496 



FOREST AND • STREAM. 



[Dec. 7, 1895. 



The Bluebird's Pipe. 



This morning I was walking down my street smoking 

 a favorite brier wood pipe. I was in a somewhat medi- 

 tative mood and as I sauntered along I was conscious of a 

 sweet bird note titillating my drowsy ear. Gradually it 

 aroused me to a realizing sense of my surroundings and I 

 said to myself, "Hello, a bluebird's note." I had seen and 

 heard just one bluebird this year, on Easter Sunday, so it 

 was with bated breath that I took my pipe from my 

 mouth and stopped short to listen for the repetition of the 

 dulcet note, but it failed to come and I started in only to 

 hear it again before I had gone ten steps. Another pause, 

 no sound; on again, the sound repeated, and so it went 

 until I located the music in the stem of my pipe as I drew 

 the air through the orifice. It was a great disappoint- 

 ment. Lat us hope another year they will be with us 

 again. H. W. D. L. 



DANSVfLLE, N. Y., Nov. 23. 



'he Mimml, 



FIXTU RES. 



BENCH SHOWS. 

 1896. 



Feb. 19 to 22.— Westminster Kennel Club's twentieth annual dog 

 Show, Madison Square Garden. New York. James Mortimer, Supt. 



March 10 to 13.— Chicago.— Mascoutah Kennel Club's bench show. 

 John L. Lincoln, Sec'y. 



March 17 to 20.— St. Louis Kennel Club's show, St. Louis. W. 

 Hutchinson, Sec'y. 



FIELD TRIALS. 



1896. 



Jan. 20.— Bakersfleld, Cal.— Pacific Coast Field Trial Club. J. M. 

 Kilgarif, Sec'y. 



Jan. 20.— West Point, Miss.— U. S. F. T. C. trials. W. B. Stafford, 

 Sec'y. 



Feb. 3.— West Point, Miss— Southern F. T. C. seventh annual trials. 

 T. M. Brumby, Sec'y. 



Sept. 2.— Morris, Man.— Manitoba Fiel.d Trials Club. John Wootton, 

 Sec'y. 



UNITED STATES FIELD TRIALS CLUB'S 

 TRIALS. 



The club's trials began on Nov, 25, and were favored 

 with extremely pleasant weather throughout the week. 

 Owing to the constant disturbance of the birds during so 

 long a time, the last days were marked by meager and 

 unsatisfactory competition. 



Messrs. W. S. Bell, Pittsburg, and J. King Jackson, 

 Tennessee, judged throughout, while Mr. J. L. Adams was 

 the third judge in the Setter Stakes. Mr. A. M. Young, 

 Manchester, Tenn., the third judge of Pointer Stakes, was 

 absent. 



With the ending of the Eastern trials the greater part 

 of the spectators left, so that the following of the running 

 was much decreased. Trials held on the same ground 

 cannot hold equal interest, as the last trial comes after the 

 novelty has • ceased or the visitor's time is expired. It 

 goes to show that it is better for each club to have its own 

 grounds, and to have a small interval of time— a week or 

 so — between events. 



The Pointer Derby. 



There were nine starters in this stake as follows: 



H. K. Devereux's 1. and w. bitch Virginia, Geo. E. Gray, 

 handler, with J. H. Johnson's (Agt.) b. and w. dog Rip 

 Saw, J. H. Johnson, handler. 



J. L. Adams's L and w. dog Blithely, J. H. Johnson, 

 handler, with N. T. DePauw's 1. and w. bitch Sister Sue, 

 N. B. Nesbitt, handler. 



Adams & Thompson's 1. and w. dog Cracker Jack, J. H. 

 Johnson, handler, with Geo. A. Castleman's 1. and w. 

 dog Lpo, Mr. Fly, handler. 



O. Totten's 1. and w. bitch Sappho, Geo. E. Gray, hand- 

 ler, with T. T. Ashford's 1. and w. bitch Hessie D,, J. H. 

 Johson, handler. 



Avent & Thayer's 1. and w. dog Ridgeview Cash, a bye. 

 J. M. Avent, handler. 



The work was decidedly inferior, the best of it being 

 but ordinary. 



Mr. Muss-Arnolt constituted the spectators, aside from 

 those directly interested in the competition. 



Virginia did some fairly good common work, and of 

 the others it may be said that they won because their 

 work was not quite so poor as the ones cast out. Cracker 

 Jack won second, Rip Saw third, Ridgeview Cash fourth 

 Leo fifth. 



The trials began on Nov. 25. Mr. J. King, of Jackson 

 Tenn., and Mr. W. S. Bell, of Pittsburg, judged this 

 stake. The third judge, Mr. A. M. Young, was absent. 



Prizes: .$150 to first, $125 to second, $ 100 to third, $75 to 

 fourth ana $50 to fifth. For pointers whelped on or after 

 Jan. 1, 1894. 



Monday. 



The weather was foggy till the middle of the forenoon 

 when the fog cleared away, and although the sky was 

 lightly overcast, the temperature was uncomfortably 

 warm. Birds seemed to be hard to find, 



Virginia and Rip Saw started at 9:03. Rip secured a 

 point on a bevy, next pointed a single, next flushed one. 

 Virginia backed. Virginia pointed^a bevy, Rip backed 

 Sent on Rip made three flashes. Rip pointed one and 

 Virginia flushed a single. Up at 9:50. Their range was 

 but middlingand their point work lacked finish, although 

 the first was one of the best heats run. 



Blithely and Sister Sue started at 9:56. Blithe 

 flushed a bevy and Sue flushed a single and was unsteady 

 Two bevies were flashed by men in the open field, where 

 the dogs were ranging about. Among the scattered birds 

 Sue flushed a single. Up at 10:40. Sue was in season 

 Blithely was not sufficiently experienced, and was entered 

 more to fill out the stake than for any other purpose. The 

 heat was very sloppy. 



Cracker Jack and Leo began at 10:46. Jack pointed 

 a bevy and Leo stole the point; Jack chased. Each made 

 a flush; L90 unsteady. 11:32. Their range close and 

 there was a lack of finish in their point work. 



Ridgeview Cash had a bye. Cynosure, a ' setter was 

 cast off with him, a wholly unwarranted proceeding as* 

 she. was not in the stake and was far superior to Cash 

 The only point work Cash secured in the stake was the 

 result of Cynosure's find of a bevy. Cynosure pointed a 

 bevy, Cash backed, moved up and stole the point. Cash 

 flushed a single; next he pointed the scattered birds. At 

 12:02 Cynosure was ordered up and Cash ran alone seven 

 minutes, during which time he ioafed and pottered. 



Sappho and Hessie D. were next tud, they being run 

 out of their order to favor Mr. Johnson, who had had sev- 

 eral heats to run consecutively, and therefore had had 

 some very hard walking. They started at 12:12 and ran 

 till 12:45. Nothing found. Other qualties poor. 



Second Round. 

 Five dogs were kept in. 



Virginia and Cracker Jack began at 1:20. Virginia 

 pointed a bevy and was backed. On the scattered birds 

 Virginia made three points. Jack made a point on scat- 

 tered birds. Up at 1:59. Virginia was much the better, 

 and well ahead of all competitors. 



Ridgeview Cash and Rip Saw started about 2:00. Cash 

 made a slobbery flush on a bevy. Up at 2:27. 



This ended the running. The judges then announced 

 the winners. 



The Setter Derby. 



There were seven starters in this stake. They were 

 drawn to run as follows: 



Blue Ridge Kennels' b., w. and t. dog Domino, D. E. 

 Rose, handler, with P. Lorillard, Jr.'s, b., w. and t. dog 

 Arapahoe, C. Tucker, handler. 



H. B. Ledbetter's b. , w. and t. dog Marie's Sport, Geo. 

 E. Gray, handler, with F. R. Hitchcock's b. and w. dog 

 Tory Fashion, J. M. Avent, handler. 



T. H. Gibbe's b., w. and t. dog Mazeppa, Jos. H. Wilson, 

 handler, with Manchester Kennel Co.'s b., w. and t. bitch 

 Gleam's Ruth, N. B. Nesbitt, handler. 



Avent & Thayer Kennels' b., w. and t. bitch Feu Follet, 

 a bye, J. M. Avent, handler. 



The work on birds was so extremely meager that it 

 was difficult to make accurate estimates of the dogs' rela- 

 tive merits. The judges awarded the prizes as definitely 

 as the conditions warranted. 



The winners are as follows: First, Marie's Sport: 

 second, Tory Fashion; third, Gleam's Ruth: fourth, 

 Domino; fifth, Feu Follet. 



This stake was for setters whelped on or after Jan. 1, 

 1894. Prizes— First $150, second $125, third .$100, fourth 

 $75, fifth $50. First forfeit $10, additional forfeit $10, $10 

 to start. 



Tuesday. 



The morning of the 26th was muddy, a dark sky and 

 every indication that the heavy rainfall of the previous 

 night was not ended. About 9 o'clock, however, the sun 

 shone forth. A start for the Gibson place was made at 

 11:30. A stiff wind blew throughout the afternoon. 

 First Bound. 



Domino and Arapahoe started at 11:54. Arapahoe 

 made three points; nothing found. He flushed a single 

 bird of a bevy which Domino had pointed. Up at 12:37. 

 Domino was much the better. 



Marie's Sport and Tory Fashion started at 12:42. 

 Tory flushed two birds. Sport made a good point on a 

 single, Tory backed. Sport pointed a single. Up at 1:12. 

 Tory had a shade the advantage in range, but on birds 

 his work was very faulty. 



Mazeppa and Gleam's Ruth ran from 1 :17 to 2:54 with- 

 out finding, though they worked diligently. Ruth the 

 superior in range and judgment. 



Feu Follet, the bye, ran about a half hour, ending at 

 3:31. She pointed a bevy nicely in a cornfield and was 

 steady to shot. On scattered birds she was coached a 

 great deal. She made two points on them and one 

 point on which nothing was found, and one flush. Her 

 range was not conducted with judgment. 



Second Bound. 



Six were retained in the second round and ran in the 

 following order: 



Domino and Marie's Sport were cast off at 3:40. Sport 

 had much the better of the heat. He pointed a single and 

 Domino backed. Next he pointed a bevy and Domino 

 backed or pointed — presumably the former, as he was up 

 wind of the bevy. Domino made two points on- scattered 

 birds. Sport made one. 4:13. 



Tort Fashion and Gleam's Ruth started at 4:17. Tory 

 at the edge of woods pointed and Ruth hacked; Tory 

 pointed on a footscent presumably, as the bevy was 

 flushed about 30yds. down wind of him in the open. 

 Ruth pointed, lost scent and moved on; two birds after- 

 ward were flushed close by her point. Tory pointed scat- 

 tered birds. A bevy was followed to woods. Tory 

 flushed. He pointed in open; nothing found. Ruth made 

 a point on a single; Tory a flush. Up at 4:39. 



Mazeppa and Feu Follet ran from 4:41 to 5:18. Feu 

 -fiddled on the scent of small birds, but no quail were 

 found. Mazeppa part of the time ranged well. Feu was 

 frivolous in her work. 



This ended the stake. It was most difficult to decide 

 on the competition presented. 



All-Aee Pointers. 



The quality of the work in this stake improved a great 

 deal over that exhibited by the Derbys. Some of the 

 competitors exhibited very superior capabilities. It was 

 by far the best stake of the week. 



There were eleven starters drawn in the following 

 order: 



C. Coolidge's ,1. and w. dog R?x Fast (Rex— Mosy), M. 



A. Fry, handle*, with F. A. Hodgemai.'s 1. and w. dog 

 Ridgeview Regent (Beppo III.— Bloomo II.), J. M. Avent, 

 handler. 



Ashford & Odrun's 1. and w. dog Von Gull (Kent Elgin 

 —Fanny V. Croxteth), D. E. Rose, handler, with P. Loril- 

 lard, Jr.'s, 1. and w. bitch Rancocas Belle (Rip Rap — 

 Maud), Jos. H. Wilson, handler. 



Kidwell & Stoddard's b. and w. dog Tick Boy (King of 

 Kent— Bloom), J. B. Stoddard, handler, with N. T. De 

 Pauw's 1. and w. dog Jingo (Mainspring— Queen II.), N. 



B. Nesbitt, handler. 



G. Chisholm's 1. and w. dog Komus (Clip Graphic- 

 Mack's Juno), D. E. Rose, handler, with F. ~W. Dunham's 

 lem. and w. dog Elgin's Dash (Kent Elgin— Mack's Juno), 

 N. B. Nesbitt, handler. ' 



L. W. Blankenbaker's 1. and w. bitch Lad's Lady (Lad 

 of Rush— Lady Margaret), J. H. Johnson, handler, with 

 H. K. Devereux's 1. and w. dog Tamarack, Jr. (Tama- 

 rack—Maud Graphic), Geo. E. Gray, handler. 



Thos. Hitchcock's 1. and w. dog Tony Baron (Duke of 

 Hessen— Westminster Ina). J. M. Avent, handler. 



This stake was for pointers which had never won first 

 m any All-Age Stake in any recognized field trial in 

 Ameraca.. The prizes were $150', §125 $100, $75 and $50. 



Tick Boy, first, ran a superior race, and defeated his 

 competitors with something to spare. He carries a high_ 

 nose, is a good finder and works with good judgment. 



Jingo was not running in his best form, though he ran 

 an excellent race and was easily second. 



Rancocas Belle, third, ran but fairly well. I thought 

 Von Gull the better dog for third, as his judgment is 

 good and he showed superior hunting qualities. He won 

 fourth. Tamarack, Jr., on ordinary work won fifth. 

 First Round. 



Rex Fast and Ridgeview Regent were cast off at 8:42. 

 In the open Regent got close to a bevy, caught scent as it 

 flushed, then ran away about 15 or 20ft., returning tim- 

 orously but steadily to where the bird flushed. It was a 

 very bad piece of work from a very bad fault, birdshy- 

 ness. Rex, in woods, pointed a single; Regent refused to 

 back and flushed the bird and was unsteady. Each 

 flushed. R?x pointed a single. Up at 9:12. Rex was 

 the better in every respect. 



Von Gull and Rancocas Belle began at 9:19. The 

 judges flushed a bevy which was not far from the course 

 taken by the dogs. Von pointed a single, Belle pointed 

 twice, both doing clean work. Up at 10:11. Both had 

 fair speed and range. Von's style of hunting was supe- 

 rior, he carrying a high nose and attending to business. 

 Belle also showed superior merit. 



Tick Boy and Jingo were cast off at 10:14. This heat 

 excited great interest, as both were conceded to be great 

 dogs. Tick pointed a bevy; Jingo coming in pointed 

 same bevy; both steady to wing and shot; the credit was 

 Tick's. Tick pointed a single; Jingo backed. Sent on, 

 Jingo pointed a single. Next Jingo pointed; Tick backed; 

 nothing found. After this the dogs separated and worked 

 on different grounds. Tick took wide casts, beat out his 

 grounds with dash and judgment. Jingo in woods 

 roaded, but at last gave up the search; seemingly he was 

 on the trail of a bevy which had flushed. 10:59. Both 

 dogs showed superior ability. The advantage was with 

 Tick Boy. 



Komus and Elgin's Dash started at 11:05, Of the two 

 bevies pointed by Komus, Dash flushed the first after re- 

 fusing to back, and among scattered birds he showed in- 

 ability and carelessness, flushing repeatedly. Komus was 

 the superior in every respect save speed; up at 11:34. 



Lad's Lady and Tamarack, Jr., started at 11:47. Two 

 birds were seen to flush in the open; Lady was found on 

 point near the place; Tamarack backed — footscent prob- 

 ably. Both side by side pointed a bevy. Lady made two 

 points on singles; Tamarack a flush. This on birds lying 

 close together in cover on a side hill. Tamarack flushed 

 a bevy. Tamarack made two points and a flush. Both 

 had middling range, and were rather wiggly and inde- 

 cisive in taking advantage of the opportunities offered. 



Tory Baron started at 1. Up at 1:40. The exhibition 

 was extremely inferior. He loafed and seemed shy. 

 Second Round. 



Eight were retained in the competition. 



Von Gull and Jingo were started at 1 :50. Jingo made 

 a very pretty exhibition of galloping about 100yds. straight 

 up wind to a point on a bevy which he had scented. Von 

 backed. Von made a point and a flush. Jingo made a 

 point on a single and Von stopped at the same time to a 

 point on the same bird. 2:25. Jingo the better workman. 



Komus and Belle started at 2:28. Both ranged well. 

 Belle pointed a bevy on a side hill and Komus backed. 

 Komus made two points, one on a wounded bird. Belle 

 pointed a bird well, and made a point at the same time 

 the bird flushed. The heat was a fairly good one in range, 

 speed, judgment, etc. 2:56. 



Rex Fast and Tamarack, Jr., began at 3 and ran 

 nineteen minutes. Both pointed close together on a bevy. 

 Sent on, Tamarack pointed a bevy at the edge of woods, 

 moved on a piece and located it accurately. 3:19. Both 

 ranged well. 



Tick Boy and Lad's Lady began at 3:25. Tick found 

 and pointed a bevy, but the birds were flushed about 

 80yds. to one side of his point by horsemen. Tick made 

 three sharp points on single birds. In woods he made a 

 good point on a single. 3:41. Tick showed very superior 

 qualities in every respect, outworking Lady on all points. 

 Final. 



Jingo and Tick Boy were started to more definitely de- 

 termine the matter of range and speed, although this heat 

 was not necessary. Both dogs ranged well and beat out 

 the ground with judgment, though not up to their best 

 form. Ordered to work back in a certain direction, Tick 

 was turned back while Jingo worked on in forbidden 

 ground and pointed a bevy, locating it in a rather labo- 

 rious manner. Having the advantage in seeing the flushed 

 birds and getting into the woods first after them, he got 

 one point on a single, and he and Tick divided a point on 

 some scattered birds. 4:27. The heat really determined 

 nothing which could not have been determined before. 



One heat was run in the Setter All- Age Stake, which 

 ended the day's competition. 



The All-Age Setter Stake. 



The starters in this stake made a very feeble competi- 

 tion as a whole. It rated much inferior to the corre- 

 sponding stake for the pointers. It may be said, how- 

 ever, that the birds from being constantly pursued had 

 become wild and were in hiding. The grounds had been 

 diligently wort ed for two weeks, to and fro, the same 

 route being in general constantly followed. Even with 

 this plead as an excuse, the competition was feeble and 

 wearisome, one of the dullest days of trial by no means 

 filled with excitement. There were ten starters, drawn 

 as follows: 



Fox & Seiler's b. , w. and t. dog Tony Gale (Antonio- 

 Nellie G.),.J. H. Johnson, handler, with F. R. Hitchcock's 

 b.,w. andt. bitch Tory Dotlet (Count Gladstone IV. — 

 Tory Delia), J. M. Avent, handler. 



C. N. Powers's b. , w. and t. dog Revenue (Antonio- 

 Nellie Hope), W. W. Titus, handler, with Manchester 

 Kennel Co.'s b., w. and t. dog Gleam's Pink (Van Guard 

 —Georgia Belle), N. B. Nesbitt, handler. 



W. H. Beazell's b., w. and t. dog Harold Skimpole 

 (Whyte B.— Nettie Bevan), Geo. E. Gray, handler, with 

 N. T. Harris's b., w. and t. dog Tony Boy (Antonio- 

 Laundress), D. E. Rose, handler. 



W. W. Titus's b., w. and t. bitch Minnie T. (DickBond- 

 hu— Betty B.), owner, handler, with N. T. Harris's b., w. 

 and t. bitch Cynosure (Roderigo— Norah II.), J. M. Avent, 

 handler. 



Phil M. Essig's b., w. and t. dog Rod's Top (Roderigo— 

 Topsy Avent), J. M. Avent, handler, with Whyte Bed- 



