May 12, 1894.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



401 



be said that the enjoyment afforded is derived from the 

 skill required to compass the destruction of the victim, 

 and the uncertainty which attaches to our efforts, and 

 that the suffering entailed is a mere incident, disagree- 

 able, it is true, but unavoidable. This is doubtless true 

 with the more sensitive and more highly developed sports- 

 man, and that is why, as we grow older and more reflec- 

 tive, we have an oppressive consciousness and a haunting 

 sense of remorse when we consider the vast number of 

 poor deer, for example, that flee madly away from venge- 

 ful enemies, carrying death wounds to some sequestered 

 brake, where, frightened and exhausted, they lie down to 

 die in lingering agony, without sympathy, companion- 

 ship or any remedial agents which serve to ameliorate the 

 sufferings of human beings when in like extremity. All 

 of which produces great discomfort of mind, viewed 

 solely from a selfisb standpoint. 



But what are we to say of the hearty zest with which 

 we pursue the unfortunate fox, with a pack of hounds in 

 full cry behind him, for hours, and sometimes days, in a 

 single chase, he suffering a mortal terror in momentary 

 apprehension of being torn in pieces by his pursuers? Or 

 the lively interest we take in routing out the raccoon 

 from his fancied safety in some tall tree, to be thrown 

 among a lot of fierce and eager dogs to fight out his life 

 in a hopeless combat? Are not these exultations over the 

 misfortunes of our fellow creatures an inheritance from 

 our barbarous forefathers? If we could kill with certainty 

 and promptness, through the exercise of a high degree of 

 skill, each bird, duck, deer or whatnot aimed at, the sport 

 would doubtless be satisfactory in the absence of the 

 element of uncertainty, and freedom from the conscious- 

 ness of suffering inflicted would be a great relief to sen- 

 sitive sportsmen; but if we should contrive such destruc- 

 tive agents that no skill would be required, then the 

 element of sport would at once vanish. I maintain that 

 the consideration we accord to helpless creatures which 

 fall into our power is at bottom based upon selfish 

 motives, though we are unconscious, perhaps, of the fact. 

 If a dog comes within convenient reach of your buggy 

 whip, you do not give him a cut. as a man of coarser tex- 

 ture would be tempted to do. Why? Not because of the 

 dog's pain, but because the consciousness of it would 

 occasion you discomfort of mind. We are not as much 

 concerned for the sufferings of a human friend at a dis- 

 tance as for those of a faithful dog -or horse immediately 

 before our eyes. This theory may be unpalatable, but I 

 believe is true nevertheless. 



That which constitutes human enjoyment is in itself 

 only a question of taste. As we become more highly de- 

 veloped, intellectually and morally, our tastes are more 

 refined. What gives pleasure to the savage may be repul- 

 sive to the civilized man. and conversely , we derive enjoy- 

 ment from contemplations to which the savage is indiffer- 

 ent or oblivious. 



The vast domain of living creatures which furnish 

 neither food nor sport we may presume excited little or 

 no interest in our savage ancestors, and indeed very little 

 in the uneducated of the present day. Rut as we become 

 more cultivated we discover an illimitable field of pleasure 

 in the study of their structure and habits, in the songs of 

 birds, and in the contemplation of the very enjoyment of 

 birds and beasts when undisturbed amid their natural sur- 

 roundings; even the apparently insignificant insects be- 

 come subjects of deep interest and absorbing study. This 

 leads directly to the question, is it not wise and logical 

 that we should preserve, instead of destroying, all those 

 creatures whose existence is not offensive to man? The 

 suggestion also arises, when we invade nature's domain 

 and assume to destroy one class in order to protect an- 

 other (leaving domestic crea,tures out of consideration as 

 being removed from nature's control), are we not proceeding 

 blindly, with no knowledge of the consequences of our 

 acts, which may be far-reaching for evil? Let us cite the 

 blacksnake for example, which has excited so much ani- 

 mosity in the minds- of some sportsmen because of his 

 depredations upon the small birds' nests, is it not a fair 

 presumption that he is performing a wise function in 

 nature's economic plan? Eeasoning by analogy I think it 

 is, for nature does not often, if ever, make mistakes. It 

 may well be that without the intervention of the snakes 

 and other predatory birds, animals, etc., the small birds 

 would become too numerous. At all events, we know 

 that these processes have been going on from the far 

 indefinite past, and without any serious interference by 

 man we have still left a great abundance of small birds. 



I send these rather disjointed remarks, Mr. Editor, in 

 the hope that Mr. Greene, to whose accomplishments I de- 

 sire to pay tribute, or other of your many able contribu- 

 tors, will pursue the discussion with more ability than I 

 have been able to show. Permit me here to send a greet- 

 ing to Brother "Kelpie" for his kindly expressions toward 

 me, and to express the hope that his vivacious pen may 

 never lack of ink to afford entertainment to myself and 

 the numerous readers of Forest and Stream in the future 

 as in the past. Coahoma. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



[From a Staff Correspondent.] 

 The Flight. 



Chicago, III., April 28.— The geese have passed north 

 of Dakota. The flight was unusually abundant. The 

 heavy storm which drove the ducks back late in March 

 was fatal to thousands. In Iowa at least 100,000 were 

 killed in four days. A few ducks are still staying in Da- 

 kota, mostly breeders. There was phenomenal shooting 

 on ducks and snipe all through Missouri and Arkansas. 

 The increase of game in '93-4 is phenomenal and hard to 

 explain. Let us hope the coming fall will show good 

 numbers. Dakota is full of water this year, and the 

 shooting should be better for fowl than for years. 



? ? ? ? ? 



I respectfully ask of any friends who shoot in the 

 spring: Do you really think it is the right thing to do? 



Elk Perishing. 



A despatch from Lander, Wyo., this morning, says that 

 hundreds of elk have been found dead in that locality. 

 The snows drove them out of the Park. There is more 

 snow in the Park this winter than was ever known. 



Plenty of Elk. 

 The Rocky Mountain guide, S. N. Leek, who is thor- 

 oughly familiar with all the Jackson's Hole country, south 

 of the Park, writes me; "Marysvale, Wyo., Feb. 5. — So 



far we are having a light, pleasant winter in Jackson's 

 Hole. Game of all kinds is doing well. A heavy storm 

 early in the winter drove the game down from the moun- 

 tains in unusual numbers. Not for four years has there 

 been near as many elk or deer in the valley. It must be 

 that a great many were driven out of the Park that usually 

 winter there. Coyotes are thicker this winter than I ever 

 saw them in here; they are doing some damage to the 

 deer. The only way to reach us now is with snowshoes, 

 yet Forest and Stream comes regularly every week, a 

 welcome visitor." 



That is a good letter from a far-away land. Mr. Sar- 

 gent, of the late Hamilton Sargent ranch, south of the 

 Park, told Sergt. Van Buskirk of the Shoshone sub-station 

 that the elk were all over that country this winter, and 

 had eaten up most of the Mormons' hay. He said that 

 no elk were being killed for the skins, though some were 

 killed for meat. 



A Texas Scheme. 

 Mr. A. J. Bryant, of Cincinnati, O., writes me and 

 incloses the following clipping from the Enquirer of that 

 city: 



A— WANTED— Man of good address to sell Texas 

 ■ and Mexican deer and antelope horns for deco- 

 rating saloons, club rooms, sporting halls, offices, 

 private parlors, etc. ; can furnish beautiful specimens 

 by the thousand pair; demand phenomenal; business 

 new, novel; no competition; will be bonanza to party 

 engaged; letters answered if self-addressed stamped 

 envelope is inclosed. Address COL. VAN RAUB, Van 

 Raub, Bexar county, Tex. 



Mr. Bryant says: "Don't you think it would be a good 

 idea to have this matter looked into and to discover, if 

 possible, where and at what seasons of the year these 

 thousands of horns are secured? I respectfully suggest 

 that you forward clipping to the State Game Warden of 

 Texas, with request that he look into the matter in the 

 interest of all sportsmen in general and of Texas in par- 

 ticular. " 



Costly Quail Out of Season. 



On April 24 Mr. Matthew A. Hogan, who keeps a 

 restaurant on State street, Chicago, was prosecuted by 

 Game Warden Mr. Blow and Mr. M. R. Bortree, president 

 of the N. G., B. and F. P. A., for breaking the game laws, 

 the offense consisting in having in possession and serving 

 three prairie chickens and a quail in his restaurant on 

 March 27. He was fined $20 and costs. The suit against 

 Mr. H. V. Bemis, proprietor of the Richelieu, for a similar 

 violation of the law, was won by the prosecutors, the 

 defendant paying a fine of $50. 



Mr. H. A. Loughran of Pittsburgh writes: "In regard 

 to Mr. Jos. Irwin's inquiry as to how to carry live min- 

 nows, my way is to have a syringe or pump, made of a 

 joint of cane rod. Push this down to bottom of bait can 

 and pump full of fresh air. I transport minnows in a 

 milk can." 



On the same subject Mr. J. W. Gray of Westboro, Wis. , 

 says: 



"Allow me to make a suggestion which will cost little 

 to carry into practice. Make a boop of tin or wood out of 

 a strip about 2in. wide and just large enough to fit within 

 the pail or other receptacle in which the bait fish are car- 

 ried. Fasten within the hoop strips, same width as hoop, 

 about 2in. apart and parallel to each other. Fasten the 

 hoop in the fish pail so that it will just touch the surface 

 of the water, and place the pail in the wagon in such a 

 position that the strips within the hoop will be parallel to 

 the line of travel. The jolting of the wagon will cause 

 the water to splash about and the water will be kept aer- 

 ated. The cover of the pail should be sufficiently perfor- 

 ated to allow a free circulation of air, and the pail should 

 not be more than three-fourths full of water. I hope this 

 device will prove in practice what it seems to be in 

 theory." 



The N. G. B. and F. P. A. 



Life being short, let it go at that. The executive com- 

 mittee met April 25, Messrs. Bortree, Hertz, Hicks and 

 Pond being present. A favorable report was made on the 

 badge design, that of a star, the central design being that of 

 a pair of quails with brood, surmounting a trout single, the 

 initials of the association to be placed on the points of the 

 star, only one initial to each point. The material will be 

 of gold and the design will be copyrighted. The associa- 

 tion will publish a handbook for distribution , giving; a list 

 of members and officers, and having constitution, etc., a 

 synopsis of game laws and a list of State wardens. To 

 avoid the charge of flippancy, I will write out the name 

 of the association. It is the National Game, Bird and Fish 

 Protective Association. I hope they will never get caught 

 out in a storm with all that name. Why not shorten it, 

 calling it, say, the Sportsmen's National League? It's an 

 awful thing to meet such an array of consonants when 

 you are just going about your business peacefully. 



E. Hotjgh. 



909 Security Building, Chicago. 



Brant at Monomoy. 



BOSTON.— Mr. Walter S. Hill came back from brant 

 shooting at Monomoy the other day. He, with Mr. O. W. 

 Whittemore, of Arlington, Mr. Henry Eager the r-ham- 

 pion wing shot, Mr. Harris, treasurer of the Union Pacific 

 Railroad, and Mr. Stickney, of Charlestown, were the 

 guests of Mr. Warren Hapgood, the senior promotor of 

 the Monomoy Brant Club. They bad most glorious sport, 

 and have really carried off the championship this spring 

 for brant shooting at that point. Their number was over 

 sixty — as Mr. Hill remembers it, some siyty-eight. The 

 result of one morning's shoot was enough to* enthuse any 

 lover of the gun in the world. Special. 



Breeding lave Goose Decoys. 



The Narrows Island Club of North Carolina has a fine 

 stand of a couple of dozen wild geese, which each year 

 prove themselves very useful during the shooting season. 

 Until recently they have been confined in a pen 25 X 100ft. , 

 and, though so well cared for that they are always in 

 a good condition, they have never shown any disposition 

 to mate. 



This spring the executive committee of the Narrows 

 Island Club determined to give them an opportunity to 

 breed and moved the goose pen, enlarging it so that its 

 area is about 100ft. square. The result of this has been 

 very satisfactory. Five pairs of geese have mated, and 

 there is a prospect that some of them may rear young, A 

 recent letter received by the secretary of the club from 

 Ashley Corbell, the superintendent, says: "There are four 



pairs of geese mated now. There were five pairs, but one 

 of the females was so beaten by a gander that she died. 

 There were two eg-gs from the dead goose, which I set 

 under a > en. There are two more geese laying." The 

 results of this experiment will be looked for with a good 

 deal of interest, and if it should prove successful under 

 present conditions, there seems no reason why all clubs 

 which have stands of live wild geese might not be able to 

 increase their stock of decoys indefinitely. 



National Park Protective Act. 



AN ACT 



To protect the birds and animals iD Yellowstone National Park, and 

 to punish crimes in said Park, and for other purposes. 



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 

 United States of America in Congress assembled. That the National 

 Park, as now defined, or as may be hereafter defined or extended, 

 shall he under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States; 

 and that all the laws applk-able to places under the sole and exclusive 

 jurisdiction of the UnitPd States shall have force and effect in said 

 Park: Provided, however, That nothing in this Act shall be construed 

 as to forbid the service in the Park of any civil or criminal process of 

 any court having jurisdiction in the States of Idaho, Montana and 

 Wyoming. All fugitives from justice taking refuge in said Park shall 

 be subject to the same laws as refugees from justice found In the 

 State of Wyoming. 



Sbo. 2. That said Park, for all the purposes of this Act, shall consti- 

 tute a part of the United States judicial district of Wyoming, and the 

 district and circuit courts of the United States in and for said district 

 shall have jurisdiction of all offenses committed within said Park. 



Sko. 3. That if any offense shall be committed in said Yellowstone 

 National Park, which offense is not prohibited or the punishment is 

 not specially provided for by any law of the United States or by any 

 regulation of the Secretary of the Interior, the offender shall be sub- 

 ject to the same punishment as the laws of the State of Wyoming in 

 force at the time of the commission of the offense may provide for a 

 like offense in the said State; and no subsequent repeal of any such 

 law of the State of Wyoming shall affect any prosecution for said 

 offense committed withiu said Park. 



Sue. 4. That all hunting or killing, wounding or capturing at any 

 time of any bird or wild animal, except dangerous animals, when it is 

 necessary to prevent them from destroying human life or inflicting an 

 injury, is prohibited within the limits of said Park; nor shall any fish 

 lie taken out of the waters of the Park by means of seines, nets, traps, 

 or by the use of drugs or any explosive substances or compounds, or 

 in any other way than by hook and line, and then only at such seasons 

 and in such times and manner as may be directed by the Secretarv of 

 the Interior. That the Secretary of the Interio • shall make and pub- 

 lish such rules and regulations as he may deem necessary and proper 

 for the management and care of the Park and for the protection of 

 the property therein, especially for the preservation from injury or 

 spoliation of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or won- 

 derful objects within said Park; and for the protection of the animals 

 and birds in the Park from capture or destruction, or to prevent their 

 b^ing frightened or driven from the Park; and he shall make rules and 

 regulations governing the taking of fish from the. streams or lakes in 

 the Park. Possession within the said Park of the dead bodies, or any 

 part thereof, of any wild bird or animal shall be prima facie evidence 

 that the person or persons having the same are guilty of violating 

 this Act. Any person or persons, or stage or express company or rail- 

 way company, receiving for transportation any of the said animals, 

 birds, or fishes killed, taken or caught shall be deemed guilty of amts- 

 cTemeanor and shall be fined for every such offense not exceeding 

 three hundred dollars. Any person found guilty of violating any of 

 the provisions of this Act or any rule or regulation that may be pro- 

 mulgated by the Secretary of the Interior with reference to the man- 

 agement or care of the Park, or for the protection of the property 

 therein, for the preservation from injury or spoliation of timber, min- 

 eral deposits, natural curiosities or wonderful objects within said 

 Park, or for the protection of the animals, birds and fish in the said 

 Park, such person shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall 

 be subjected to a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or im- 

 prisonment not exceeding two years, or both, and be adjudged to pay 

 all costs of the proceedings. 



That all guns, traps, teams, horses, or means of transportation of 

 every nature or description used by any person or persons within 

 said Park limits when engaged in killing, trapping, ensnaring or cap- 

 turing such wild beasts, birds or wild animals shall be forfeited to the 

 United States, and may be seized by the officers in said Park and 

 held pending the prosecution of any person or persons arrested under 

 charge of violating the provisions of this act, and upon conviction 

 under this act of such person or persons using said guns, traps, 

 teams, horses, or other means of transportation, such forfeiture 

 shall be adjudicated as a penalty in addition to the other punishment 

 provided in this act Such forfeited property shall be disposed of and 

 accounted for by and under the authority of the Secretary of the 

 Interior. 



Sec. 5. That the United States Circuit Court in said district shall 

 appoint a commissioner, who shall reside in the Park, who shall have 

 jurisdiction to hear and act upon all complaints made, of any and all 

 violations of the law, or of the rules and regulations made by the 

 Secretary of the Interior for the government of the Park, and for the 

 protection of the animals, birds and fish and objects of interest 

 therein, and for other purposes authorized by this act. Such com- 

 missioner shall have power, upon sworn information, to issue process 

 in the name of the United State" for the arrest of any person charged 

 with the commission of any misdemeanor, or charged with the viola- 

 tion of the rules and regulations, or with the violation of any provi- 

 sion of this act prescribed for the government of said Park, aud for 

 the protection of the animals, birds and fish in the said Park, and to 

 try the person so charged, and, if found guilty, to impose the punish- 

 ment and adjudge the forfeitures prescribed. In all cases of convic- 

 tion an appeal shall lie from the judgment of said commissioner to 

 the United States District Court for the district of Wyoming, said 

 appeal to be governed by the laws of the State of Wyoming providing 

 for appeals in cases of misdemeanor from justices of the peace to 

 the District Court of said State; but the United States Circuit Court 

 in said district may prescribe rules of procedure and practice for said 

 commissioner in the trial of cases and for appeal to said United States 

 District Court. Said commissioner shall also have power to issue 

 process as hereinbefore provided for the arrest of any person 

 charged with the commission of any felony within the Park, and 

 summarily to hear the evidence introduced, and, if he shall deter- 

 mine that probable cause is shown for holding the person so 

 charged for trial, shall cause such person to be safely conveyed 

 to a secure place for confinement, within the jurisdiction 'of 

 the United States District Court in said State of Wyoming and shall 

 certify a transcript of the record of his proceedings and a transcript 

 of the testimony in the case to the said court, which court shall have 

 jurisdiction of the case. Provided, That the said commissioner shall 

 grant bail in all cases bailable under the laws of the United States and 

 said district. All process issued by the commissioner shall be 

 directed to the marshal of the United States for the district of Wyo- 

 ming: but nothing herein contained shall be construed as preventing 

 the arrest by any officer of the Government or employe of the United 

 States in the Park without process of any person taken in the act of 

 violating the law or any regulation of the Secretary of the Interior. 

 Provided, that the said commissioner will only exercise such authority 

 and powers as are conferred by this act. 



Sko. 6. That the marshal of the United States for the State of Wyo- 

 ming may appoint, with the approval of the judge of the District 

 Court of the United States for the said State, one or more deputy mar- 

 shals for said Park, who shall reside in said Park, and the said United 

 States District and Circuit courts shall hold one session of said courts 

 annually at the town of Sheridan in the State of Wyoming and may 

 also hold sessions at any other place in said State of Wyoming or 

 in said National Park at such dates as the said courts may order. ° 



Seo. 7. That the commissioner provided for in this act shall in addi- 

 tion to the fees allowed by law to the commissioners of the Circuit 

 Court of the United States be paid annually a salary of $1,000 to be 

 paid quarterly, and the marshal of the United States and his deputies 

 and the attorney of the United States and his assistants in said State, 

 shall be paid the same compensation and fees as are now provided by 

 law for like services in said District. 



Sec. 8. That all costs and expenses arising in cases under this act, 

 and properly chargeable to the United States, shall be certified, ap- 

 proved and paid as like costs and expenses in the courts of the United 

 States are certified, approved and paid under the laws of the United 

 States. 



Sec. 9. That the Secretary of the Interior shall cause to be erected 

 in the Park a suitable building to be used as a jail, said building not to 

 exceed five thousand dollars, to be paid out of any moneys in the 

 Treasury not otherwise appropriated upon the certificate of the Sec- 

 retary as a voucher therefor. 



Sec. 10 That this act shall not be construed to repeal existing laws 

 conferring upon the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of 

 War certain powers with reference to the protection, improvement 

 and control of the said Yellowstone National Park. 



The Forest and Stream is put to press each week on Tues- 

 day. Correspondence intended for publication should reach 

 us at the latest by Monday, and as m uch earlier aspracticable 



