Mat II, 189§.j 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
37B 
ever worthy; nor can they be explained by the statement 
that no sufficient appropriation is made by the State. 
There is no need of saying anything in regard to the 
sufficiency of the appropriation. That has been decided 
this last month by the Governor and Legislature of Maine 
giving us double the appropriation we ever had before, 
also doubling the salary of the Commissioners. If the 
Governor and Council and the Legislature of Maine are 
not the best judges of the needs of Maine, then I don't 
know who are. 
Mr. Editor, I do not propose to have any more contro- 
versy through the newspapers. If we have been so negli- 
gent in our duty, what has made Maine what it is, one of 
the best States in the Union for fish and game? 
I ask you in justice to the Commissioners to publish this 
article verbatim. Henry O. Stanley. 
Dixfikld, Me., April 12. 
(gjishciilttm* 
Colorado Commission. 
Denver, Col., April 30.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
There has been a change of officers in all the departments of 
fish and game. The present Commissioner is Gordon Land, 
Denver, Col. State Superintendent of Hatcheries, H. M. 
McDill, Denver, Col. Deputy Game Wardens, F. S. Smith, 
Fort Collins, Col., and W. H. Clark, Meeker, Col. 
The State Fish Commissioner is also State Game and Fish 
Warden, whose office da Room 20, Capitol Building, second 
floor, Denver, Col. 
Gordon Land, State Fish Commissioner. 
American Fisheries Society. 
New Yoke, April 17. — Editor Forest and Stream: The 
annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society will he 
held Wednesday, June 12, 1895, at the Aquarium, Castle Gar- 
den, New York, at 10 o'clock A. M. 
Edward P. Doyle, Sec. 
New York Fish Commission. 
We learn that the New York Fish Commissioners have 
appointed Mr. A. N. Cheney State Fishculturist, and Mr. 
James Annin, Jr., Assistant Fishculturist. These are ad- 
jnirahle selections. 
F I XT URES. 
BENCH SHOWS. 
May 8-*l.— San Francisco, Cal.— Pacific Kennel Club. Howard 
Vernon, Sec'y, San Francisco. 
Sept, 17-ao.— Orange county Fair Bench Show, Newburgh, N. Y. 
Robert Johnson, Sec'y. 
Oat 8-U.— Danbury, Conn.— Danbury Agriaultural Society. Q. L. 
Bundle, Sec'y' 
FIELD TRIALS. 
Sept. 2.— Continental Field Trials Club's chicken trials at Morris 
Man. P. T. Madison, Sec'y, Indianapolis, Ind. 
Sept. 10.— Morris, Man.— Manitoba F. T. C. John Wootton, Sec'y, 
Manitou. 
Nov. 5.— Chatham, Ont. — International F. T. Club. W. B. Wei's, Sec'y. 
Nov. 18.— Eastern F. T. Club, at Newton, K. C. W. A. Coster, 
Sec'y, Saratoga Springs, N. Y. 
Nov. 25.— Continental Field Trials Club's quail trials at Newton. 
P. T. Madison, Sec'y, Indianapolis, Ind. 
Oct. 29.— New England Field Trial Club, at Assonet, Mass. S. R. 
Sharp, Sec'y. 
Nov. 28.— Trials A. U. S. F. T. Club. W. B. Stafford, Sec'y, Trenton, 
Tenn. 
HANDLERS AND A CHAMPION STAKE. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
During the past two years there have been several at- 
tempts made to call a meeting of such members of the 
Association of Field Trial Handlers as happened to be 
present at the field trials where the call was issued, for the 
avowed purpose of disorganizing the club and disposing of 
the cash in the treasury. But for some reason the meet- 
ing was not held, and at present writing the affairs of the 
Association are in the same state of suspended animation 
which has characterized them for the past nine years. 
Thinking matters over appertaining to field trial events 
for the past ten years, the affairs of the Association came 
nnder my consideration, and I have given the matter con- 
siderable thought, and think I see how, out of the remains 
of the old club, can be built up a new, stronger and more 
useful one. 
Reviewing the past, it appears as though the old club 
was born before its time; field trial handlers were fewer in 
number; there were but two clubs in active operation, and 
one of them was in the last throes of dissolution, and, all 
in all, the interests of the handlers were not so well iden- 
tified, in all respects, as they are at the present day. 
Then the old club lacked backbone as a legislative body, 
and placed on its statutes laws that it was wholly incom- 
petent to execute. It was this lack of executive firmness 
that wrecked it; but it is entirely unnecessary to go into 
wearisome detail concerning matters which are familiar to 
all the members of the club. 
It has occurred to me that now is the time to give im- 
petus to the affairs of the old club by disorganizing it, and 
out of its membership collect the charter members of a 
new club. As I mentioned before, I have been giving this 
matter a great deal of serious consideration of late, and 
have thought of a plan which, if carried out properly, 
would make the new club a necessary and important factor 
to field trial interests throughout the country; and the ob- 
ject of this article is to submit this plan to my associate 
handlers and brother members of the old Association for 
their consideration and approval. 
The old club has about thirty or forty dollars in the 
treasury, and there is not a member of the old club who 
would not vote to give every cent of it to promote field 
trial interests, so I think there is no fear of an objection 
to the new club becoming the owner of the treasury of 
the old, particularly if the charter members of the new 
club are composed of the members of the old one. 
The number of field trial handlers in the country is now 
more than double what it was ten years ago, and as it 
would be to the interest of all to join, the new member- 
ship would put the club on a sound financial standing 
from the start, and would only need good managing to 
continue so. The members should, of course, be only 
bona fide handlers, and only men following that occupa- 
tion for a living, whose good standing qualified them for 
membership, would be eligible. 
The exact field, in all its detail, to be covered by the 
club, could be decided later on, but the club should profit 
by the experience taught it by the old club and confine 
its jurisdiction to limits within the scope of its legislativj 
powers. 
It should be thoroughly understood, and so embodied in 
the constitution, that the club is to meddle with no 
matters that do not directly and vitally concern it, or 
come under direct course of its legislative power. That 
under no circumstances will it permit itself to indulge in 
unfriendly legislation toward any field trial club, associa- 
tion, or individuals connected with the same. A clause 
in the constitution, fully covering this matter, should 
render such legislation a matter of impossibility. 
It appears to me that the old club was formed without 
absolutely an object in view of a practicable, useful 
nature; if the deportment of its members continued good 
there was absolutely no field in which it could operate. 
It was indeed pledged to assist all field trial clubs; but 
how the club, acting as a club, would render any greater 
assistance than would the members as individuals was 
never explained; suffice to say that there was very little 
important business to be found on its docket to be trans- 
acted at its meetings, and in endeavoring to bring up 
matters to keep up interest, much of a frivolous, useless 
nature was discussed. 
To avoid this rock on which the old club ran aground, I 
would suggest that the object in forming the new club be 
principally for the purpose of adding a new and attrac- 
tive feature to the field trial circuit which it now lacks to 
make it complete, and that is a champion stake to be run 
at the conclusion of the last trial of the season on the 
West Point grounds, at a date that will meet the satisfac- 
tion of all. 
It is my opinion that there is no body of men who 
ought to be more competent to arrange the competition of 
an important stake, such as this would be, in greater fair- 
ness to all competitors, embodying a more exhaustive test, 
the results of which would carry the superior qualities of 
the winner into greater prominence before the public, and 
none whose decisions would give better satisfaction or be 
accepted with greater confidence, than those of a club 
formed for the purpose by men composing the field trial 
handlers of the United States. 
It is an undeniable fact that the country is becoming 
flooded with dogs that have won at field trials of whose 
comparative merit to the winners of previous, or, one might 
safely say, the same year, little can be told, as there now 
exists no way of direct comparison; therefore I think all 
will admit the necessity of such a stake, of which the 
novelty and usefulness will give new interest to field trial 
matters. There exists no reasonable objection to experi- 
enced men, such as field trial handlers are known to be, 
managing a stake of this description. It is the most im- 
portant stake possible to suggest, and carries sufficient 
professional importance to demand professional manage- 
ment by professionals whose experience in all the details 
of field trial competition qualify them for the undertak- 
ing. 
No regular field trial club has ever succeeded in running 
a champion stake to the entire satisfaction of the public 
and itself. A club in running off its regular stakes con- 
sumes so much time, which is apt to be lengthened by un- 
propitious weather, that it is a too expensive undertaking 
to put in several days longer with making an exhaustive 
test between few dogs, when by not having it on their 
slate it would be possible to end wiih the week. Again, 
it is difficult for a club to secure j udges for the length of 
time needed, and there are other obstacles in the way, 
which show the wisdom of a club handling regular events 
not putting the champion stake on their slate. 
But such a stake is needed badly. Now, who should 
run it? It is hardly probable a club would be formed to 
handle that event alone, outside of the one designated by 
me, so I consider that it devolves on the handling frater- 
nity to take the matter up and make a successful issue 
of it. 
I argue that it is the special field of the handling frater- 
ity to do so, as they as competitors are directly interested, 
and must, in conducting matters fairly to themselves, 
conduct them fairly to all. And if all the handlers will 
enter into the undertaking with unselfish motives, striv- 
ing by every effort of which they are capable to make the 
stake regarded by every one as squarely and fairly run, 
without favoritism to any man, absolutely placing the 
best dog and no other, it will be patronized according to 
its merits; and the benefit that each and eveiy handler 
would derive by the creation and successful running of 
such a stake ought to insure their best efforts. 
It would require the assistance of the club to arrange 
the details of the stake proposed; but as a suggestion to 
set all to thinking, I would suggest separate stakes for 
pointers and setters, the winning of each to confer the 
title of champion of their class, and an absolute to be run 
at the finish, sufficient time being given to determine the 
superior dog of the respective winners. This would place 
the best dog of the pointers conspicuously before the 
pointer breeders, and the best setter before the setter breed- 
ers; and the absolute would show the comparative merits 
of the two breeds much more satisfactorily as represented 
by the champion of each breed. 
The amount of the purses could be arranged more satis- 
factorily later, but it would be necessary for them to be 
large. I should think the making of the money in the 
first two stakes, say of $100 to each, and $100 to the win- 
ner of absolute, would be large enough, as the honor of 
winning would compensate for the purses being small. 
The entry placed at $35, with $25 additional to start, 
would permit this and leave sufficient surplus to defray 
the expenses .of running the stake. The club should not 
care to make anything out of it, but there would of course 
be years when the entries would not cover expenses, so it 
would be wise tojadd a small amount to the treasury each 
year, when possible from the stake, to meet the short 
years. It would in my opinion be a wise thing to place no 
bar on the winners to prevent their competing the follow- 
ing year, for in theory it appears that, if a dog has the 
superior qualities to defeat all comers as long as his owner 
cares to run him, the fact is demonstrated that he is the 
dog to breed to. 
Take as an illustration such a superior young dog as 
Delhi, and suppose that, in addition to his winning the 
Derby and the All-Age Stakes, as he did at West Point, 
he had run in the stake I propose and won the champion 
for pointers. To bar him from running in the champion 
stake again would in my opinion defeat the object for 
which field trials are held, and that is to improve the 
field qualities of our setters and pointers, and bring into 
public notice the best specimens to breed from. 
The next year might bring out another young pointer* 
that would win the Derby and All- Age Stakes; and what 
the breeders would want to know is: which is the better, 
Delhi or the recent winner, and only an impartial trial of 
the two would answer the question. 
A grand old dog such as Rip Rap makes a fitting mile- 
stone in canine history, and it is always in the hardest 
competition (like stake suggested) that his qualities have 
shown the brightest. 
A Pointer Stake for champion honors, composed of 
such dogs as Strideaway, Delhi, Jingo, Lad of Rush, 
Tick Boy and others, would be a most interesting stake, 
and the final tilt between the winner of it and the winner 
of the Setter Stake would make a most exciting event. 
In forming the new club there could be a by-law 
framed, making it obligatory for any member not com- 
peting in the stake to serve as judge at the request of the 
club, without other remuneration than expenses. In case 
the said member had a reasonable excuse showing 
wherein serving would inflict a hardship on him, the 
club deeming same sufficient could excuse him. This 
would insure the club a supply of competent judges to 
select from, and if a greater number of judges would be 
deemed an advantage, the stake could be run under five 
judges, three handlers and two competent non-handlers, 
or vice versa. 
In presenting my suggestions, I have only attempted to 
do so in the barest outline, believing that if the matter 
was taken up by my associates as a club, that all matters 
of a disadvantageous nature would be eliminated in filling 
in the detail. The most difficult feature which presents 
itself is holding a meeting of the members of the old As- 
sociation. 
Their places of residence are wide apart, and few could 
afford the expense of attending a meeting except at such 
times as all found themselves together at some field trial 
event. 
It is possible that enough will attend the chicken trials 
in the Northwest to hold the required meeting there, or 
there might be some plan suggested that would permit it 
being held before that date. 
A great deal of necessary matter preliminary to hold- 
ing this meeting might, however, be arranged by corre- 
spondence, and I would be pleased to receiver indorse- 
ments from all handlers by mail, that a thorough under- 
standing may be arrived at, as early date as possible. 
I atn perfectly willing to do all I can to aid matters, and 
would suggest that all communications be addressed to 
me at present, until a more satisfactory arrangement can 
be made. 
Therefore, will all the members of the old Association 
please write me, giving their views of the question, and 
offering such suggestions as they consider useful to further 
matters, and bring about the meeting of the Association 
at as early date as possible? W. W. Titus. 
Waverly, Miss., April 29. 
UNCAS, MY BULLDOG. 
Uncas was a bulldog, named after the celebrated Indian 
chieftain of that name. I do not know that bulldogs are 
credited with the possession of unusual intelligence, but 
my dog Uncas I thought had a great deal. 
I became the owner of him in a gradual way. One 
evening, some years ago, I called at the house of a friend. 
While sitting near a table engaged in conversation with 
him, the edge of the table-spread, which hung half-way 
to the floor, was pushed out and the head of a bulldog 
appeared. In answer to my look of inquiry, my friend 
remarked that the dog (a recent acquisition) was all right. 
I proceeded to cultivate the dog's acquaintance to such 
good purpose that after a few evening calls we were very 
good friends, so much so that when I sat in my buggy one 
night ready to start for home and my friend said that I 
could have Uncas for a present, I had only to say, "Come, 
Uncas," and he followed me home and remained with me, 
apparently understanding fully that he was to do so. 
Though the two places, my friend's home and my 
own, were less than two||miles apart, and Uncas often 
went with me back and forth, he never tried to remain 
away from his new home. 
Uncas proved to be kind in disposition and cheerfully 
obedient to any order which he understood. My home 
was on a farm, and Uncas soon learned tokillwoodchucks 
and snakes. His first skunk was a revelation to him. We 
were in the woods looking for stray cows when I saw 
Uncas make a rush for some object, and the next instant 
he reeled back paralyzed. He was the most disgusted and 
sickest dog in existence. Then followed a series of roll- 
ings and retchings, and plowing up of the leaves with the 
side of his head, highly amusing to witness. When we 
started on our way again Uncas was a wiser and very 
much sadder dog. He had met a weapon which had upset 
all his calculations, and he had been defeated. He killed 
many of them afterward, and thus had his revenge. 
His tactics with a snake — a fiat-headed or puff adder, 
for instance — were nearly similar to those I have read of 
a wolf using with a rattlesnake; that is to say, he kept up 
a continual barking and a rushing round and round the 
snake; then came a rush, a snap, a shake, a toss in the 
air, and these acts were repeated till the snake was killed. 
But it was as a house dog that Uncas interested us most. 
He soon learned to shut a door when requested to do so, 
and sometimes, after pushing through a door, he would 
turn and shut it without orders. If I was working in the 
field some distance from the house, he would come, when 
sent, to call me to dinner, and finally learned to come at 
any time for me when told to do so. On such occasions 
he would generally jump around me to attract my atten- 
tion, and sometimes he would have a note attached to his 
collar. His accomplishment was very convenient and 
saved many steps. This he was never taught. The first 
time he was told to go and call me to 'dinner, he started 
and came directly to me. If I was in the house in a room 
apart from the rest of the family, Uncas could be told to 
go and find me, whereupon he would come to my door 
and push it open with his foot, and then lie down and wait 
for me. 
One day a neighbor came to the house. Uncas met him 
a rod or so from the door; then turned and walked beside 
him to the door, and as the man rapped the dog put his 
forefeet on the doorstep and gave a single bark, then stood 
beside him till the door was opened. 
Another time two ladies rapped at the door, which stood 
open. Pretty soon Uncas came to the door, and the ladies 
