§6 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. S, 1894. 



Small Game in Central New York. 



Ithaca, N. Y., Jan. 19. — A great many ruffed grouse 

 were left in the covers of Tompkins and adjoining coun- 

 ties at the concl usion of last season's shooting, and this 

 supply, by reason of the unusually mild weather which 

 has marked the winter thus far, has done splendidly. The 

 past season was notable for the large number of grouse 

 bagged in central New York counties. In Tompkins 

 county a local law forbids the shooting of quail for five 

 years. But unless restocking is resorted to, the expiration 

 of the five-year limit will still find the quail supply too 

 small to tempt one afield. No more vivid example of 

 game extermination is afforded than that which marks the 

 almost total blotting out within a comparatively few years 

 of the seemingly almost countless number of quail. Only 

 the wary grouse, aided by advantages which the less timid 

 quail does not take kindly to, seems able to cope with the 

 invading and ever-increasing army of gunners. It is this 

 characteristic of the grouse which makes the sportsman 

 hopeful that, with a proper enforcement of the law, good 

 shooting may be vouchsafed to him for years to come. 



A good many rabbits were killed during the past season, 

 enough were left to insure good sport another fall. But 

 the right to use ferrets should be stricken from the statute 

 books. M. C. H. 



A "Big Bear of Arkansas." 



Hot Springs, Ark. — Here is an account taken from 

 recent issue of my paper, the News, of a bear hunt in the 

 mountains adjacent to Hot Springs: "The largest black 

 bear that has been seen in this part of Arkansas for sev- 

 eral years was killed Dec. 6 by a parry of hunters com- 

 posed of Messrs. E. F. Bledsoe, M. L. Duncan and W. J. 

 Bledsoe. They found the bear on a bigh peak of the 

 Ozark Mountains, thirty miles north of Hot Springs, and 

 trailed him for several miles over the mountains with a 

 pack of bear dogs, and finally surrounded him on a high 

 rocky peak, where he was held at bay by the dogs until 

 the hunters arrived. After killing two dogs and wound- 

 ing three others, he was finally brought to the ground by 

 several well directed shots from Winchesters. Mr. Dun- 

 can had a narrow escape. After the bear was badly 

 wounded he made a savage rush at him, and not having 

 time to get away, the bear struck at him with its ponder- 

 ous paw, tearing his coat almost to ribbons. The bear 

 measured 8£f t. in length and was 13in. across the head." 

 Game shooting in this section is fairly good. Bear and 

 deer shooting may be found in the mountains twenty or 

 thirty miles distant from the city. Forest and Stream 

 is a welcome visitor to me. J. L. Wadley. 



Northwestern Iowa. 



Matlock, Iowa.— The chi» ken season of 1893 was with- 

 out doubt the most unsatisfactory of any in the history of 

 the State. Birds seemed to be fairly plentiful during the 

 summer, but after the season opened, they proved to be 

 almost impossible to find and very wild. The last two 

 weeks of ttie season were the best, I did not hear of a 

 person getting over thirty during the entire season, and 

 most of tbem scored only ten or a dozen. 



The quail shooting was more satisfactory than the 

 chicken, though not so good as the favorable conditions 

 would seem to warrant. Eeports from some parts of the 

 State indicate that the rabbits are becoming so numerous 

 as to be a nuisance. P. C. B. 



The Winter and the Game in New Hampshire. 



Charlestown, N. H., Jan. 23.— Our postmaster is a 

 sp >rtsman, and told me yeasterday that he had been out 

 in the woods and that tbey were full of gray squirrel 

 tracks, showing that they were "wintering over" well. 

 The bitter cold of early December, of which I wrote you 

 (20° below zero), moderated about Christmas, and so far 

 we have had a mild January, in great contrast with last 

 year, but cold enough to make a good ice crop and snow 

 enough to harvest it without interfering with the cutting; 

 and the loads of logs are going by, as I write, to the mill. 



Sam Webber. 



To Fight the Grouse Trappers. 



Mitchell, S. D., Jan. 18. — Editor Forest and Stream: 

 The crusade against the pot-hunters in this part of the 

 State, and particularly about Vermillion, for trapping 

 quail and prairie chickens has begun in dead earnest, 

 The gun club here is on the lookout, and will enforce the 

 law in order to make the number of game hogs less. 

 They deserve no sympathy and will in this way meet their 

 proper classification. The sportsmen at Sioux City have 

 contributed $300 toward enforcing the law. 



H. G. Nichols. 



Mass Meeting at Seneca Falls. 



A MASS meeting in the interest of fish and game protec- 

 tion will be held at Seneca Falls next Monday, Feb. 5. 

 President Bruce of the State Association, Mr. S. J. Trus- 

 den of Rochester, and others will be among the speakers. 

 The meeting will be held under the direction of the Hon- 

 est Fisherman's Association, a new body which is setting 

 out with much enthusiasm and earnestness of purpose to 

 restore to the public its heritage of fishing waters. 



Ohio Game Legislation. 



Cincinnati, O.. Jan. 25.— The House of Representatives 

 yesterday discussed whether or not quail should be pro- 

 tected. The discussion finally resolved into a bill whrjh 

 strictly forbids the sale of any quail, under any considera- 

 tion. Another bill, closing the season for a year and for 

 each alternate year thereafter, had just been defeated. 

 It is made unlawful to sell or ship out of the State at any 

 time of the year any of the birds mentioned. 



Willie Wick. 



"That reminds me." 



About a year ago the Joseph Dixon Crucible Co., of Jersey City, 

 issued a pamphlet on lubrieaiiug graphite. It embodied an elaborate 

 scientific opinion hy Prof. R. H. Thurston on the value of graphite as 

 a lubricant, and much interesting information on the subject from 

 practical men. The pamphlet has had a large circulation, and the 

 company has been enabled to obtain from well known men a vast 

 amount of additional knowledge on the uses of graphite Another 

 pamphlet, twice the size of the former, will be issued early in Febru- 

 ary, and a copy will be sent rree of charge to all interested in the sub- 

 ject of friction and lubrication.— Adv. 



Many sportsmen and others are deterred from visiting the South in 

 the « inter months by the considerable expense of a railroad trip. 

 They are thus deprived of a great deal of pl> asure that they mfehi 

 othe wise obtain and o£ renewed Health ana strength to combat the 

 ills of modern civilization. These individuals should turn their atten- 

 tion to our fine fleet of coastwise steamships that run regularly 

 between Northern ports and the Southern seacoast towns. The ex- 

 pense of a trip on one of these vessels is small, and the ocean voyage 

 delightful under favorable circumstances. The Mallory S. S. lines 

 connect New Tork with Q orgia, Florida and Texas.— Adv. 



In the fall of the year 1890 I spent a few days visiting 

 friends in the village of Portage, Cambria county, Pa. 

 While there I became acquainted with a family whom 

 we will call Green. Mr. Green was a professional miner, 

 but delighted in the sports of rod and gun. It was no 

 unusual thing for him to spend a day or two in the 

 mountains during the hunting season when work was 

 slack, and seldom did he come home without a well-filled 

 game pouch, which brought sunshine to other families 

 than his own. 



One day Mr. Green and a companion were out after 

 squirrels. They traveled some distance before they 

 reached their favorite hunting grounds. Game was not 

 very plenty that day, and they feared they would have to 

 return to their homes with but little to show for their 

 day's sport. Finally they reached a rocky ledge, and 

 there near the top of a good sized sugar tree they espied 

 a fine gray squirrel. At the crack of the rifle the squirrel 

 fell a few feet where it lodged in the forks of the tree. 

 All their efforts to dislodge it proving unvailing, Mr. 

 Green being an expert climber, resolved that he would 

 not go home without the squirrel. A few feet from the 

 large tree in which the squirrel was lodged, stood a small 

 tree whose top reached to the lower branches of the 

 larger one. To climb this was the work of a few 

 moments only, and when among the branches of the tree 

 that held the prize, he easily ascended to thp forks where 

 he secured his game. This was at an altitude of about 

 30ft. from the ground. On his w T ay up he saw the skin of 

 a large blacksnake, but it gave him no uneasiness, as he 

 had often seen such skins before. He was standing on a 

 1 trge bare limb, and just beneath him or rather in front of 

 him, he saw to his horror the form of a large blacksnake 

 issuing from the hollow of the tree, and making such 

 demonstration as to convince the hunter that he intended 

 to resent this unwonted instrusion on his domain. It was 

 impossible for Mr, Green to descend without sliding over 

 the hollow from which the snake was advancing. 



"Well, what did you do then? I asked as he stopped to 

 fill his pipe with his favorite brand of tobacco. After en- 

 joying a few puffs and assuring himself that it was in 

 good working condition, he answered: 



"What did I do? Well, I did not know what to do. I 

 first felt like jumping from the tree, but when I looked 

 down 30ft. at the rocks below, I concluded that if I must 

 finish my hunting now, I would do it bravely like a, man. 

 I knew that if that, snake got a few coils of his cold body 

 around my neck, I must soon depart for the Indian's 

 happy hunting ground. My companion could not render 

 the least assistance, as he could not see the monster, and 

 he could not shoot him without endangering my life. It 

 took but a moment to take in the situation. I could not 

 take hold of him with my hands, as with one I aoust hold 

 on to the limb, and I doubt whether a giant grip with two 

 hands could have hel 1 him. Neither could I use my feet 

 against him, for his position was such that I could not 

 reach him in that way. The only weapon 1 could lay my 

 hands on was a little switch about iin. thick and 2ft. 

 long. With this I began to strike at the snake, but he 

 managed to dodge it every time, and he seemed to me to 

 be coming nearer and nearer every moment. I was 

 about to give up in despair, when I sued eded in hitting 

 him a sharp blow on the head. Immediately he drew 

 back, and finally retreated into the hollow of the tree. 1 

 then feared to cross the hole, fearing he might return to 

 the attack. I saw the hole was full of dry leaves, and 

 quickly as possible I struck a match and applied it to the 

 leaves. Almost instantly the whole inside of the tree was 

 ablaze, and without waiting to learn what effect it would 

 have on the snake, I slid over the burning hole and soon 

 reached the ground in safety. I tell you, Mr. Brown, 

 when I see a snake skin on a tree, nothing can tempt me 

 to try my snake experience over again." 



Rev. G. W. Brown. 



FISHING RIGHTS IN CONNECTICUT. 



Hartford, Jan. 29. — Editor Forest and Stream: In 

 your issue of Jan. 27 I find considerable comment upon 

 the relation of tariff and internal revenue taxation on 

 guns, to the preservation of game. I do not think I can 

 improve on your able article in defense of the rights of all 

 classes to enjoy the sport; but permit me to carry the 

 argument further and apply it to such legislation as is 

 within the power of States to apply. 



If any sportsmen believe that the supply of fish and 

 game can be maintained by narrowing the number of 

 citizens who participate in it to a few wealthy ones who 

 can afford to maintain what is called a preserve, and this 

 to be stocked, as is often the case in Connecticut, at the 

 expense of the public appropriation for fish (we having 

 no Game Commission), such a theorist has my sympathy 

 for his lack of judgment. If any one can point to a 

 single object of importance that was sought and success- 

 fully brought about and maintained, that benefited a few 

 at the expense of a large majority of the people, I should 

 like to be informed of it and how it was done. If we are 

 to maintain the supply of fish and game it must be done 

 by annually propagating and stocking our forests and 

 waters; at least, this applies to our own State of Con- 

 necticut, where there are no remote districts. Such work 

 must be carried on by a proper commission at the public 

 expense, therefore, how can such work go on if the public 

 do not get the benefit of it? Our Fish Commission will 

 have a good deal to answer for before the next Legislature 

 unless a different policy is pursued from the past. All 

 trout supplied by this State are given to any citizens who 

 apply for them, and all restriction placed upon applicant 

 is wholly confined to the blank form of application; 95 

 per cent, of these fry are placed in private waters. 

 Further, our statutes provide that all waters stocked by 

 the Fish Commissioners shall be public waters, thus 

 plainly showing that the intention of the law is to have 

 the Commission stock our State waters themselves. 



And still another menace to the general public. Not- 

 withstanding that we have a number of good public 

 streams a trespass sign nailed to a tree along its bank pre- 



vents the public from getting access to such waters. 

 While no fair-minded person wishes to take the Tight of a 

 farmer to protect his crops away, still, there is no reason 

 why the public should be prevented from walking along 

 the shore of any public w T ater where the land is not culti- 

 vated. Before our different towns hold their elections 

 for members to the next Legislature there should be a fair 

 understanding from the nominees of both parties as to 

 whether the people at home are to be heard or the lobby 

 backed by money. If the latter, then the sooner the 

 sportsmen of ordinary means accept the issue and prepare 

 to fight it out to a finish, the sooner we can settle it. It is 

 enough to remind the people from the small towns that 

 their representation is much greater than in the large 

 cities in proportion to the population, and only the great- 

 est degree of fairness can command the support of any 

 number of those now in sympathy with them. 



Will the true sportsmen of Connecticut prepare for one 

 big fight for their rights? C. W. Hall. 



ANGLING NOTES. 



Birds and Fishes. 



Once when I was fishing in Brant Lake in the border 

 of the Adirondacks, my boat was anchored quite near to 

 the shore, and on a tree overhanging the water was a 

 kingfisher, or rather it took its position after the boat 

 was anchored. After the kingfisher had taken a good 

 look at me and the guide — sized us up as it were — it pro- 

 ceeded to do some fishing on its own account. I had a 

 field glass in the boat, and through it I watched the bird, 

 entirely neglecting my own fishing, for the bird was 

 having better luck than I dared hope for. 



Over and over it dived from the limb of the tree into 

 the water and nearly eveiy time it brought out a small 

 fish, but . occasionally it missed. Somewhere I have a 

 memorandum of the kingfisher's catch, but I shall not 

 look for it as I have a score to quote which will give mine 

 cards and spades and a beating. Then I was more im- 

 pressed with the fact that such fishing as I saw done by 

 the kingfisher was as destructive of young fish as the work 

 of the human poacher is destructive of adult fish than I 

 was with the number of fish caught in a given time. 

 Now, from later advices I am inclined to think that there 

 are feathered poachers who can discount human poachers 

 when poaching against the watch. 



Mr. J. J. Armistead, proprietor of the Solway Fishery 

 in Scotland, says: "A heron shot at the Solway Fishery 

 on Dec. 13 was found to contain twenty-four American 

 trout (Salvelinus f ontinalis), some of them over Gin. long. 

 The bird had not been at the pond seven minutes, as he 

 was seen to arrive and was immediately stalked and shot i 

 by one of the men." 



Twenty-four trout, some of them over the legal length 

 provided by the New York game laws, caught in seven 

 minutes by the watch would seem to be one of those 

 transactions which is called "crowding the mourners." 

 1 doubt if anglers, as a rule, object to fishing birds getting 

 their share of fish, for "'tis their nature to" as much as 

 for "bears and lions to growl and fight," and they cannot 

 really be blamed for it, for Watts says, "God hath made 

 them so." But when it comes to the point of a fishing 

 bird making a "fish hog" of itseJf, that is another matter, 

 and a pocket ride (not one of those rear-pocket affairs 

 with a cork in the muzzle), carried by an angler along a 

 trout stream and used as opportunity offers, might arrest 

 some of the fishing birds that are* caught in the act of 

 overdoing the business. Fishing birds will not be con- 

 vinced that a trout diet is too rich for their blood, and for 

 this reason a friend of mine takes arifle to kill the halcyon 

 as certainly as he takes a rod to kill trout. Personally I 

 do not object to the kingfisher, and prefer to regard him 

 as a guide, as John Burroughs says he is, instead of a fish 

 poacher to be killed on sight. Burroughs says: "He will 

 not insure smooth water or fair weather, but he knows j 

 every stream and lake like a book, and will ttike you to 

 the wildest and most unfrequented places. Follow his . 

 rattle, and you shall see the source of every trout and 

 salmon stream on the continent." I cannot, however, 

 plead for herons that kill twenty-four trout in seven min- 

 utes. 



Exit the Sea Serpent. 



We have been told that George Washington's hatchet 

 is a myth; that William Tell did not shoot an apple from 

 the head of his son; that Robin Hood, Friar Tuck and 

 Little John did not exist in the time of Richard I., or any 

 other time; that Columbus did not discover America, and 

 have been told various other things that have shaken and 

 shattered certain beliefs of our youth; but all through 

 this period of disillusion in later years we have clung, 

 feebly to be sure, to a belief in the sea serpent. Now the 

 sea serpent must go, has gone in fact, and we begin to 

 doubt if anybody really ever struck Billy Patterson. 



Dr. Jordan it is who disposes of the sea serpent in a 

 California newspaper as fo'lows: "All hough there have 

 been many reports of the 'sea serpent,' there is not at 

 present the slightest positive evidence to prove that such 

 a creature now inhabits the sea. It is not within the 

 realm of probability that any marine reptile of large size 

 other than sea turtles now exist. 



"The sea has been as fully explored as the land. The 

 fishes of the sea, from the surface to the depth of five 

 miles, are as well known as the animals of similar size on 

 any of the continents except Europe. The larger animals 

 which swim near the surface in the open ocean are for 

 the most part well known and have been known ever 

 since oceanic navigation began. Probably not half a 

 dozen specimens of marine animals reaching a length of 

 15ft. have been discovered in our century. Most of those 

 now known were known to the ancients." 



Jordan classifies the sea serpent story under seven 

 heads, but hs there is no sea serpent it is not necessary to 

 give here the list of things that have been taken for it. I 

 am satisfied to say vale the sea serpent, but I expect it 

 will pop up again next summer, in the newspapers. 



Fresh Fish for Lunch. 



Air. A. H. Savage Landor has written a book of travel 

 with the title, "Alone with the Hairy Ainu," describing a 

 visit to the island of Yezo or Yesso, a convict settlement 

 of Japan. As he tr aveled north on the island to find the 

 hairy people he halted at a wayside tea house for refresh- 

 ment. Every one knows that fresh fish are better for the 

 table than fish that are not fresh, but hereafter I shall 

 question the oft repeated question that "fish cannot be too 

 fresh," for Mr. Landor proves that there are times and 



