168 
FOREST AND STREAM^ 
[AtTG. 29, 1896. 
s ome old greenlieads came to grass. Until about dark 
there were ducks in sight constantly — big flocks and little 
flocks, pairs and singles, mallards, canvasbacks, teal and 
widgeon — coming sometimes from ail directions at once, 
and some apparently straight down from the clouds; 
one could not tell where to expect them next. 
Aa far as I was concerned, 1 never had so much shoot- 
ing and got so few birds in such a short space of time be- 
fore; but when they got to coming so fast that there were 
a dozen or more flocks at the same time presenting tempt- 
ing shots, I have to confess to becoming so excited that 
my aim was decidedly uncertain at times, and those that 
I finally did give the preference I generally missed "slick 
and oleaji," and I tliink the other fellows must have had 
similar experiences; for while we hs.C ducks enough to 
supply our camp for several days, and sent quite a 
number to town the next day to be expressed to friends 
at home, still when we thought of the number of ducks 
we had seen and shot at, it seemed as if we should have 
had a wagonload. 
We spent eight days among these entrancing lakes, en- 
joying ourselves, we all had to admit, as we had never 
done before on a trip of the kind; and then, just when 
the "honk" of the wild geese was beginning to be heard at 
evening and the gray and white forms of the "Canadas" 
were appearing to offer an additional incentive for us to 
prolong our stay, one morning when the weather eeenied 
to be just a little nearer perfection than ever, and when 
the "quack" of the ducks and the "scape" of the jack- 
snipe sounded just a little more alluring than it had 
before, we were compelled to pull up stakes and start for 
home. Vacation was up and we had to leave behind us 
for a period the SandhiU lakes, their myriads of water fowl 
and curious subterranean waters. Burt Searle. 
A SPORTSMAN'S GLOSSARY. 
Bridgeport, Conn,— Editor Forest and Stream: So far 
as I know, there never has been a glossary of sportsmen's 
terms prepared to fill a crying modern want. The follow- 
ing gives a full and complete technical explanation of the 
terms most in common use and which have received the 
approval of our best sportsmen: 
"Square Meal" — One which makes a round stomach. 
"Done justice to a square meal" is when one man eats 
enough for two, with tbe necessary sighs, grunts and 
wheezes which betoken accompanying appreciation and 
satisfaction. 
"A Cloud of Feathers" — About four feathers or less. 
"One Hundred Yards"— Fifty half paces, with a few 
thrown in for make-weight. 
"Taking a Fence" is when the sportsman is camped 
near a fiance and is sbort of firewood. 
"Speckled Be.auty" — A trout caught by a gentleman 
dressed in tine outing clothes and equipped with a fairy 
rod and reel. Or it may refer to a pretty girl with freckles. 
Sometimps it is used to denote quail. 
"Gentler Sbx"— Conceded by courtesy as 'being truth- 
ful. 
"The WiiNGS OF the Wind" is meaningless. The 
wheels of the wind is better. See bicycle tires. 
"The Inner Man" — Stomach. 
•'True Sport" — The manner in which I fish or hunt. 
"Unsportsmanlike"— The manner in which the other 
fellow fishes or hunts. Also, in the East, blowing out the 
gas. 
"Game Hog" — The feUow who kills more birds or 
catches more fi^h than I do. If he catches them in my 
favorite rescrtj he is a deeper dyed hog than if he cap- 
tured his game elsewhere. 
"A Good Day's Sport" is when I catch or kill more 
than any of my friends do. 
"A Field Trial" is where sportsmen harvest grievances 
for the twelve months following thereafter. 
"A Fly-Casting Club" is a school in which veracity is 
in adversity. 
"The Bright Aurora Gilding the Eastern Hem- 
isphere" means aunrise with a poetic wheel in the writer's 
head. 
"The God of Day Disappearing Beyond the West- 
ern Hills" means sunset with a wheel as above men- 
tioned. 
"An Unaccountable Miss" is when the shooter is 
wholly at fault. A lady learning to ride a bicycle. 
"My Bark is o'er tSe Sea," means that he left his dog 
in England. 
"An Amatedr" is a man in trap-shooting who thinks 
he should have a share of the prize money whether he 
hits anything or not. 
"Dog Fancier" — Sometimes a man who loves a dog. 
It often denotes a man who fancies the dog for the reality 
of money. 
"A Professional" is one who has exhausted subter- 
fuges and can no longer wear a lamb's skin. An enemy 
of the amateur. A man much disliked for being able to 
do to a certainty what others will do if they can, A man 
who colligates first prizes. 
"Kicker" — A man who had high hopes of winning a 
prize and failed to do so. One who dislikes rules. Some- 
times one who is ill-tempered, selfish and ignorant. 
"A Good Fellow"— One who buys freely. On6 who 
will not refuse an invitation. One who doesn't object to 
being fleeced. 
"Mad Dog ' — A pretext for excitement and disorder. 
A cheap manner for a policeman to display heroism. 
"The Love of Naiure" — A fad of people who can 
neither shoot nor fish. There is as much that is cruel 
and painful in nature as there is that is pleasurable and 
beautiful. 
"I Done It" — A popular expression east of San Fran- 
cisco. 
"A Brother Sportsman" — One who will tell where the 
best fishing and shooting can be obtained, and who will 
lend his dog and gun on occasion. If he will not tell he 
is likely to be classed as a hog, 
"A Crank" — A man with a runaway fad. 
"Duck Eggs"- Things eagerly sought by the Alaskan 
Indian to present to his pale-faced brother in the States. 
"A Long Shot"— Five hundred to one. 
"A Red- Letter Day" — One in which the sportsman 
had a equare meal, a good-bag of meadow larks, black- 
birds, quail and squirrels, with a free feed in a water- 
melon patch where the owner was absent, and a long 
shot or two. 
The Dog Broke His Back"— This, strange as it may 
seem, hurts the owner more than it does the dog. 
Dick of Connecticut. 
New York Grouse Season. 
Ithaca, N. Y.— The anxiously looked for Aug. 16 oc- 
curred on Sunday this year, and the gentlemen with the 
polished breechloaders, fearing that it was not legal to go 
gunning the Saturday preceding, quietly folded up their 
anxiety and awaited the first blush of the 17th. But I 
dare say it was not an altogether satisfactory opening day. 
A pretty strong wind prevailed during the early part of 
the day, the dogs were all more or less afflicted with 
"wire edge," and many of "the boys," owing to lack of 
practice, were not up to standard shooting form. I 
learned of several fair bags of woodcock; the scores on 
ruffed grouse, however, were below the average, as they 
should have been. I saw young grouse on Monday last 
which were no larger than a September woodcock. The 
law in respect to ruffed grouse, as was pointed out in the 
columns of Forest and Stream last year, is a ruinous and 
destructive statute. It is an outrage, or a close approach 
to one, to legahze the killing of these young and unde- 
veloped birds. A couple of gunners out for a big score 
and nothing more, and aided by a good dog, often find 
the almost, if not quite, total annihilation of an entire 
brood of these young grouse a comparatively easy matter. 
This provision of the game code should be amended 
speedily. Sept. 15 is soon enough to permit grouse shoot- 
ing in New York. It finds the birds larger, stronger of 
wing, and the conditions for shooting in every way more 
nearly correspond to the true sportsman's idea of a day 
afield in quest of grouse. 
Mr. Bert Hartranf t, of Cortland, told me yesterday that 
he was over near to the source of Fall Creek on the 18th 
and bagged eight grouse. He furthermore assured me 
that had he been in first-rate shooting form he could have 
killed a backload of them. Every shooting man I have 
interviewed on the subject has been frank and outspoken 
in condemning this premature shooting of ruffed grouse. 
At the same time, it is argued that as nine out of every 
ten shooting men afield are doing simply what the law 
permits them to do, what visible benefits are derived from 
the tenth man holding aloof from the slaughter? It is a 
case where persuasion and example availeth naught; 
where selfish instincts and mistrust of man's obedience to 
a law more beneficent in its general results than that 
which often finds a place in legal enactments reign su- 
preme; where, in a word, men combine to get the very 
best individual share of an easy thing, meaning a "soft 
snap," which the elected wisdom of the Empire State an- 
nually sets before them. 
Later on the writer will take pleasure in indicating 
some points in this section of the State from which mem- 
bers o^ the Forest and Stream family, if they wish, may 
operate in getting some satisfactory grouse shooting. 
About Peruville, Freeville, Caroline, along through 
Ellis Hollow, at North Lansing, West Danby, and in the 
vicinity of South Danby, some good woodcock grounds 
should be encountered. At all events, these places indi- 
cate the locality wherein reliable grounds have heretofore 
existed. And all the conditions are present for their con- 
tinued existence. M, Chill, 
Does Not Snare Foxes. 
Prince Edward's Island, Aug. 11.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: With reference to my letter in your esteemed 
paper of July 11 last, and your remarks thereon about the 
snaring of foxes, I beg to state that my friend and I do 
not make a "practice" of snaring foxes. I do not even 
know how to set a snare, and admit that it is not a sport 
to snare foxes. When we ran that fox to his den we con- 
sidered the sport over and that the fox was our property, 
and that being the case we had the right to get him the 
most convenient way possible. 
I make a business of breeding black foxes, and when I 
wish to capture some of them in the corral and thought 
that snaring them was the most convenient I would not 
consider it a breach of sport to get them in that way. 
There is no law against snaring on this island, but still 
I am against the practice of it, to capture game running 
at large. Chas. Dalton. 
Game in Shannon County, Missouri. 
Oakside, Mo., Aug. 30. — Game as a general thing this 
year is very plentiful. Deer are in goodly numbers. 
Turkeys are plentiful aU over the woods, some lOQ to 20O 
in a gang; they are very tame, but no bags have been 
made to speak of. Quail are abundant; everybody has 
three, four and five flocks, with all the way from twenty 
to fifty in a flock; they are nearly grown and make fine 
sport. Squirrels are coming in in small numbers. 
Coons, opossums, ground hogs, rabbits and pheasants are 
very plentiful. Ducks are coming in in large numbers. 
Wildfowl shooting is very good owing to the numerous 
small ponds and swampy places. Fishing is very good, 
as we have a swift stream with large, deep holes in it, 
with swirls and riffles for bass, trout and other fish. 
L. S. 
Deer in Sullivan County, N. Y. 
The Gavie Laws in Brief gives Sec. 40 relative to deer 
as forbidding killing deer in Sullivan county for five 
years from 1895; and Sec. 44 as permitting the killing of 
deer by hounding in Sullivan county (in the townships of 
Highland, Cumberland, Tusten, Cochecton and Bethel) 
from Oct. 1 to 15 inclusive. This last provision was 
enacted in 1896, and since there is a conflict between Sec. 
40, protecting the game at all times, and Sec, 44, permit- 
ting its chase for fifteen days, Chief Protector Pond ad- 
vises us that the provision of Sec, 44 is to be construed as 
amending that of Sec. 40, In Sullivan county in the 
towns named deer hunting with dogs will be lawful this 
year. 
The New Hampshire Ruffed Grouse Outlook. 
Bristol, N. H., Aug. 1^.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
This is my first visit here since last fall, and I have been 
deeply interested in the welfare of the birds I knew were 
left in this vicinity after last season's shooting. Yester- 
day L took a stroll through the old familiar covers, and 
the result was surprising. I knew many birds were left 
over, and I also realized that the past winter had been a 
very favorable one; but I was hardly prepared for what I 
saw. My tramp occupied about four hours, and in that 
time I flushed no less than seven distinct broods of grouse. 
They ranged all the way from the nearly full-grown bird 
to the chick scarcely feathered. The pastures bordering 
e covers are full of blackberries; in many places tha 
black luscious fruit bends the bushes to the ground, and 
in almost every instance the birds were flushed from these 
feeding places. But I heard ominous sounds which bodei. 
no good to the birds. A half dozen gun shots in the 
woods at this time mean that the work of destruction has 
already commenced, and it is not the city sportsman who 
is doing it either. J. W. B. 
The Still-Hunter's Dog:. 
Another point which many still-hunters are doubtful 
about is the question of a suitable dog companion to take 
with you on a hunt. I have expended much thought and 
some money on this subject. For a long time I have tried 
to train spaniels to be docile enough to follow at heel, and 
not get excited when game is winded. So far all my 
efforts have been a flat failure, and I am convinced that 
the spaniel is not the still-hunter's dog. But I want a 
dog, for besides being a good companion he saves a heap 
of trouble and labor in finding wounded game. A large 
dog is of no use, as he eats so much — and this counts where 
all the grub has to be lugged on one's back — besides he's 
apt to upset the dugout or canoe. A small dog that will 
follow at heel, and a dog that will take any scent on 
which he is placed and don't get excited, that's what I am 
looking for and want information about. A friend ad- 
vised me to try a beagle, but as he sells beagles I am a 
little doubtful about taking his advice. However, I am 
open to conviction on the dog question. Matterhorn. 
Another Plank Suggrested. 
Boston, Aug. 2L— Editor Forest and Stream: With the 
account of the shooting of guide Charles Porter in the 
Maine woods last Saturday before me, I would suggest 
that Forest and Stream add another plank to its plat- 
form, not only for the preservation of game, but human 
life as well, viz.: No rifles or shotguns allowed in the 
woods during "close season," under penalty of $50. 
If such a good wholesome law could be enacted in every 
State, the woods would be full of game and we should 
hear of very few such terrible tragedies as this one at 
Grindstone. I put in a few days this season at a camp in 
Maine where a youth just entering his teens was allowed 
(by a doting parent) a .44 Winchester for indiscriminate 
use. Nothing that the good God had clothed with fur or 
feathers was safe from his murderous onslaughts. I have 
thought of it many times since and I wonder how all the 
people escaped. Now will some one please tell me what 
business man or boy has with a gun or rifle in the woods 
during "close season?" If they haven't any, stop it! 
J. W. B. 
Connecticut Bail. 
Onanoke, Conn,, Aug, 23, — Editor Forest and Stream: 
The rail season opsned on the 20th inst., and a number of 
boats have been up to the rail grounds on the Housatonic. 
As' yet the only birds to be found here are those which 
have been bred in the marshes, and these, which are only 
just full grown, are neither plenty nor fat. 
Besides, the tides have been low and it has not beeil 
practicable to get into the best parts of the meadows. 
The best tides are at the moon's perigee, and these when 
helped by an easterly wind enable the boats to shove all 
over these grounds, so that many rail are killed and the 
rest driven ashore. 
There will not be many birds here until one or two 
sharp frosts in the north shall have started the birds there 
to migrating. These northern birds when they come will 
be fat and deliciou°, but we cannot expect them to be very 
numerous. It is years since there has been good rail 
shooting in Connecticut. Xer. 
m utfd ^w^r Smiling. 
A RECORD JEWFISH. 
Pasadena, Oal, , Aug. 4.— Aftera year and a half of happy- 
experiences, in which the grand old Sierra Madre Moun- 
tains have unfolded many' a hidden canon and forest- clad 
slope, it seems like deserting an old friend to turn one's 
back and seek pleasure elsewhere, and I confess to a feel- 
ing of remorse as I stepped aboard the steamer at San 
Pedro, leaving behind not only the "mother mountains,'" 
but the beautiful valley besides. 
Twenty-eight miles of channel lie between the harbor 
of San Pedro and Santa Catalina Island, requiring two and 
three-quarter hours in its transit. 
These are famous waters, where flying fish glisten as they 
emerge from the dark blue waves and sail off in the sun- 
shine. 
On quiet days, when the sea shines like a mirror, the 
surface here and there takes on a darker hue, the water 
churns and boils, and as the steamer dashes by one sees 
myriads of small fry leaping to escape the savage tuna, 
barracuda and yellow-tail, only to be pitilessly pursued by 
the gulls above. These patches, sometimes an acre or two 
in extent, are passed every few minutes, and give one, 
long before he reaches the fishing grounds proper, some- 
what of an idea what the wondrous resources of these 
waters are. 
At this season of the year scarcely a trip is made with- 
out one to half a dozen whales being seen. On July 21 
the Hermosa ran over one as it dove under the bow, and 
upon the next trip, when we returned to the mainland, 
one threw its tail high in the air as it ' 'sounded" 100ft. 
away, near enough to attract a babe in arms, who threw 
its tiny hand out and cooed; imagine a babe cooing at a 
whale I Then two great fellows came to the surface near 
by and spouted in unison, captivating their limited audi- 
ence on the Hermosa as completely as any political 
spouter ever did that of a convention. - • 
Gradually the feeling comes over one that the half has 
not been told regarding this little corner of Uncle Sam's 
domain. 
At Avalon one gets a still nearer view of the wonderful 
variety, for here, where the Catalina Ananias Club holds 
full sway, are brought all the enormous catches for veri- 
fication. Great racks stand upon the beach, upon which 
a returning party bang the day's catch for admiration 
and photographing. 
It's an early bird at Avalon that catches a glimpse of 
the first preparation for a day's sport, and 5 o'clock is 
none too early to meet the fishermen who come in with 
ine as it slowly came in, and caught the first glimpse of 
