercy if every 

 hunter would make soaie study of the deer in motion, so he 

 might be able to detect any varying of its natural move- 

 ment after it had been shot at," and by following up he 

 would prevent much unnecessary suffering and enjoy the 

 other satisfaction of better luck. 



We were in camp by noon. Our companions had already 

 returned from their morning hunt empty-handed. With a 

 couple of pack horses our spoils were brought in early in the 

 afternoon, and now, with seven deer and an antelope hang- 

 ing up a tree, there was no present prospect of running short 

 of provisions, and as the main object of the expedition was 

 not to kill everything in the canons, we varied the pro- 

 gramme by loafing in the tent the remainder of the day. A 

 party of friends who had been hunting in the neighborhood 

 paid us au afternoon visit. They had not met with as good 

 success as we had, and were going to return home in the 

 morning. As they were not loaded heavily, they took back 

 to the V B ranch four of our deer, which lightened our load, 

 and gave us a few more days in the Goshen Hole canons. 



MtLLABI>. 



HINTS AND WRINKLES. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your issue of March 5 "Backwoods" calls attention to 

 a method of fixing wads in place without crimping. This 

 is the same idea carried out more perfectly and "fully by 

 Alexander's shot wad advertised in same issue. A glance at 

 the cut of the latter wad shows clearly the advantage of it. 

 Will you kindly send me "Backwoods's" address, that I may 

 send hi in a sample of Alexander's wad, F. H. Hack. 



Baltimore, Md., March 8. 



Editor Fared and Stream: 



Having tested the merino felt wads thoroughly, I commend 

 them to sportsmen as being in my judgment superior, for 

 pattern, penetration and cleanliness, to any wad I have ever 

 used, excepting the English thick felt wad, which is similar, 

 only containing more grease, and sold at a price which places 

 them beyond the reach of sportsmen of moderate means. 



I use a No. 12, 2f-inch shell, loaded as follows: I drams 

 powder, a thin Card wad (No. 12), then a first grade thick 

 meriuo felt wad (No. 11), and a Card wad (No. 12), put down 

 with one or two strokes of a mallet, 1-J- ounces of shot, 

 and a second grade merino felt wad, which is about half the 

 thickness of the first grade wad, and crimp the shell down 

 firmly. I find that with this load my gun shoots with great 

 power, and the shot are thrown with extreme closeness and 

 great regularity. 



I think the great advantage to be derived from the use of 

 the felt wad over the ordinary hard wad consists in the fact 

 that being more elastic and* expansive they more perfectly 

 and tightly fit the barrel, expanding readily where the bore 

 is enlarged (as most chokebore guns are for some distance 

 back of the choke), and as readily contracting where the 

 bore is constricted, thus absolutely preventing the escape of 

 gases and the disturbance of the shot charge, which fre- 

 quently results from this cause. E. L. M. 



Washington, D. C. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I have a 10-gauge, 9| pounds, right barrel 250 and left 300 

 pellets in a 24 inch circle, 40 yards, 1£ ounces No. 8 shot, 

 and for all kinds of shooting I think it the best gun I ever 

 used. I have owned small-bores, 12, 14 and 16, but do not 

 want any more of them. Aside from my own experience, 

 the fact that about 85 per cent, of the best sportsmen in the 

 country are using 10-gauges is all the evidence I want that 

 they are superior to the smaller bores for all kinds of shoot- 

 ing. I load lor woodcock with 3 drams powder, -J ounce 

 No. 10 shot; partridges, 4 drams powder, § ounce No. 8 shot, 

 and for ducks, 4 to 4£ drams powder and 1£ ounces of shot, 

 •and the results are highly satisfactory to me. I think a great 

 many sportsmen use too much shot in chokebores for brush- 

 sbooting. If they will try lighter loads of shot when brash- 

 shooliug I think they will make better bags. 



I pland game quite scarce here, our best shooting being at 



winter was very severe on game in that section. 



Skirmisueu. 

 Clyde, N. Y. ___^ 



Editor Forest a/ad, Stream: 



I could not keep my first breechloader from rusting in the 

 winter after I had cleaned and put it away. When I came 

 in with my gun I would clean it, oil it thoroughly, aud put 

 it away in a dry place; but it would rust inside. I soon dis- 



covered that it was the frost in the barrels, which difficulty 

 I overcame by setting the gun near the stove till it was per- 

 fectly dry, after which, when cleaned and oiled, I had no 

 trouble with it. Skikmtsher. 



Clyde, N. Y 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



This is my experience with the Alexander mucilage- edged 

 wads: I carefully loaded eight paper shells with the exact 

 amount of powder and shot in each. I used an Eley pink- 

 edged wad on the powder. In four of them I used a Bald- 

 win or common wad on the shot, and crimped the shell in 

 the ordinary way. In the. other four 1 used Alexander's 

 patent shot wad, which abolishes the crimper. At a distance 

 of 35 yards I placed my 30-iuch target and fired the eight 

 shells alternately, using a new target for each shot. With 

 the Alexander wad I put from 31 to 43 more shot in the 

 circle than with the shells that were crimped. I got as good, 

 if not better, penetration by the use of the Alexander wad. 

 When testing I used the same barrel all the time, and kept a 

 shell loaded with an Alexander wad on the shot in the other 

 barrel to see if it would jar loose. After shooting I found, 

 upon exaraiuation, it was as firm as before I commenced. 

 J. S. W. 



MY GUN. 



rpHE knell lias toll'd, the hours are tied, 

 ■*- And I shall mourn my friend as dead 

 Till August sun shines o'er your head— 



My gun, 



Then you shall leap to life once more, 

 And in a loud and deaf 'ning roar 

 Your voice shall ring across the moor- 

 Old gun. 



When autumn's chill and withering blast 

 Your steely locks shook free at last. 

 With me your lot you freely cast- 

 Dear gun. 



I never knew you yet to fail. 

 When once you sighted "can" or teal. 

 Death struck them down with leaden hail- 

 Sure gun. 



And in the yellow harvest field, 



Where shivering partridge crouched and quailed, 



To knock them over you seldom failed— 



Rare gun. 



With me you've, been both true and tried, 

 With ammunition well supplied, 

 No game at forty yards denied— 



That gun. 



When 'cock and pheasant from the brake, 

 On whirring wings their flight woidd take, 

 Your voice the forests would awake — 



True gun. 



When winter's silv'ry moon was high 

 Along the shore when game was nigh, 

 T read "death" in your hollow eye — 



Sure gun, 



On many an ice-cold winter's day, 

 When snipe and plover were your prey, 

 Bang ! right and left you blazed away- 

 Good gun. 



And o'er the plain aud in the wood, 



And through the marsh by field and flood. 



To me an honest friend you stood— 



Old gun. 



'Tis years since first my arm you pressed, 

 Aud I your shining coat caressed: 

 You've won a place within my breast- 

 Dear gun. 



Within that case some months you'll lie, 

 Where I shall keep you warm and dry, 

 And now again to you good-bye— 



My gun. 



Newark, N. J . James Flood. 



MAINE TAXIDERMISTS. 



IT will be remembered that the Maine Legislature of 

 1882-83 repealed the law which provided for the ap- 

 pointment of taxidermists in that State, and thus put into 

 force for everybody the game laws, as well as the statutes 

 for the protection of insectivorous birds, which laws were 

 made more stringent and effective at that session. The rea- 

 son for this repeal was the abuses of the taxidermists' privi- 

 leges, the same as in every other State which presumes to 

 protect our song birds. Persons who there wished to kill a 

 deer in close time, or any other game, were simply obliged 

 to obtain a taxidermist's permit, from the Governor I believe, 

 and they could shoot as they pleased. This caused the Com- 

 missioners and game wardens of Maine no little trouble 

 and chagrin. But the Legislature made a clean sweep in 

 the winter of 1883. The song and insectivorous birds had 

 decreased to an alarming extent in some parts of the State. 



The repeal caused a howl among those who wanted to 

 shoot, and in some instances complaint came from students 

 who were honest in their wishes to secure natural history 

 specimens. The result of that feeling has been the framing 

 and passage of the following law by the Legislature just 

 closed : 



AN ACT 

 To Authorize the Taking of Brans and their Nests and Eggs 



fok Scientific Purposes. 

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Legis- 

 lature assembled, as follows: 



Section 1. Upon the request and recommendation of the Fish and 

 Game Commissioners, the Governor, with the advice and consent of 

 the Council, may commission persons to take, kill, capture and have 

 in their possession any species of bird, other than domestic, and the 

 nests and eggs thereof for scientific purposes, but the number of 

 commissions in force shall not exceed ten at any time. 



Sec. 2. No person to whom such commission may be granted shall 

 sell, off er for sale, or take any compensation for specimens of birds, 

 nests or eggs, nor dispose of the same by gift or otherwise to betaken 

 from the State, except to be exchanged for scientific purposes, and 

 for any violation of any of the above provisions of this section, such 

 persons shall be subject to a fine of not less than ten nor more than 

 fifty dollars, to be recovered by complaint before any trial justice or 

 municipal judge, one-half to the complainant and one-half to the 

 county where the proceedings are commenced. 



Sec. 3. This act shall not authorize the taking, capturing, or killing 

 any bird, or talcing the nests or eggs thereof on Sunday. 



Sec. 4. The commissions authorized by this act shall be in force f or 

 two years only from the date of then? issue, and for such commissions 

 there shall be paid to the State a fee of five dollar's. 



Sbc. 5. Whenever the Fish and Game Commissioners shall so re- 

 quest, the Governor shall recall and cancel any commission issued by 

 the authority of this act. 



This law sounds like a good one, if taxidermists must be 



appointed at all. It leaves their appointment to the Fish 

 and Game Commissioners, in good hands, so far as Maine is 

 concerned, at least, and then leaves them at the mercy of 

 same Commissioners. The number is limited —they should 

 have, been put under heavy bonds— so much the better for 

 the buds— and prohibits traffic in dead birds, It would have 

 been well to have added in Section 4, after "birds," their 

 skins ; since the trade in bird skins in some sections of New 

 England is enormous. But perhaps the killing for "scien- 

 tific purposes" is broad enough to cover danger "in the direc- 

 tion of bird skins. 



In Massachusetts many thousand sea swallows are killed 

 every season and their skins sent to France to be dyed for 

 milinery purposes. It is in the direction of fashion that the 

 destruction of our many birds is most to be feared. The 

 fashion is simply a disgusting one. Nothing is more sicken- 

 ing than a dead bird on a hat. It contributes nothing to the 

 good taste of the wearer. A woman has frequently rode in 

 the horse cars this winter from Boston Highlands to Temple 

 Place, with the whole front of a prairie chicken on her hat, 

 with shrivelled beak and glass beads for eyes, projecting in 

 the same direction as the woman's nose. The expression on 

 her face seems to say, "What a nice ornament I wear on my 

 hat." Bah! What a poor, uncultivated, cruel taste. 



The writer of this has at the present time a Brazilian grass 

 parrakeet, a very handsome and affectionate little fellow. 

 He sits on the finger while his master writes; chirps and 

 kisses his lingers, then runs up the arm and nestles under 

 his chin, puts his head into the vest pocket, will even climb 

 up and kiss the lips if permitted to do so. This bird is a 

 beauty, and has a little episode in his history. His beautiful 

 plumage, long-tipped wing pinions and tail might have cost, 

 him his life, A would-be lady earnestly petitioned his. 

 owner the other day to sell him, " She had just held him on 

 her finger and witnessed some of his affectionate, cunning 

 tricks. But it turned out that she wanted him stuffed to 

 wear on her hat. That woman would make a good Indian 

 squaw; but she pretcuds to move in good society. The bird 

 is safe. His bright little coat will never cater to a sentiment 

 too vulgar and cruel for a civilized woman. Special. 



TO CURE GUN-SHYNESS. 



Editor Forest and. Stream: 



In your issue of yesterday I notice a communication from. 

 "Green Wing," Glencoe, Fla., entitled "Flinching." Your 

 correspondent advises that one should have the "tumblers or 

 dogs filed or ground, so that the gun will go off with a very 

 slight touch of the trigger." This advice strikes me as being 

 very bad indeed and conducive to a great many more acci- 

 dents, and I hope that no "gun-shy" readers of the Fouest 

 and Stream will try this plan. 



A good many years ago an uncle of mine brought me from 

 England a book entitled "The. Modern Playmate." by the 

 Rev. J. G. Wood. The directions which he gives for teach- 

 ing a novice to shoot cured me of the habit of flinching, and 

 I send them to you, hoping that others may be benefited by 

 them. They are quoted, 1 think, from Col. Hawker's "In 

 structions to Young Sportsmen," and are as follows: 



"Put caps on the gun and a wafer on the wall. 



"Then let him practice at this mark, and when he can 

 draw the trigger without flinching he may proceed to take 

 his second lesson, remembering that in doing this the mo- 

 ment that the gun is brought to the center of the object the 

 trigger should be pulled, as the first aim is always unques- 

 tionably the best. 



"Then send him out to practice at a card with powder till 

 he is perfectly steady, and afterward load the gun occasion- 

 ally with shot; but never let the time of your making this 

 addition be known to him, and the idea of its being perhaps 

 impossible to strike the object will remove all anxiety, and 

 he will soon become perfectly collected. 



"The intermediate lesson of a few shots at small buds 

 may be given; but the above plan throughout must be 

 adopted at game and continued in the first instance till the 

 pupil has divested himself of all tremor at the springing of 

 a covey, and observed in the last till most of his charges of 

 shot have proved fatal to birds. 



"If he begins to shoot with both eyes open, he will save 

 himself the trouble of learning to shoot so afterwards. 



"An aim thus from the right shoulder crimes to the same 

 point as one ta*ken with the left eye shut, and it is the most 

 ready way of shooting quickly." 



Of course, these apply more directly to the beginner, but 

 I can vouch for their curing one of the worst cases of gun- 

 shyness that ever came under my notice, my own. Elk. 



MORE ABOUT THE SPORTSMAN. 



THERE are sportsmen and sportsmen and sportsmen, and 

 I think this triplet includes about the entire genus 

 except the market gunners, who gun for a livelihood; and so 

 long as they gun or fish honorably, and are not law breakers, 

 they are not to be rashly censured. But as they are never 

 called nor call themselves sportsmen, we pass them without 

 further remark. 



A numerous class of sportsmen is those who go for a 

 "good time," care but little for the kind or quantity of game 

 bagged, as they can generally get enough of that from 

 dealers to take home and send to friends, have large outfits 

 consisting of kegs, but more often of mysterious baskets, 

 bottles, boxes, eta, not usually seen around their homes. 



Generally they are large-hearted fellows — who ever saw a 

 churl or miser among such? — but being far away from home 

 associations, home restraints are thrown off and a degree of 

 license allowed that would be thought very rude, "if not 

 worse, by their usual associates. We are all acquainted 

 with such if we have not indulged in their ways. 



Another class is of those who hunt only to kill, and these 

 are rarely if ever found among the former class, being too 

 earnest fbr blood to waste any time in carousing or story 

 telling, and stopping only when no game can be killed. To 

 themeverything is game that will count. Whether fiugerling 

 trout — example the one hundred and eighty -five Chateaugay 

 trout that weighed nine and one quarter pounds, all caught 

 in one day — half grown woodcock, partridge chicks, or 

 sucking fawns. Such care little for game laws, and nothing 

 but a slight fear of its possible grip on their pockets causes 

 them to pay any attention to legislative enactments. Instead 

 of "sportsmen" they should be styled "game exterminators." 

 May their number be growing "small and beautifully less." 



Last, but not least in the list are those who, worn out 

 with the cares and confinement of an active business or 

 sedentary life, seek recuperation and sport in a day's, week's 

 or month's retirement among the fields, lakes and mountains 

 to obtain health and recreation in a law-abiding way. The 

 rod or gun are not all that go to make up to the full the 



