M70 



[OeT. n, 1891, 



FIRE-LIGHTING. 



FIRE-LTGHTINGr is practiced to a. greater or less ex- 

 tent by a few market-gunners exclusively for gain 

 in the shallow bays adjacent to 1 he Atlantic seaboard. 

 There is a strong gen«^ral, as well as local, sentiment 

 against the pursuit of water fowl in this manner, and the 

 laws are generally pronounced against it. For this rea- 

 son it ia a rather diflScult matter to obtain mtich rehable 

 information regarding it from those engaged in this 

 calling. 



We consequently have but limited knowledge as to the 

 modus operandi of pursuing water fowl in this way or its 

 effects. My desire to know something about fire-lighting 

 has been strengthened from time to time, wliile on my 

 shooting trips, by seeing usually just after dark, certain 

 lights creeping slowly out on the bay, or moving silently 

 along the snorps, and which, as I watched tbem, would 

 often change from drizziini; brightness to total darkness. 

 It was some years before I had an opi^ortunity to investi- 

 gate these lights, but it finally came through an experi- 

 enced bayman whom I had previou,-ly employed, and 

 who, at times, went after water fowl in this manner. 



The great desi ieratuni in this kind of shooting is the 

 lantern, as on its construction much depends, and I de- 

 scribe it from memory in detail in order that a better idea 

 may be formed of the t ff ect its use is likely to produce on 

 birds. A large light is necf^saary. A locomotive head- 

 litcht would serve admirably, for it throws a broad and 

 strong light. A small lantern would be of comparatively 

 little use, for ibe more powerful and far reaching the 

 rays of light, the better the chance of successfully ap- 

 proaching the water fowl. As not many of the bayrapn 

 can afford a locomotive headlight the result is a variety 

 of 1 interns are used, varying according to the means and 

 ingenuity of the owner. The one my boatman used 

 might come under the head of first cla^s lights. It was 

 about I4in. wide and ISin. high, and was made of tin 

 with plain glass on three sidep, the back being tin, bright 

 inside and supporting two large reflectors, in front of 

 which were placed two kerosene lampg with large 

 burners. 



Tin doors lined with looking-glass were attached to 

 the pla>n glass sides, ttms leaving only the front uncov- 

 ered. There were funnels at the top to carry off the 

 heat and smoke from the lamps. When ready j or use 

 the lantern i^ securely fas-tened at the bow of a small 

 boat. The lamps are then lighted and turned low. The 

 boatman rows toward the birds he is in quest of and 

 which may be a quarter of a mile away, renting on 

 some sandbar or fecaing along the shore. C mada geese 

 are the birds usually pursued. When snfificienlly near 

 for his purpose (it now bemg quite dark), he turns up the 

 lamps, and the looking-gUss Uuors are opened and kept 

 in place by a wire rod at such an angle as to focus the 

 rays of light in con jurction with the refit ctors at the 

 back. Thu^ there ii cast ahead of the boat a broad and 

 far-reaching stream of light. Dark evenings are most 

 suitable, and the water should be smooth. It is desirable 

 that the boat have smooth sides instead of lapstreaks, as 

 the water makes a noise when striking against the latter. 

 Tije boatman stands or sits at the stern with his gun in 

 readiness and sculls or poles the boat according to the 

 depth of water. 



Great care must be exercised in approaching birds, as a 

 careless knock of the oar against the boat may alarm 

 them. After thp birds have come within the rays of 

 light, they musi; be kept covered by it until shot at, for a 

 ctiange from liyht to darkness will cause them to fly. A 

 thorough knowledge of the surroundmgs, and judgment 

 in guiding the boat by the diree'ion of the wind, is neces- 

 sary to prevent getting turned around, or going to the 

 windward, when the biids may tcent your approach. 

 Before starting out, it i-: important to know the where- 

 abouts of one or more flocks of birds. I remember -. n 

 afternoon, there being every indication of a favorable 

 evening, when 2.T Canada ger se sat on a sand bar about 

 a mile from whfre we were. My boatman said, "We will 

 go after them with the lantern to-night." While on our 

 way to them I s .t behind the lantern perfectly still with 

 cocked gun, while the boatman, standing upright in the 

 stern with his gun beside him, scullt d silently along, the 

 stream of light from our lantern, with its well-defined 

 limits, lighting up for quite a distance the path in front 

 of the boat. Presently he asked in a whisper if I saw the 

 geese; I replied "No, and he pointed out some indistinct 

 specks ahead of us. As the wind was blowing across the 

 boat there was no danger of our bping scented. 

 A.S we ppproached I did not take my eyes from the 

 geese. Toey did not appear afraid of suspicious, but 

 acted in the most natural manner possible. One preened 

 its feathf^rs, another rubbed the siae of its head on its 

 back, another dipped its bill in the water, of which there 

 was a depth of about 3 or 4in. on the bar on which they ' 

 were standing. The rays of the lantern covered the 

 flock, while outside of its limits all was inky darkness. 

 Not the slightest curiosity or uneasiness was evinced by 

 them on the aijproach of the light. The boat meanwhile 

 approached too near, being within ISyds. of them, and 

 altbough they were not standing close together, we were 

 now obligred to ftre. Confusion followed the reports; but 

 it was seon still. Those that could do so flew away, leav- 

 ng seven dead. That we could have gone into their very 

 midst seems proba ble. 



Leavmg this locality we headed out from shore in 

 search of a large flock of brant whjch we bad heard 

 wnen on our way to the geese. We had no difflculty in 

 finding them, but could not get near enough to see them, 

 although we chased them for a long distance by their 

 call'^, being quite near them at times. The^e birds swim 

 faster than thp boat can be propelled, and I am told are 

 as a rule difStuT'^ tr, approach. Having decided to re- 

 turn, we wej e gilen ly moving along the edge of the 

 marwh, sweep. i g the water adjacent to the shore with 

 our light, whe n a p dr of black ducks were observed 

 feeding and p iddling in the rays of the lantern. They 

 were perfectly uticoncerned, and although the boatman 

 was standing up. they could neither see nor hear any- 

 thing. They would turn arotind and lower their heads to 

 the water. I saw no signs of fear or curiosity, and they 

 showed no particular interest in the light. I finally per- 

 ceived a slight uneasiness, and as we approached nearer 

 thev commenced to swim away with their heads up, ap- 

 parently with a su=picion that all was not as it should be. 

 I think they may have heard us whispeiing, still they 

 made no attempt to fly until we fired at them from a 

 distance of not over a dozen or fifteen yards. 



Several years after I tfied an experiment to see how 

 near I could walk up to a flock of common terns (Sterna 

 hirundo) with an ordinary hand lantern. They were 

 roosting on the beach. I found I could approach to 

 within about three or four yards of some of them, when 

 they would fly a little way and alight again. This was 

 the result after several trials. 



I think the reason I could not approach nearer was that 

 the lantern distributed an equal amount of light in all 

 directions, thus making me visible: had the lantern been 

 BO arranged as to cast the rays only ahead, I think I could 

 have walked among them, or at least close to the outside 

 edge of the flock. The above instances seem to show that 

 the only efl'ect was the dazzling of the birds by the bril- 

 liant rays of light cast on them from the lantern. This 

 with the absence of any scent or sound sufficient to make 

 the birds suspicious caused them to act in the manner 

 most natural to them. It seems reasonable to infer, that 

 when such a concentration of light is artificially directed 

 at a person, animal, or bird, the same effect is produced 

 as when loakitig- steadily at the sun; in othtr words, the 

 liaht is so dazaling to the eyes as to render thpm incipv 

 ble of seeing any objpct for the time being. This peems 

 to me to be an explanation of the effect of the light 

 thrown on the birds from the lantern. Had a noise been 

 made when we were near them, they would have flown 

 away quickly enough, lantern or no lantern. 



It seems to me that the principal objection to the use of 

 a light in pursuing wildfowl after dark lies in the fact 

 that such nif^ht shooting harasses the birds on their roost- 

 ing and feeding grounds, which, as any one who has tad 

 any expeiience know.*, causes them toforsake such places 

 and seek others where they will be unmole.'-ted. Fire- 

 lighting is generally not remunerative, and the men who 

 follow it have much to contend with, both in retrsrdto 

 weather, birds anel the law. It is likely to be engaa-t d in 

 by only a few of the biymen, as most of iheir friends 

 who shoot, being day gunners, are opposed to it. knovving 

 well its evil eflt cc on wildfowl. While I regret that my 

 experience has been so limited, I can still congratulate 

 myself that it has been no greater, I present the.^e notes 

 as a slight contribution to the knowledge of a pubj'^ct on 

 which little has b^en written.— Ceorge H, MacTeay in the 

 Auk. 



MAINE WARDENS. 



GAME WARDEN " Jock " Darling- writes to the Phil- 

 lips PhonograpJi under datp of Se pt. 26: '-In reply 

 to some of the leaders of the Phonograph, v. ho wi&h to 

 know what change of heart I bave nnci that induced me 

 to accept an appointment as game warden, I willsay ihere 

 has not been any charge in heart, but some change in 

 business, which has been brought about for several rea- 

 sons. In the fii St place, I have always believed in pro- 

 tecting our fish and game when it should be, and all the 

 talk tliat has been made in newspapers ard otherwi.se 

 about my being an outlaw, a notorious pe)acher, etc., was 

 because I advochted the use of dogs tor deer only, and 

 during^the open eeason merely. Some of the reasons for 

 my taking the efiice of warden I will give: Fii>t. I own 

 and run sporting camps for fishermen and hunters, and 

 all the way I have had any business was to allow sports- 

 men to have guides with dogs to hunt deer, which gave 

 the guides employment at big wages. The use of dogs 

 was against the law, and I had to stand ip the gap and 

 do all the fighting. I went to our Legislature several 

 timeH the past six years and done what I could to have 

 the game law amended, and I have been working hard 

 fjn a poor man's purse; not a hunter or guide helped me 

 to a cent, but on the otber hand they have in sevrrel 

 ways worked against me. I found that I was not gomg 

 to get any 1 elp from them and was not able to fight the 

 State of Maine, etc., alone. When the G^me aind Fish 

 Commissioners with some of their friends came to my 

 camps and talked the matter over I could see no other 

 way to do than what I did. I did not accept the office 

 of warden for the purpose of any unfair way of getdng 

 money, as seme have insinuated, but to see if I could not 

 prevent some of the wasteful game slaughter that is 

 going on. As soon as my business will allow T shall 

 move in that direction, and I believe that I have already 

 done some e:ood. Not long ago I received a letter from 

 a well known guide at Moosehead Lake; he bad s-een the 

 appointment of my bfing a warden and he wanted to 

 know if it was a fact; if so, if I meant business, for, says 

 he, 'we know that with the knowh dge you have of the 

 woods, country and hunter?, that if you mean business 

 you will make warm work for some of th( m,' My first 

 move will be to try ard induce them not to kill game 

 when it should not be, and if ihey do I shall get thpm if 

 possible. One di-'adv ntage most wardens have worked 

 under, they were not po)-ted in woodcraft and had to fol- 

 low the main traveled roads. Many times the news that 

 they werp coming passed along ahead of them, and 

 this may be the case 'with me. but the chances are that I 

 shall come out ahead part of the time." 



A, J. Darling, the veteran hunter and game warden of 

 Eafield, writes to the Bangor News: "As many articles 

 have been in print for and against the game laws and 

 the ore great interest that we all have, or should have, 

 for our big game interests, as well as fish of all kinds, I 

 will say that I have been a warclen for many years and 

 have always tried to use moral suasion on the people. A 

 man that has it in his mind to hunt and fl^sh whenever 

 he chooses, one might as well try to stop the north wind 

 from blowing, as to fpend any time talking to him. 

 Never yet in my time have I taken any hush money; but 

 I cannot say that I have not had chances to receive such. 

 I have been in our forests this season and finel that the 

 deer are quite plenty all along the line, particularly in 

 the eastern portion of the State; and good, reliable men, 

 who have been in the lumber regions tell me that deer 

 and caribou are plenty all the way from the Pasaadum- 

 keag stream to the head of the Mattawamkeag and up 

 through Ai oostook county, and with fair hunting; will 

 surely be plentier in years to come, I have assisted thi^ 

 season in subduing forest fires that were not set by sports- 

 men but by inhabitants of Maine. I wish no hunter any 

 harm, but our laws are not severe enough for the maa 

 that will kill game when he well kn'iws that it is to be 

 left to Fpoil where it is killed. I believe it is my duty to 

 look after the best interests of our fish and game when- 

 ever 1 can, whether I am a warden or not; but it is itn- 

 possible to follow every fisherman and hunter wherever 

 he may ti'avel.'" 



WEAPONS FOR GAME. 



DURING the present year a highly interesting book 

 has been published in England, calltd "Wild Beasts 

 and Their Ways," by Sir Samuel Baker. It contains an 

 account of the l ?rge game of which that celebrated 

 traveler and fpoitsman has had personal experience; and 

 in the opening chapter he gives his opinion as to the best 

 weapons for killing the various classes of animal^. Upon 

 the latter subject many first-rate hunters will differ from 

 him, but his ideas are well worth careful consideration, 

 because it is doubtful if any man has killed a greater 

 quantity and variety of large game, and during an un- 

 ufcually long sporting career he has always had ample 

 pecuniary means for trying experiments with weapons of 

 all sizes and patterns. Notwithstanding these facts. Sir 

 Samuel Baker is by no means dogmatic. He says: "It 

 would be imposi-ible to cffer advice that would suit all 

 persons, I can therefore only give a personal opinion ac- 

 cording to my experience. 



"For all animals above the size of a fallow depr and 

 below that of a buffalo, I prefer the ,577 express— 648grs, 

 solid bullet, 6drs. of powder, not 6i, as the charge of Gdrs. 

 produces greater accuracy at long ranges. The weight of 

 this rifle should be ll^lbs. or not exceeding iSlbs, 



"For smaller game, from fallow deer downward, I 

 prefer the .400 express, with from 8ogrs, to 4 Irs. of powder 

 —solid bullet, excepting in the case of black buck, when 

 on account of numerous villages on the plains it is neces- 

 sary that the bullet should not pass through the body. 

 The important question of weight is much in favor of the 

 A.< 0 —as great power and velocity are obtained by a 

 weapein of only Silhs, 



"The Paradox gun, invented by Col. Fosberry and 

 raanufftciured by Messiv. H(;lland & Holland, of Bond 

 street, is a most useful weapon, as it combines the shot- 

 gun with a rifle that i'^ wonderfully accurate within a 

 range of lOOyds. The No. 12 Paradox weighs Silbs. and 

 carries a bullet of Ifoz,, with 4|drR, of powder. Al- 

 though the powdpr charge is not sufficient to produce a 

 high express velocity, the penetration and phock are 

 most formidable. * * * It also shoots No. 6 shot with 

 equal pattern to the best cylinder-bored gun." 



Referring to the pachydermata the main opinion ex- 

 pressed is as follows: 



"I do not think that any larger bore is actually neces- 

 sary than a No. 8 with a charge of 12 or I4drs. of powder. 

 Such a rifle should weigh 151 bs. and the projectile would 

 weigh 3 z. of hardened metal. * * * Such a rifle will 

 break the bones of any animal from an elephant down- 

 ward, and would rake a buffalo from end to end, a matter 

 of great importance when the bf^a'^t is charging. There 

 arp many persons who prefer a .500 or .450 express to the 

 .577 or .400, I have nothing to say against them, but I 

 prefer those I have named, as the .577 is the most fatal 

 weapon that I have ever used, * * * There can be 

 little doubt but that a man should not be over- weighted, 

 but that every person should be armed in proportion to 

 his physical f-trengtb." 



The followirg extract from the book may perhaps be of 

 use to those who are in search of the much-talked-about 

 ; "all round liflr": 



"The purchaser should strongly resist the delusion that 

 any onp particular dpscripiion will be perfect as a so- 

 called general rifle. You may as well expect one kind of 

 horse or one pattern of ship to combine all the re quire- 

 m< nts of h comotion, as to suppose that one peculiar rifle 

 will ^uit every variety of game or every combination of 

 locality." 



There is probably no point upon which so many hunt- 

 ers vvill diffe-r from Biker as in that of hia preference for 

 sol'd bullets of pure lead in < xi^ress rifles. He says: *'I 

 difft^r from many persons of great authority in the qual- 

 ity of projciiles. * * I contend that the smasning 

 up of the l)ullet is a mistake, except in certain cases when 

 the animal is small and harmlens, and when the bullet 

 would bp exceedingly dangerous should it pass through 

 :ind ricochet into seme unlucky village. * * * I have 

 frequently heard persons of great experience dilate with 

 satisfaction upon the good shots made with their little 

 hollow .450 express exactly behind thef-houkler of a tiger 

 or some other animal. I have also heard of failures which 

 were to themselves soraef imes incomprehensible", A solid 

 .577 never fails if the direction is toward a vital part. 

 The position of the animal does not signify * * * as 

 the solid bullet will crash through muscle, bone and 

 every oppo.'^ing obstacle, * * * If the metal is pure 

 lead, the bullet .577. with an initial velocity of 1,650ft. a 

 second, will ass-uredly assume th^form of a button mush- 

 room immediately upon impact, and it will increase in 

 diameter as it meets with resistance upon its course, until, 

 when expended beneath the elastic hide upon the oppo- 

 site side, it will have become fully spread like a mature 

 mushroom. * « * 



"I have seen verv many instances when the .500 hol- 

 low expiesp, with 5drs. of powder, has struck an animal 

 well behind the shoulder, or sometimes through the 

 shoulder, and, notwithstanding the fatal wound, the 

 hp.nst has galloped off as though untouched for at least 

 lOOyds, before it fell suddenly and died. This is clumsy 

 ehoi'ting. The solid bullet of pure lead would have 

 killed upon the spot." 



Attention is also drawn to another advantage of the 

 solid bullet: "A hollow bullet from an express rifle will 

 fly into fragments should it strike a twig the size of the 

 little finger. In thick jungle a sedid bullet may deflect 

 slightly but it will generally deliver its message direct, 

 unless the opposing objects are more formidable than or- 

 dinary small branches." In the above- mentiemed .577 

 rifle the charge of powder is only one-fourth the^weight 

 of the bullet, and when loaded in that proportion it is 

 quite possible to obtain regular accuracy with pure lead; 

 but with the loads usetl in ordinary .45 or ,50 express 

 rifles the shooting is irregular unless the bullet be hard- 

 ened with about one-tenth part of tin. Probably even 

 then it would mushroom in the manner advocated by Sir 

 8. Baker, on account of the much larger proportion of 

 powder. If it fail to do this the bullet might be cast 

 with a very small hollow, as recommended by Mr. Van 

 Dyke, J. J. Meyrick. 



[TO BE CONTINCTBD.] 



"Vebmoot Fish .4 j^p Game League.— The annual meet- 

 ing win btt h<-ld m i hp parlors of the Van Ness House, 

 Burlington, Vt.,Nov. 4, 1891, at 6:80 P. M, Every mem- 

 ber is urged to attend.— Heney R. Doer, Pres.. John W. 

 TlTOOiHB, Sac'y (Rutland, Vt., Oct. 10;, 



