Jan. 38, 1892,] 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



77 



and the wild voyage ended; but the memory of that 

 perilous encounter was not soon forgotten. 



The specimen obtained by the Museum came ashore on 

 the Maryland coast about 3^ miles above the Green Run 

 Inlet Life-saving Station and information of its stranding 

 was wired by the keeper, J. J. Dunton. Mr. J. W. Scollick 

 was sent down from the Museum and experienced no little 

 trouble in securing the prize. The skeleton is no w in course 

 of preparation, but as much labor is required for the 

 maceration, bleaching and articulation of the bones, the 

 public will not see the frame work of this curiosity 

 for some time. We have referred to the mackerel as one 

 of the resources of this whale: it prefers, however, to dine 

 upon species of squids. 



While there may be some doubt whether or not sharks 

 attack men, there is abundant evidence to prove that the 

 sperm whale is a dangerous customer to tackle. Here i3 

 an illustration, quoted from the "Fishery Industries:' 



"Capt. Clark on Thursday morning last di covered a 

 Spermaceti Whale near George's B inks, manndhia Boat, 

 and gave Chase to her and she coming up with her Jaws 

 against the Bow of the Boat struck it with such Violence 

 that it threw a son of the Captain (who was forward, 

 ready with his Lance) a considerable Height from tha 

 Boat, and when he fell the Whale turned with her de 

 vouring Jaws opened, and caught him. He was heard 

 to scream, when she closed her Jaws, and part of his 

 Body was seen out of her Mouth when she turned and 

 went off." 



SHORE BIRDS NEAR TORONTO. 



AS the movements of the shore birds are of interest 

 both to the sportsman and the naturalist, I send you 

 the following record of my observations for the past sea- 

 son. The shore of Lake Ontario near Toronto consists of 

 a flat strip of sand, the inner or bay side of which is lined 

 and indented with marsh, the combination forming a 

 perfect place of resort for plover and sandpiper during 

 the migrations. This spot used to be frequented by them 

 in vast numbers, but as the population of the city in- 

 creased so the number of the birds has diminished, and 

 the time will soon come when we shall have seen the last 

 of them at this place. 



Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor). — One taken 

 July 21. This is the only one I saw, the species being 

 very rare here. 



Woodcock (Philohela minor), — These birds were for- 

 merly abundant here, but are now rare. Drainage and 

 the gun have driven them off. First seen April 6: last 

 seen Oct. 16. 



Wilson's Snipe, English Snipe, Jack Snipe (Gallinago 

 delieata).— Rare in spring. First seen April 21. Toler- 

 ably common in autumn. The first of the fail flight 

 arrived Sept. 12, and the last was seen Oct. 27. A pair 

 bred in the marsh this year, and probably some remain 

 for that purpose every season. 



Red-breasted Snipe (Macrorhatriphtis griseus). — Rare. 

 The only one I saw this year I shot Aug. 24, 



Stilt Sandpiper (Micropalama himantopus).—B-dre. I 

 saw only two this season, both of which 1 shot; the first 

 an adult female July 18, and the other an adult male 

 July 28. 



Knot, Redbreast (Tringa canutus).— Common in spring, 

 usually seen in flocks of thirty or forty birds. They are 

 very unsuspicious and decoy readily. They arrive about 

 May 24 . and remain until the end of the "first week in 

 June, In the auiumn they are rare. The only one I saw 

 I procured Aug. 24. This bird was in the perfect silver- 

 gray laced plumage, which is so delicately beautiful. 



Pectoral Sandpiper, Grass Plover (Tringa macidata),— 

 Abundant in the autumn; saw none in the spring. Siw 

 first on July 23, and the last on Oct. 27. While 

 here they are seldom seen on the sand, usually frequent- 

 ing the muddy edges of the ponds. Before they leave 

 they become so grossly fat that it is almost impossible to 

 preserve their skins decently. The stomachs of all I ex- 

 amined contained larva; of aquatic insects and of the blue- 

 bottle fly, which they obtained from, the dead fish lying 

 about. 



Baud's Sandpiper, Grass Plover (Tringa bairdii),— 

 Tolerably common in August, but I did not see it in the 

 spring, I killed the first I saw July 28, and the last Oct. 10. 

 They frequently associate with the pectorals and other 

 sandpipers, feeding either on the mud or sand. 



Least Sandpiper, Stint (Tringa minviiUa). — Very 

 abundant in autumn. Not seen in spring. The first 

 arrived July 4, and by the 10th were very common. 

 From this date to the middle of September they remained, 

 associating in large flocks with the semi-palmated sand- 

 piper. 



Red backed S indpiper, Blackheart Plover { Tringa 

 alpina paeiflca).— This is the bird so well known as "the 

 blackheait," arrives regularly in immense numbers 

 on May 24, and, as that day is here kept as a public 

 holiday, the poor birds meet with a very warm reception. 

 The great majority of the birds that escape pass right 

 over to their breeding grounds, but a few small flocks 

 lingered about this season until Jane 13, on which day Isaw 

 the last of them. Some I shot at that time were, strange 

 to say, in very dull plumage, not nearly so bright as the 

 birds of the first flight. In the fall they are not abundant. 

 They arrive early in October and depart at the end of the 

 month, 



Semi-palmated Sandpiper (Ereimetespitsillns). Abund- 

 ant both in spring and autumn, arriving about May 24 

 and remaining until June 18, on which date I shot three, 

 the last I saw of the spring birds. On .July 21 1 shot an 

 adult female. This was the first to return. It was in 

 full plumage. From this date until Aug, 10 I saw several 

 small parties, all adults in full plumage. On that date 

 two young appeared in the ashy plumage. From this 

 time the numbers rapidly increased until the middle of 

 September, when they departed. 



Greater Yellowlegs (Totanus melanoleimi.s) —Common 

 in sprirg and autumn. Fiisx seen April 28. These birds 

 only remamed here a few days on their way north, and 

 were scarcer that usual this year. On their return , I saw 

 the first July 28. From that time but few were seen 

 until Oct. 12, when they became common, and continued 

 bo until Oct. 27, on which day I saw the last. They occa= 

 sionally stay much later than this, however. Last year 

 (1890) I noted a flock seen Nov. 19. 



fellowlegs (Totanus flapipes). — Tolerably common in 

 spring and autumn, but soldom appearing in flocks. This 

 spring I saw none. On their return, the first appeared 

 July 18. This was an adult female, But few were, seen 



from that time until Aug. 22, when they became com- 

 mon, and remained until Oct. 6. 



Solitary Sandpiper (Totanm sohtarius), — Tolerably 

 common in autumn; I have not seen it in the spring. 

 Aug. 13 I Obtained the first of the season, an adult female, 

 and on the 17th another, also an adult female. From 

 this time on some were se en nearly every day u ntil Sept. 16, 

 when they disappeared. This bird is not quite so solitary 

 as one would infer from its name. I quite frequently 

 found two together, and on one occasion four. They also 

 at times appear to associate with the spotted sandpiper, 

 but perhaps this is accidental. 



Bartramian Sandpiper, Upland Plover (Bartramia lon- 

 gieanda)— This bird can hardly be called a shore bird, but 

 on May 25, 1874, I killed one as it was flying along Bur- 

 lington Beach near Hamilton. As a rule it frequents 

 open fields inland and is but sparingly distributed 

 throughout the western part of the Province of Ontario. 

 Where it occurs, it H a summer resident and breeds, fh 

 1870 I secured a set of eggs from a nest in a field of 

 clover. 



Spotted Sandpiper, Teeter, Peep (Actitis macularia).— 

 Abundant: summer resident; breeds usually* iti the fields 

 away from the lake shore. First seen May 1: last seen 

 Aug. 10. 



Hudsonian Curlew (Numenvm hndsonicus). — Ocou rs 

 rarely and only in the spring. One shot May 30. This 

 is the only species of curlew I have ever seen here. 



Black-bellied Plover (Gharadrius squatarola).— Toler- 

 ably common in spring, arriving about May 20 and remain- 

 ing until the end of the month, In the autumn they are 

 scarce. The only one I saw this season I shot Aug. 28. 

 It was a dull female still showing a few dark feathers on 

 the breast, 



•Golden Plover (Charadrim dommicm).—! have never 

 seen this bird here in the spring, but in autumn they are 

 usually common. This year, however, they were scarce. 

 There first appeared Aug. 31 an adult female. The last 

 were seen Oct. 10, 



Killdeer Plover (^EyiaUtis wcifera). — A tolerably com- 

 mon Biimmer resident. First seen March 25; last seen Oct. 

 21. On Aug. 31 shot two immature birds. Tothe end of the 

 tail feathers of each are attached long, silky filaments. 

 The birds were full grown and the plumage otherwise 

 normal. This is no doubt the substance which preceded 

 the feathers and formed the tail of the very young bird, 

 but it is strange that it should have remained on the per- 

 fect feathers for so long a period. 



Semi-palmated Plover (JEgialitis semipalmata).— Com- 

 mon in spring and autumn. First arrives about May 6 

 and remains until the end of the month. On the return, 

 the first was seen July 23, an adult female; from that 

 date until Aug. 24 a few adults appear, but after that 

 they become abundant, the young birds arriving in large 

 flocks and remaining until the middle of September. 



Turnstone, Redshank (Armaria interpres).— -Tolerably 

 common in spring, arriving about May 24 and remaining 

 until June 15. I only saw one this autumn and that I 

 shot Sept. 4. It was an adult female. 



The following species have been taken here, but can 

 only be considered accidental visitors, viz : Ruff (Machetes 

 pngnax), Purple Sandpiper (Tringa' maritima.), Curlew 

 Sandpiper (T. subarquata). Marbled Godwit (Limosa 

 fedoa), Willet (Symphemia semipalmata), Buff-breasted 

 Sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis) and Piping Plover 

 (JEgialitis m,eloda), I saw none of them this season. 



Formerly the Sanderling (Galidris armaria) and the 

 White-rumped Sandpiper (Tringa fuscicollis) were abun- 

 dant here in the autumn, but this year they were con- 

 spicuous by their entire absence. 



You will observe that nearly all the first arrivals, on 

 the return from the breeding" grounds, were adult fe- 

 males; these birds I think had not bred this season. 

 Todmorden, Ontario, Canada. C. W. NASH. 



ANOTHER COLLECTION OF HORNS, 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



" 'Rah! for the Forest and Stream and the -Boyhood 

 Number.' " It carries me back to my old Kentucky home 

 and the old shotgun with a split tube, which used to burn 

 my face, but that did not count against the bags of gray 

 squirrels, ducks, quail and rabbits, with now and then a 

 wild turkey. Verily, the old men dream dreams. 



I have been much interested in Mr. Ames's letters from 

 the Maine woods. The best help toward the enforcement 

 of game Jaws and the preservation of game is just such 

 letters and the circulation of the Forest and Stream, 



I noticed Mr. Ames's account of the display of heads 

 and horns in San Antonio, Tex. I think 1 edit tell him 

 where he will find a counterpart (and it is, unfortunately, 

 in a saloon). In Seattle, Wash., a year ago last fall I saw 

 the collection, and it was fine. There was a large number 

 of both horns and animals and birds. But the best part 

 of the show was the curious shapes and malformations of 

 horns, of which there were a large number. H. 



Edgar, Neb. 



Words of Appreciation, 



Forest and Stream has been enlarged in size to 33 pages, and 

 appears in altered dress and printed on a superior quality of 

 paper. The paper's columns give an admirable record of sports- 

 men's experiences on land and water, and in theni many subjects 

 of interest to those who delight in field sportslare discussed.— 

 ]\ 7 enxirh Evening tfews. 



Forest and Stream, the well-known American sporting jour- 

 nal, has made a great step forward that will attract to it many 

 new admirers, A sportsman could not "tie up to" amore con- 

 genial companion ,— DoyleMown (Pa.) Democrat, 



First is Forest and Stream, that has risen to the dignity of a 

 patriarch among its kind— nineteenth year— wise in its care for 

 the matter it, contains, yet as fr^sh and vigorous each week as the 

 ambitious youth of long ago. Age has been no impediment to its 

 growth, as hereof ter it will appear in thirty-two pages instead of 

 twenty-eight.— Texas Field. 



Forest and Stream, the weekly organ of the sportsmen of the 

 country, has just begun its thirty eighth volume, aud is enlarged 

 to 33 pages. The popularity of sports with the rod and gun has in- 

 creased greatly of late years, and the development of this publi- 

 cation is keeping pace with this increase We heartily commend 

 Forest and Stream as a periodical of the first class that is 

 worthy of the great success it ha? met.— Portland Tmnscrtpl, 



mnt §ng md §ntf. 



Antelope and Deer of America. By J. D. Calov. 

 Price $2.50. Wing and Glass Ball Shooting with the 

 Rifle. By W. C. Bliss. Price 50 cents. Rifle, Rod and 

 Gun in California. By T, S. Van Dyke. Price $1.50. 

 Shore Birds. Price 15 cents. Woodcraft. By "Ness- 

 mnk.'' I'riee $1. Trajectories of .Hunting Rifles. Price 

 5,0 cents Wild Fowl Shooting; 'see advertisement. 



SHORT GUN BARRELS, 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The enthusiastic sportsman who kept cutting off the 

 barrelsof a 10 gau^e gun until they were reduced to 24in, , 

 may have a marvelous arm for duck shooting, but many 

 of your readers accustomed to the usual length will, 1 

 fear, consider it better adapted for scaring away domes- 

 ticated ducks from the kitchen garden. 



Nevertheless, in the light of several years-' experience 

 with a variety of guns, of from 28 to 10-bore and from 2d 

 to 32 inch barrels, I can see no reason why such a gun 

 should not make a fair pattern and have sufficient pene- 

 tration for small game at short range. 



The 24 in. of a 10-gauge barrel should satisfactorily bum 

 3drs. of quick powder, sufficient to propel l|oz. of shot: 

 but a cut-off gun, if propprly balanced when built, will 

 never balance afterward. Indeed, I should think it 

 would be impossible to make a 10-bore of 24in. barrels 

 that would handle and look well, as it is a common fail- 

 ing of most short guns to have to have the center of 

 gravity too far aft. Guns with short barrels are usually 

 designed for light work and are correspondingly of light 

 weight, having a short frame and light standing breech. 

 They are. therefore, unfit for continuous use with heavy 

 charges. 



Of short guns I have personal knowledge of four, each 

 having barrels 26in. length and each of a different gauge. 

 They are: 



A 64cal. Maynard, weighing oflbs., which is about 

 equal to an 18-bore, as fine a shooting gun as J have ever 

 bandied, using from 2| to 2f4rs. of powder and from | to 

 loz. of small shot, 7s to 10s. 



A 16-gauge Parker weighing 6Ibs. 6oz., bored for field 

 shooting, which does its bes: work with 2fdrs. powder 

 and loz, of shot, 



A 10 gauge by a local maker, of 7Ubs., chambered for 

 short shells, and a very satisfactory performer. 



A 10 gauge cut off gun, the name of the maker of 

 which I do not now recall, but I do have distinct recol- 

 lection of the way in which- it brought down doves fly- 

 ing past a blind. 



All of these were good shooters, but in each case the 

 balance was more or less too far back; still that may be 

 a matter of opinion, as a greater part of my shooting 

 has been done with 30 and 32in. barrels, not from choice 

 but of necessity. 



A 10-bore is unfit for a short and light gun because of 

 the great width across the breech, requiring a large 

 amount of metal in the barrels and standing breech, 

 which adds to the weight and destroys the balance. I 

 admit that a heavy duck gun should have the balance of 

 its weight well aft, but a light field gun of short length 

 should have its metal more delicately distributed. 



Guns are like cannon: the length of barrel should be 

 proportioned to the caliber to secure the highest practi- 

 cal degree of efficiency. If circumstances or conditions 

 require a short barrel, select the smallest bore which will 

 satisfactorily shoot the required amount of shot, and you 

 will have a gun of the minimum weight, and. if well 

 built, of correct balance. 



The charge of shot regulates the amount of powder, 

 which in turn limits the shortness of barrel. The charge 

 regulates the weight. A 12-gauge gun with 29+in. bar- 

 rels will as completely burn ofdrs. of powder as a 10- 

 gauge of 3llin. barrel will burn 44dre. Similarly a 16- 

 gauge will burn 2-£drs. with a 27in, barrel, and a 20 : gauge 

 2ldrs. with a 25 in. barrel. They will burn more for these 

 lengths, but the above charges are taken for illustration, 

 I doubt, therefore, whether it is advisable to lengthen 

 the barrels materially beyond the above figures, but for 

 light guns they may be reduced. 



My own choice for a field gun is one having 28in. bar- 

 rels, weight 6 to 6*1 bs., and either 12 or 16-gauge. Of 

 course for the same weight the 12 gauge would cost 

 nearly twice as much as the latter, for in one case it 

 would be necessary to have very careful and delicate 

 work and special pattern, while in the other the regular 

 patterns will give the desired weight. 



These considerations led to my purchasing the ]6-gauge 

 mentioned herein, and I am well satisfied with the selec- 

 tion. ^ T. H. G. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I notice that one of your "Snap Shots'' reads that an 

 "enthusiastic gun man" cut his "trusty" 10-bore from 32 

 down to 24in., and found it to be a perfect wonder for 

 duck shooting; meaning, of course, that penetration re- 

 mains as good or better than before, and that the spread 

 was just right. 



I have talked and experimented a good deal on this 

 subject, believing that a gun weighing Uibs. or less, 21iu, 

 barrel or less, 12-gauge. would do iust as e-ood shooting as 

 a much longer and heavier gun. I have cut off a good 

 many different makes, and have found that I did not 

 lose any in penetration. 



"What a difference there is in people's ideas about bor- 

 ing. Is it such a science; or is it such an impossibility to 

 bore a perfect cylinder? I believe there is nothing better 

 than a perfect cylinder, and if they could be made so that 

 they could be put into guns of ordinary price, then the 

 work of "touching up'' to make them shoot well would 

 be done away with, and only resorted to by the restless 

 genius, to whom we are indebted for so many valuable 

 and valueless things. My mind cannot help running to 

 this, in connection with the subject. I well remember 

 going with a gentleman, about eighteen years ago, on a 

 shooting excursion who had a gun that weighed 9jlbs. 

 (32in. barrel;; and at our stopping place for the night we 

 met another sportsman who held a position in an armory 

 for testing the guns. We found him a crank on short 

 light-weight guns, he contending that he could make shot 

 penetrate as far or further with his 61b. li^z. 24hi, -barrel 

 gun as my friend could with his arm. The result was a 

 match, in which the little shotgun was the winner. That 

 was what set me to thinking and experimenting. 



Since then numerous tests have been made by gentle- 



