228 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



|Oct. 10, 1889. 



are a good many sheep here, but they are in such a 

 rough country they are not worth trying to get. I shot 

 a deer which I think is a curiosity. It was pure white, 

 7ft. long from tip to tip, and 3ft. high; its hoofs were like 

 a white-tail's, and its tail was small like a black-tail. I 

 shot it through the butt of the ear, so that the skin is not 

 hurt. I fleshed the skin and and set the hair with alum. 

 I would like to have you tell me if you ever heard of any 

 such deer before, and where I can send it to be stuffed: 

 then it will be for sale. Any one wanting to know any- 

 thing about this country can do so by writing to me. 



N. C. LlNSLEY. 



L, C. SMITH GUN — 40YDS. 



PATTERN AND PENETRATION TESTS. 



L. C. SMITH 12- GAUGE GUN. 



W' HILE the trial of the Folsom cheap gun was in pro- 

 gress at the range on Sept. 19, and the shooting 

 was about to wind up at 40yds., two gentlemen bearing 

 each a gun came upon the scene. One was a well-known 

 New York lawyer, who was about to purchase sev- 

 eral arms. He had gone into the New York agency 

 of the L. C. Smith shotgun, and had picked out a beauty 

 from the stock on hand. "How does she shoot?" was 

 his query. "Take a run down to Claremont and have 

 Supt. Moss fire a few shots with it at the Forest and 

 Stream screen was the very natural response. Hence 

 the visit of lawyer Mead to the range, and while down 

 he brought along also a Greener which he thought of 

 buying. It so happened that he caught the testing ma- 



il. C SMITH GUN, 12-GAUGE, LEFT BARRET,, lOi'DS., 312 PELLETS. 



chinery in full run, and the proffer was at once made and 

 accepted that the L. C. Smith arm should be put through 

 the regulation test for pattern and penetration. Along 

 with the gun the New York agent had s<mt down a box 

 of loaded shells. The weather was good enough to give 

 the arm a fair showing, and so the fine product of the 

 Syracuse shop took its place beside the cheap output of the 

 Belgian factories, and the day's trial, instead of being at 

 two cheap guns, became a trial as well of a crack Ameri- 

 can and a first-class English shotgun. Intending as he 

 did to use the Greener only at long distances against 

 duck, etc . the trial was made only at 60yds. with this 

 weapon and with a box of cartridges taken from the 



L. C. SMITH GUN, 12-GAUGE, RIGHT BARBEL, 40 YDS., 805 PELLETS. 



stock in the Claremont cartridge closets. They were the 

 largest sized shot in stock, and proved to be No. 7. 



How well this L. C. Smith arm acquitted itself may be 

 seen by a study of the annexed tabular record of its 

 doings. It would seem that the wood powder with which 

 the cartridges were loaded was not calculated to bring 

 out the best effort of the gun. Certainly it is fair to as- 

 sume that such a fine-appearing arm as this hammerless 

 weapon was ought to have made a better percentage of 

 results, while in penetration the falling off, especially at 

 the long distance, was something out of the common". It 

 was a good holding gun, as a glance at the following 

 showing of each shot fired both for the aimed circle and 

 the selected circle will show. In some instances any 

 change of center intended to improve the pattern only 

 served to reduce the count of pellets: 



Right Barrel. 



■ . 



Aimed 



Selected Between 



Aimed 



Selected Between 



Circle. 



Circle. 



Centers. 



Circle. 



Circle. 



Centers. 



Pellets. 



Pellets. 



Inches. 



Pellets. 



Pellets. 



Inches. 



305 



257 





256 







196 



211 



5.VS 



122 



133 





254 



250 



m 



311 



312 



\y 



300 



£93 



4 



158 



168 





174 



173 



m 



139 



152 





AV...247 



237 



6 



197 



207 



6 





L. C. SMITH GUN— 60YDS. 







36 



62 



12 



80 



95 



6 



44 



59 





46 



85 





77 



94 



86 



93 





52 



61 



5 



42 



68 





107 



125 



9 



57 



62 



6 



Av... 65 



80 



8 



62 



"so 



7 



Subsequent trials are promised for Smith guns under 

 conditions better calculated to bring out their merits. The 

 defection in this case may perhaps best be explained by the 

 fact that the cartridges were not adapted to the gun. They 

 seemed to be in good order when analyzed, and how they 

 weighed up the record will show. During the day a few 

 shots were fired from the Smith gun with the cartridges 

 remaining over from the test of the Greener 12-gauge 

 sent over from England. Their showing in the American 

 gun will be given in a later issue along with other com- 

 parative data. 



The record of the Smith gun shows: 



Claremont, N. J., Sept. 19, 1889. 

 test made at forest and stream gun-testing screen. 



Own — L. C. Smith hammerless. Cost, $— . No. of gun, 

 22,251, Weight, 7><lbs. Length of barrels, 30in. Gauge, 

 12. Right barrel, full choke. Left barrel, full choke. 



Weath cr— Clear. Direction of wind, 12 o'clock. Force of 

 wind. 15 miles per hour. Thermometer, dry, 61°. Do., 

 wet, 51°. Humidity, 63° . Barometer, 29. Tin. 



Qha/rge, as given by holder of gun : 



BOTH BARRELS. 



Sh ell— Climax. 

 Poiixlcr. Bran d— Wood. 

 Pmodcr, Quantity— 3 drs. 



i Make — Tatham's. 

 Shot< Quantity— 1% oz. 



( Size— No. 8 Chilled. 



CARTRIDGE ANALYSIS. 

 Three Cartridges Taken at Random. 



BOTH BARRELS. 



Loading. Powder. Shot. 



Card over shot; B. E., (1... 40 grs. 54(3 grs. 500 pellets. 



P. E. and card over <2... 39 grs. 548 grs. 501 pellets, 



powder. ( 3. . . 40 grs. 550 grs. 503 pellets. 



Average 40 grs. 548 grs. 

 TEST AT 40 YARDS. 



501 pellets. 



Five Shots per Barrel from rest at fixed SO-incli- Circle. 



RIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



Pattern. Penetration, 3 pellets. Pattern. Penetration, :s pellets. 



1. 305 pellets. .. sheets. 1. 254 pellets. 13 sheets. 



2. 198 pellets. 8 sheets. 2. 122 pellets. 10 sheets. 



3. 254 pellets. 11 sheets. 3. 311 pellets. 12 sheets. 



4. 300 pellets. 8 sheets. 4. 158 pellets. 7 sheets. 



5. 174 pellets. 9 sheets. 5. 139 pellets. 8 sheets. 



Av. 247 pellets. 9 sheets. Av. 197 pellets. 10 sheets. 



Three shots at 4-foot square; 80-inch Circle selected from 

 best pattern. 



RIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



1 257 pellets. 1 272 pellets. 



2 250 pellets. 2 312 pellets. 



3 29-5 pellets. 3 168 pellets. 



Average 266 pellets. Average 251 pellets. 



TEST AT 60 YARDS. 



Five Shots per Barrel from rest at fixed 30-inch Circle. 



LEFT BARREL. 

 Pattern. Penetration, apiellets. 



1. 36 pellets. 



2. 44 pellets. 



3. 77 pellets. 



4. 52 pellets. 



5. 107 pellets. 



2 sheets. 



3 sheets. 

 3 sheets. 

 3 sheets. 

 . . sheets. 



80 pellets. 

 46 pellets. 

 86 pellets. 

 42 pellets. 

 57 pellets. 



4 sheets. 

 .. sheets. 

 7 sheets. 

 2 sheets. 

 . . sheets. 



Av. 65 pellets. 3 sheets. Av. 62 pellets. 4 sheets. 



Tlirce shots at 4-foot square; -30-inch Circle selected from 

 best pattern. 



EIGHT BARREL. LEFT BARREL. 



1 62 pellets. 1 95 pellets. 



2 94 pellets. 2 85 pellets. 



3 125 pellets. 3 90 pellets. 



Average 70 pellets. 



Average 90 pellets. 



The Greener gun which was brought down for trial 

 came on for trial when the 60yds. firing point was reached. 

 It was a fine hammer, 10-gauge weapon, weighing 8 tflbs. , 

 with both of its 30in. barrels full choke. Its shop num- 

 ber was 24,494. The charges used in it were as stated of 

 Chamberlin make, marked with4drs. of Hazard and l^oz. 

 Tatham's No. 7 Trap shot, in Club shells. They were 

 quality C, and the catalogue load No. 354. When opened 

 they were found to have a thin B. E. card wad over the 

 shot, and a felt with a thin P. E. wad and a card over the 

 powder. The analysis of three showed: 



12 3 Average. 



Powder, weight 122grs. 122grs. 121grs. 122grs. 



Shot " 595grs. 596grs. 597grs. 396grs. 



" count 458 pel. 460 pel. 463 pel. 460 pel. 



The record of the gun at the distance tested is shown 

 in brief as follows: 



GREENER 10-GAUGE GUN, 60YDS. 



Right Barrel. Left Barrel. 



Aimed Selected Between Pene- Aimed Selected Between Pene^ 



Circle. Circle. Center, tration. Circle. Circle. Center, tration. 



Pellets. Pellets. Inches. Sheets. Pellets. Pellets. Inches. Sheets 



64 75 4i 14 21 34 5 



54 66 4 10 81 89 6V5 



95 112 5 .. 87 89 7 11 



54 55 6 9 83 79 10 8 



44 42 7 6 88 92 . 5 13 



62 70 514 10 73 76 6^ JO 



Wisconsin Export Lav/ — Albion, Wis., Sept. 30.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: In iosue of Sept. 26, in An- 

 swers to Correspondents, you inform "B. A. J., Syracuse," 

 that the shipping of ducks out of Wisconsin is not for- 

 bidden. Section 87, Chapter 374, Laws of 1887, is as fol- 

 lows: "It shall be unlawful to kill, take, wound or pur- 

 sue, purchase or have in possession when so killed or 

 taken, any of the birds or animals mentioned in the first 

 six sections of this act [these sections include all our 

 game birds and animals] with intent to export, carry or 

 convey the same*, or any part or portion of such bird or 

 animal, beyond the boundaries of this State." Violation 

 of above section is a misdemeanor punished by fine of not 

 less than $5 and not exceeding $25, or by imprisonment 

 in the county jail for not more than sixty days, or by both 

 such fine and imprisonment. — A. A. Binoham, Deputy 

 Game Warden. 



"That reminds me." 

 281. 



FOUR or five of us were in the pool at the Warm 

 Springs, Virginia, bathing, several weeks ago, when 

 the following was told by a gentleman of electric light 

 fame from Ohio: "We were driving along the road this 

 afternoon to Jackson's River, when my attention was 

 attracted to a pheasant on the roadside, just ahead of us, 

 which seemed perfectly oblivious to our approach. On 

 nearing him I determined he should be my meat if possi- 

 'ble. I stopped the horse a few paces from him, and with 

 whip in hand, jumped from the buggy, went toward him 

 and struck at him with my whip. The lash caught him 

 by the neck, and I managed to draw him to me, and in 

 a short time he was lying lifeless in the bottom of the 

 buggy." An old Southern from the same State, who was 

 standing on the platform, and had been listening atten- 

 tively leaned forward and said, "I know the reason he 

 did not fly, it was because he had been used to the Brush 

 all his life." Norfolk. 



282. 



No doubt many others besides the writer have taken 

 much pleasure in reading the chronicles of the exploi ts 

 of the Kingfishers at Echo Lake, but there is one thing I 

 think old Kingfisher owes the fraternity an apology for, 

 and that is the frequent mention of Knots's catfish story 

 without once giving the story. Mayhap he takes it for 

 granted that every one has heard the tale. Now he is 

 wrong, for the writer had not, and he has had especial 

 advantages that many of the other readers of the Forest 

 and Stream have not enjoyed, having been afishing with 

 old Knots several times, and also enjoyed many quiet 

 chats with the charter members of the Kingfishers at 

 various other times. Can it be that Jeems Mackerel im- 

 bibed so greatly of that pure, cold, crystal spring water, 

 taken from that only spring, that the number of times 

 that fish story was told were multiplied in his fertile 

 brain? Can it be that after all old Knots did not relate 

 the tale at all? However, for the benefit of the man that 

 did not get there, through no fault of his, and the many 

 who did not exj^ect to get there, it may not be amiss to 

 tell the catfish story, and as Jeems Mackerel does not seem, 

 to be inclined that way, the writer will give the tale as 

 written him by particular request, by old Knots himself: 



An old darky fishing on a warm day had caught quite 

 a large cattish, which he laid aside on the bank; rebait- 

 ing his hook for another bite. Not meeting with im- 

 mediate success he presently fell asleep. Another darky 

 came along with a much smaller catfish, and observing 

 that his brother of the rod was sound asleep, he quietly 

 exchanged fish and wended his way stealthily from the 

 scene. When darky No. 1 awakened, and looked about 

 him for his catfish, he espied the little one where he had 

 deposited the big fellow, and with horror depicted on his 

 sable countenance exclaimed, "Gor a mity! how dat fish 

 am shrunk!" P. D. 



Detroit, Mich. 



\m Htjd j^ivqr ^/fishing. 



ON THE BAY. 



\ LONG the prow the tender wavelets lapping, 



Sang of content through all the dreamy day; 

 And softly hung the autumn hazes, wrapping 

 The low blue hills that bounded Sodus Bay. 



My silver hook in gleaming spirals whirling. 

 Like a lost sunbeam chased me on my way, 



While from my pipe the pale clouds softly curling. 

 Join the faint mist enfolding bluff and bay. 



My shining oar blades in the sunlight dripping, 

 Shed opal dews like drops of bright Tokay; 



And now and then a darting swallow dipping, 

 Grazed his swift shadow in the dimpled bay. 



A thrill, a shock, a rush at sudden angles; 



A gleam of broken circles far away; 

 Alas ! a fractured pipe, a line in tangles, 



But one less spotted beauty in the bay. 



"Content, content," the lapping wavelets whisper; 



"What more hath life?" their rhythmic murmurs say_ 

 Aye me, what more ? Yet in reproachful answer 



Come gleams of towered cities far away- 

 Come sweet blue eyes, a sudden longing bringing. 



Content? Ah yes, were she but here to-day 

 To hold the line and join me softly singing, 



While twilight faded down our sky and bay. 



M. M. Cass, Jr. 



Minnow Bait. — Some weeks ago you printed some of 

 my notes on the care of live bait. Perhaps I should have 

 said that when the temperature of the atmosphere is 

 higher than that of the water from which the live bait is 

 taken, the more air forced into the minnow pail, the more 

 ice must be put into the pail. For the atmosphere of 80° 

 is a heater of the water which is about 66°, and must be 

 kept with the ice at a uniform temperature of 66° or the 

 minnows will die. I find it better when in a boat angling 

 on a hot day to change the water rather than force in too 

 much hot air. — J. W. T. 



