802 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



fNoV. 11, 1886. 



THE NATIONAL HORSE SHOW, 

 A LL true lovers of the horse will regi-et that the show 

 which closed in this city last Satiu-day was so 

 entirely tmsatisf actory. Last year the exhibition was an 

 excellent one, the entries were numerous, and the classes 

 well filled, so that the admirers of all the different types 

 of horses were attracted to the show, and found there the 

 animals in which they were especially interested. This 

 year it was not so, and the exhibits were to a considerable 

 extent crossbred animals, which, however well they may 

 perform their work, present no distinct type. Even the 

 trotting horse, which is America's especial pride, was 

 pooiiy represented as to numbers. 



Heavy horses, such as Percherons, Clydesdales and 

 Cart Horses were conspicuous by their absence; thorough- 

 breds were very few in number, and, although there were 

 some superb trotters on exhibition, they were few and far 

 between. On the other hand, the entries of carriage 

 horses, cobs, ponies, saddle hbrses and hunters were 

 numerous. There were scarcely any entries of donkeys 

 and mules. 



It is, of course, very well and proper that there should 

 be a good showing of dog-cart horses, tandems, four-m- 

 hands, high steppers and aU that, but it seems a pity 

 that the whole show should be given up to exhibits of 

 that description. There should have been some repre- 

 sentation of work horses as distinguished from those used 

 only for pleasure. Classes for family horses, single and 

 double, driven to their ordinary rigs would, no doubt, 

 have brought in many entries from about New York, and 

 would have given recognition to a most valuable and nse- 

 ful animal. 



The criticisms upon the judging were sharp and in 

 many cases deserved. It is an undoubted fact that in 

 many cases the judges might have profitably taken lessons 

 in horse flesh from their own grooms, and in one case at 

 least, where a prizie was given to a cripple, it seems 

 unfortunate that the grooms had not occupied their em- 

 ployers' places. 



A horse show, properly conducted and with full classes, 

 is a most valuable educator, but the one which has just 

 closed cannot claim to have filled any useful purpose. It 

 may have been — and probably was — a financial success, 

 but it was nothing more. People will flock to a horse show 

 to see hurdle and bar jumping, just as they will go to a 

 circus, but, as at the cii'cus, they receive entertainment 

 and nothing more. 



The National Horse Show Association is not supposed 

 to have been formed for the purpose of making money. 

 We have imagined that it was established with a higher 

 object in view than the mere screwing of doUai's out of 

 the pockets of the people of New York city by means of 

 a hippodrome performance once a year in Madison Square 

 Garden, 



If this belief is a correct one, the Association will see to 

 it that their next year's show is planned on lines very dif- 

 ferent from that of the last. A National horse show 

 should have a representation of horses of all classes, and 

 a little energetic work on the part of the managers will 

 insure such a representation. Thoroughbreds, trotters, 

 carriage horses, cobs, ponies, saddle horses, hunters, fam- 

 ily horses, di-aught horses and mules, ought all to be 

 shown and in good numbers. If the National Horse 

 Show is to consist of nothing but a little jumping and 

 such a display as can be seen in Central Park almost any 

 fine afternoon, its present name had better be abandoned 

 and some other more appropriate one chosen. 



NEW YORK MILITIA PRACTICE. 



THE scheme of rifle practice laid down for the mem- 

 bers of the National Guard of this State is very per- 

 fect — on paper. The returns of rifle practice under this 

 system are very pretty — on paper. In fact, the system Is 

 very far from satisfactory, and another year should see it 

 changed. It was originally intended that the men should 

 parade for practice, each man taking his rifle to the range, 

 making a score with it at the prescribed distances, and 

 being graded according to the record thus made. But as 

 an acccftnmodation to the men who ah-eady give a great 

 deal of time to their volunteer soldier duties, it was 

 agreed that certain of the matches of the National Rifle 

 Association should stand in place of regular practice, and 

 that scores made in these matches, when properly certi- 

 fied, should go upon the official record. In other words, 

 members of one organization with abundant time at their 

 disposal visit the ranges on these off-day shoots, shoot 

 and then rest upon the best score made, while members 

 of other commands, having neither time nor money for 

 this extra practice, go throixgh their official duties only 

 and fill a place low down on the column of merit. 



The State gains by this plan in having a few very good 

 regiments at its call; but the injustice comes in when an 

 enforced comparison is made between the men under 

 these conditions. 



Another point of criticism is that the scores ai'e made 

 with a few chosen rifles out of the stock doled out to each 

 regiment. The average weapon issued under the contract 

 system, by which the State is supplied, is worse than use- 

 less as an arm of precision. The good shots in the regi- 

 ment find this out, pick out the tiaisty rifles, get them in 



working orderj nicely sighted, while the mob of duffers 

 stand by, take the rifle when it is handed to them and 

 ran up a score in very much of a parrot fashion, holding 

 on the spot of the target pointed out to them, and having 

 only the faintest theoretical knowledge of the fixing of 

 the sights and none of a practical value. 



While, therefore, the progress made by the State regi- 

 ments has been most gratifying, it is not altogether safe 

 to place too much reliance on the figures of merit shown. 

 The way out of the difficxilty is to rely upon armory practice 

 during the winter months and upon skirmish firing in the 

 open air season. The regular army went through the 

 plague of pencil scores; the mihtia hereabouts are now 

 endiuing it. 



' 'Nesskuk's" Poems. — We repeat the subscription blank 

 for "Nessmuk's" forthcoming volume of poems. Intend- 

 ing subscribers are requested to send in the blanks at once. 



AMresss all communications to the Forest and Stream Piib. Co. 



COAST FISHING IN SUPERIOR.-II. 



DOWN the coast from Peninsular Harbor there are 

 numerous fine fishing places. On one occasion we 

 were wind bound in a small bay and camped in a little 

 cove a mile or so from some outljdng islands which were 

 about on the fine of the general course of the coast. The 

 bay was a shallow one and terminated in a long sandy 

 beach flanked by rocky projections. We entered the bay 

 in the early afternoon, and after dinner one of the half- 

 breed Indians discovered some fresh "bear signs." Being 

 somewhat unfitted for running by a military "accident" 

 in the "late tmpleasantness" I declined to accompany the 

 boys in what commenced as a piu-suit but I feared would 

 terminate as a flight, and took my rod and went to the 

 rocks. Fi-om that point it was a grand sight, the heavy 

 and constantly increasing swell breaking about 20ft. from 

 the shore line, where I stood some 12ft. above the lake 

 level. Occasionally a heavy roller reached the face of the 

 rocks before breaking and the spray dashed over me, while 

 the trough of the sea seemed to lift the bottom so that 

 only 2 or 3ft. of water appeared to cover it. It was hard 

 work to get out more than 20 or 25ft. of line in the wind, but 

 as neither mosquito nor black fly could torment, there was 

 pleasure even in tmrewarded attemjjt at angling. But 

 the labor was rewarded in that instance, and a number of 

 fine trout were landed, although not without difficulty, 

 as a landing net could only be used by guiding the fish 

 around a point of the rocks into a little quieter water. 

 The boys returned without the bear, but particulars were 

 omitted in the story of the chase. 



Next day, the wind continuing, the boys made fair 

 baskets along the rocky coast, but getting only moderate 

 sized fish. Now, in that particular bay I should not have 

 looked for good fishing, or even any. It was too shallow 

 and ordinarily too quiet a water. I have since ti-ied the 

 same ground several times, but never with the success 

 of the first time. Nor do I bcHeve it was ever trifd by 

 others, as there were no white man's signs along the shore 

 other than were left by vls. It is true, however, that some- 

 times in very sheltered places where the shores showed 

 no evidences of being surf -beaten, unexpected success has 

 been met with. But such places were ordinarily near ex- 

 posed points, or where the sparkhng water of brooks 

 found their way into the lake. . 



We were taking dinner one day in a sheltered cove a 

 few miles from Otter Island where the water was deep 

 and cool, but with no near brook known to myself or the 

 voyagers or laid down on the charts. The day was bright 

 and still, but several trout were taken as weU as one three 

 and a half pound lake trout. This was the final blow to 

 my previously arranged theories. I have had none since. 

 It is possible there were unobserved currents in this place 

 which took the place of the wave motion I had previously 

 considered necessary for a trout's abiding place, but there 

 were no evidences at hand to sustain the hy[)othesis and 

 the situation was against it. Certain it is that I have met 

 with better success in exposed than in protected locaUties. 

 I would like the benefit of the experience of others. 



At and immediately aboui; Otter Island I never had 

 "luck." But between that point and Michipicoteu River 

 ai"e several fine angling places. It is fan- to say I have 

 tined only one or two places near the sea face of the 

 southern point of the island. 



I have frequently heard of fine catches of large trout off 

 the rocky islets at the mouth of Michipicoteu River, but 

 my success has been poor there both in number and 

 weight of fish, and wMle there is fair fisMng a few miles 

 from that point in either direction, I cannot speak very 

 favorably of it. One can do better both below and above 

 Michiijicoteu Bay. Some seven or eight miles below the 

 mouth of the river is a high point projecting well into the 

 lake, where several times I have found rare sport. And 

 several times I have cast my flies off that point in vain. I 

 shall not soon forget my first experience there. We had 

 left Michipicoteu in the early morning tmder a "spruce 

 breeze," as the voyageurs termed it, what Httle wind 

 there was being against us, trying with no success the 

 lake waters and with better two or three brooks on the 

 way down. F.'s fly had gotten the worse for wear in the 

 bush fishing, and he made a cast off the point yvith the 

 result, a fly can-ied away. I had not thought of trying 

 that spot, and my rod lay upon some wooden forks set up 

 on the boat's gunwale. I hastily took it up, attached a 

 second fly to the leader, and made a cast. The flies had 

 no sooner touched the water than my tail flj' went to seek 

 the company of F.'s. But better material was at hand, 

 and my second cast succeeded in hanging two fish, which 

 were brought in after a half hour's brisk fighting. The 

 pair could not be weighed, as my scales were broken; but 

 I judged the miited weight to be near 91bs. I never took 

 but one larger fish than the heavier of the two, and that 

 weighed 51b. 6oz. With the smaller of tlie two I recov- 

 ered F.'s lost fly. Had there been less sea room I might 

 have lost both fish. After that I used but one fly. I do 

 not remember how many fish we took on that occasion. 

 An hour of such fishing; was enough for that day, and we 



adjom-ned the meeting until the next morning. But the 

 sport when we resumed was tame. Somehow the condi- 

 tions had changed. In the afternoon's fishing there was 

 a light southwest wind. Ijright sunshine and clear sky, 

 with quite a heavy swell from the du-ection of the wind 

 and a good strong cm-rent sweeping aroimd the point 

 from the north, making quite a choppy although not rough 

 sea. It was hardly safe to stand on the boat seats to cast. 

 The swell had ceased the next morning, there was no per- 

 cei)tible current, and the weather was thick although not 

 dark. 



In fact, in looking over my various essays at angling 

 off that point, I can recall no success on other than brilH- 

 ant days with breeze from the lake and a good swell on. 

 When these conditions existed with a perceptible current 

 around the point, success was assured. The bottom is 

 rock, not very uneven, but with some massive angular 

 boulders sferewn about, and the depth of water reaches 

 perhaps forty feet a hundred yards from the point. Ow- 

 ing to the sw^ell on successful occasions we did not fish in 

 less than 10ft. of water at any time. 



Still further down the coast there are good places, but 

 the choice ones, in my experience, are on the east shore 

 of Pancake Bay and down to Corbier Point, and on the 

 exposed points of Bachewanung (or Bachewanu) Island. 

 The fishing of the last-named locality wiU average as good 

 as is to be found in Lake Superior. The water is not deep 

 nor the shores bold. Many an expert stream angler has 

 pronounced the fishing here and at other points I have 

 named unworthy of attention, and in short, a failure. But 

 I apprehend the difficulty is in the lack of some of the 

 conditions imder which trout are active and somewhat in 

 defect of patience. It will not do to say there are no 

 trout in a particular locaHty because none are taken at a 

 given time. Another ti-ial may result differently. Only 

 once or twice have I met with success in foggy or cloudy 

 weather. But with a lifting fog and the sun shining 

 through the rifts better work has been done. Nor could 

 I ever do much in lake fisliing in the early morning or 

 late evening. It has been better from 10 to 12 in the 

 morning and 2 or 3 to 5 in the afternoon. But one must 

 not be discouraged by a day's or even two or three days' 

 failures. 



It is hardly necessary that the pleasures of the daily 

 sail and nightly camp should be mentioned to a true sports- 

 man. But some persons need a little barbaric civiUzation 

 and should be educated. Most men have tendencies in 

 that direction if they %vould only give them vent. There 

 are some persons, however, constitutionally unable to see 

 anything lovely and charming or grand in nature. Such 

 should never go a-fishing. I met one of this sort some 

 years ago upon the upper waters of the Nei)igon River. 

 He was an Englishman, guest of an American party on 

 the way up the river when we were returning. He was 

 "bored" with the river, the "stupid" fisliing, the portages 

 and indeed evcrj-tliing about him, saving some of the 

 more pronounced "creatm-e comforts." His party were 

 to coast from Red Rock to the Sault (Sault Ste. Marie) 

 on their return, as mine was to do. When we 

 reached the Sault, some two and a half weeks 

 afterward, he was the first man we met on the dock. 

 Surjirised at seeing him there, for we knew no one had 

 passed us on the way down, in answer- to our inquir- 

 ies he explained that he had left the party at Red Rock, 

 taking canoe with Indians to Silver Inlet, and thence by 

 steamer down the lake. He grumbled much at the three 

 days'paddling f rom Red Rock to Silver Islet, and as a partial 

 consolation the fine scenery of Black Bay and its islands 

 was mentioned. "The scenery!" said he, "What's all 

 that? Here's an island and that's green; there's another 

 and that's green, and there's water between. And that's 

 all there is of it!" Tine enough to him, for it was evi- 

 dent nature spoke no "various language" to his ear. 



Nor do I need to more than refer to the drawbacks of 

 the mosquitoes, the black fly and the almost invisible 

 sand fly. The last can be avoided by care in selection of 

 camps.' Seek the open ground as far as practicable. Tlie 

 first may be rendered comparatively hai-mless by ' 'bars" 

 or netting. The black fiy is the angler's worst enemy, 

 for they work during the same hours. But the fly is not 

 troublesome a few rods from shore, and on shore a little 

 "dope" prevents serious attacks. If he was "out nights" 

 the angler would have little peace. After all these in- 

 sects are mere inconveniences which a philosopher, as 

 every real fisherman eventually becomes, bears without 

 grumbling. H. 



October, 1886. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 



Address all commu'nAcat'lonii to the Forest and Stream Pub. Co, 



THE SPORT OF HAWKING. 

 IV.— The Lanier Falcon. 



ON the prairies of the great Southwest, and even so far 

 eastwai-d as Illinois, is found a large and powerful 

 "desert falcon," the American lanier (Falco mescieanus, 

 Liclitenstein). This bold bird closely resembles the lanuers 

 of Emope and Asia {Falco lanaHus and Faleo jugger). 

 The European bird was highly prized in the palmy days 

 of falconry, and his Indian cousin is still flown at the 

 game of that country. The Amei-ican species, which is 

 also called the prairie falcon, measures from 18 to 20in, 

 in length, and the female above 45in. from tip to tip of 

 her outstretched wings. The average length of the tail 

 is 8m. The tarsus is feathered one-third of the way down. 

 The upper parts are rich brown in color, under parts 

 wlute, marked with long stripes and spots of browTi, 

 There is a narrow white frontal band and a white line 

 over the eye. The lanier is a true "dai'k-eyed hawk," the 

 Ms being brown. 



This falcon is, according to Coues, rather common on 

 the prairies lying within its geographical range, and 

 might be easily obtained with the low net and live bait 

 or by taking the young hawks from the nest. 



It is said to prefer the border of wide prairies for its 

 home but wanders far over the treeless plains in pui'suit 

 of food. It is at least as swift a bird as the peregrine, 

 and is much more powerful than the latter; its manner 

 of flight is the same. The lanier is also one of the shyest 

 of hawks, although at times apparently regardless of 

 danger. Its food consists of quails, hares and larger 

 game, and it frequently overpo^\•ers the very active and 

 powerful black-tailed hare {Lepus callotis). The prairi 



