Ito. 13, 1897.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
127 
prosperity they so largely contribute, will give them a hearty 
welcome; and I am happy to be able to state again here that 
the Government of the Province of Quebec wSl grant them 
every facility and afEord them every protection. 
L. Z. JoJsrcAS, 
Supt. Fisheries and Game, Province of Quebec. 
FLORIDA GAME AND FISH. 
Anthony, Fla. — The lands of Marion and adjoining coun- 
ties afford as fine partridge or quail hunting as any tnat ex- 
ist. Travelers new to the country are often surprised to 
see a covey run away from the road on the approach of a 
vehicle. 
Ducks are ia fair quantity, though not abundant. 
Several small droves of wild geese have been reported in 
the small ponds in the "flat-woods," a few miles east of 
this place. S. 
Qmjp Hammock House, Levy County, F'a., Feb. 8. — The 
hunting and fishing in this section are now at tlieir best. 
Yesterday two parties started from here on a hunting trip. 
No less than eleven deer were seen, and numerous wild tur- 
keys. Anyone who knows how to hunt this wily game is sure 
of good sport. The regular hunters only go out w ben meat is 
wanted for the table or for local consumption, as the law 
recently passed prohibits market shipments beyond the 
county limits — a law that has had the best effect in preserv- 
iua: the game. Quail are so numerous as to be regarded as 
scarcely game birds. 
After the severe weather the fish are ravenous. Two per- 
sons left the hotel on a fishing trip and came back with 
twenty-eight sheepshead, averaging 31bs. apiece and some 
running as high as A^lbs. In addition to these ten or twelve 
black bass were caugtit from 1^ to 51bs. in weight. 
No alligators have been killed during the last few days, 
but a day or two of warm weather will assuredly bring them 
out on the banks. The North Carolina wood duck has made 
its appearance, and several good bags of this beautiful fowl 
have been obtained. Gray ducks and mallards are thick, and 
the teal are just beginning to come in, Redfish and weakfish 
are abundant and are in splendid condition. 
The big backs of the tarpon have been seen in the river, a 
sure sign that this king of fish will be here shortly in large 
numbers. Altogether the sporting outlook was never better 
than at present. 0. B. Wingate. 
Sarasota, Fla., Jan. 30,— Mr. C. B. Tyler, of Rhode 
Island, left the Hotel De Soto Tuesday, Jan. 26, drove 
twelve miles, camped out all night, and shot on Wednesday 
seven wild turkeys. Que gobbler weighed 351bs., the rest 
averaged lalbs. each. Mr. Tyler also shot twenty -two quail 
and eleven jacksnipe, and returned Thursday at 4:30 P. M. 
A good day out fishing was also done by Mr. C. H At- 
wood, of Rhode Island. He left the hotel at 8:30 Wednes- 
day and sailed to the new pass, three miles distant, and 
caught one channel bass, I4ilbs.; four bluefish, average 31bs. 
each; two redfish, ISlbs. each, and with rod and reel cap- 
tured a shark that measured 7ilt. and weighed 2321bs. It 
took Mr. Atwood two hours to land the shark. 
The weather is somewhat cold, but prospects are warmer. 
Geo. H. JVIackie. 
THE MAINE GUIDE LICENSE. 
Boston, Feb. 6.— Fish and Game Commissioner Carlton's 
guide license bill now promises to pass both House and 
Senate at Augusta, Me., almost without opposition. The 
hearing on the matter came off on Tuesday, according to 
announcement, and though the railroads generally offered 
half fares, the guides did not turn out. But the people 
turned out and tilled the hall, even to the galleries. The 
Rangeley guides, who all along have been reported much 
opposed to the measure, were scarcely represented at all at 
the hearing. Capt. Fred. C. Barker, the well-known pro- 
prietor of the Bemis and Birches camps, was there, but did 
not oppose the measure, though scarcely believing in it. 
Moosehead guides were represented by counsel, but made no 
showing of opposition to the measure. The guides' side of 
the matter went by neglect, in fact. Commissioner Carlton 
earnestly advocated his bill before the Committee on 
Fisheries and Game, involving the whole matter in the gen- 
eral causs of fish and game protection and its value 
to the State. He was followed by George D, Bisbee, who 
has so many times been a successful advocate of the cause of 
fish and game protection'before ths courts of that State. He 
dwelt at length upon the value of fish and game to the State, 
though not a sportsman himself. He was followed by others, 
each advocating the guide license measure and the appropri- 
ation of |40,00U per annum for two years for the carrying on 
of the work of the Commissionera. At the close of the 
hearing the committee reported the guide license measure 
with but one dissenting vote, that of the chairman from 
Rangeley, and the appropriation of $40,000. The next day 
the measure came up in the House and came very near to 
being rushed through that day. But a representative, from 
Rangeley 1 believe, asked for delay to allow consideration, 
sugsesting that so good a measure could afford to wait a 
whde. Oa his motion the matter was laid on the table. 
Commissioner Carlton is greatly in earnest about the 
measure; thoroughly believes in it, evidently. So kindly is 
the feeling toward fish and game matters in the present 
Maine Legislature it is probable that almost any bill the 
Commission might ask for would be granted. Tne appro- 
priation of $10,000 will be made, without a doubt, though it 
is only a few years ago when E. M. Sdllwell and Henry O. 
Stanley were sat down upon for asking an appropriation of 
$10,000 when they were receiving out $7,000, and working 
without salary. Commissioner Stanley also thoroughly 
believes in the measure. He says it is the best move that 
has ever been made ia flsli aal game legislation, and that 
with the $40,000 a year appropriation fish and game protec- 
tion and propagation will be in grand shape in Maine. The 
other members of the Commission are much pleased with 
Commissioner Carlton and his energy. 
Commissioner Stanley writes me tuat lam mistaken about 
ice fishing on Lake Auburn ; that none has been allowed for 
ytars. But 1 have a complaint very direct from that locality 
that pickerel were being taken, and that if a salmon or trout 
"came along" it was received without informing either the 
commissioners or wardtns. He also says that ice fishing has 
been stopped on the Winthrop ponds, except on Annabesse- 
cook. 
Well, let the Maine Commissioners have the guide license 
measure if they so greatly desire it. If hcensing guides will 
make them retuse to countenance summer shooting, then li- 
cense them by all means. But will the making out of returns to 
the Commissioners— returns of the game shot and fish caught 
-^show where the law has been broken? If a guide has suf- 
fered or encouraged a moose to he shot in close time, will it 
appear so on his returns? Will the real names and residences 
of the parties guided always appear in these returns? Hon- 
estly, will not the new law work this way: We who 
have been into the Maine woods for years, own camps 
there and never allow guns to be taken into the woods 
in close time, not even by our guests, will be subject 
to all the nuisance of being noted and leturned? But 
will not the Bill Joneses, John Smiths and other aliases go 
down there the same as ever? Who does the illegal shooting 
InMaice? Do the regular visitors there, who are as much 
interested in the fish and game as the Commissionera them- 
selves, shout out of season? From the Boston end I know 
that the illegal shooting is done by the men who go down 
there under assumed titles, and who care nothing whatever 
for Maine or her game further than to kill a deer or moose 
to brag about at home. 
One power the Commission has, or could have by asking 
the State for it, and the wonder to me is that so much of a 
power has never been taken possession of : Make a law for- 
bidding the having m possession of guns and rifles in the 
game country in close time. Forbid, by law, the carrying 
of firearms into the woods in close time. The Maine Cen- 
tral Railway and the American Express Co. would un- 
doubtedly refuse to transport guns in close time if enjoined 
to do so by the Legislature. Would not such a law be more 
likely to stop summer shooting than the mere making of 
guides take out a license at a cost of $1, wearing a badge 
and making out returns? Can game be killed without guns? 
Spkiiial. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
Game Law Matters In the West. 
Chicago, 111., Feb. 6. — Rumors have gone out from the 
neighborhood of the Tolleston Club, where the sensational 
shooting affair took place, reported in Forest and Stkeam 
two weeks ago, that the Tolleston Club was about to give up 
the idt a of holding its preserve any longer, as the opposition 
was becoming too strong There is absolutely no basis for 
any such rumor, as the club will do nothing of the sort, but 
will continue,to hold its own and no more, as has been its 
custom in the past. A secret meeting of the Tolleston Club, 
some thirty members present, was held at the Sherman House, 
Chicago, this week, during which this and allied matters 
were discussed, and a statement of the condition of the 
wouBded men was made to the members. There has not 
been, and will not be, any weakening on the part uf the Tol- 
leston men, who feel that they were invaded by lawless men 
determined upon trouble. The course of the courts will set- 
tle all the mooted questions pertaining to the affair. Ail the 
wounded men are reported doing as well as possible. 
Mr. F. A. Howe, long time president of the Tolleston 
Club and always interested in its welfare, writes to this 
office and expresses the thanks of himself and other club 
members for "the precise story printed in Forest and 
Stream" about his shooting affray. He says: "I have 
read evtry line carefully, and note that you have only rep- 
resented facts as they exist. This is all that we or the pub 
lie should care for." 
Illinois County Warden Bill. 
There has been introduced into the Legislature of this 
State a game law measure known as the Ganae Warden Bill, 
this being quite aside from the general game law bill, which 
has also been introduced both in the House and in the Senate. 
The framers of this joint movement to improve the game 
laws of the State are Messrs. Balrd and Bortree, of the 
National Ascociation. The main feature of the first-named 
measure is the attempt to raise a protection fund by means 
of a system of county licenses. It is the purpose to levy a 
county license of $2 for each non-resident shooter, a man 
not needing any license to shoot in his own county. It 
would seem that the framers of the bill have for the time 
abandoned the notion of taxing the gun, and have taken 
ground just "this side of that position, the gun license across 
the line from one's home county meaning practically the 
same thing as a gun tax. By means of this county license 
the believers in the bill think a fund can be raised which 
shall support a warden in each county. The latter may 
arrest without warrant when he detects violation of the law. 
Such wardens shall receive no salary, (here again is departure 
from the salaried warden idea which lately obtained along 
with the gun tax project), but "shall receive fines, proceeds 
from the sale of game and money derived from licenses to 
hunt." The distribution of the latter moneys is made by the 
State Treasurer, who handles the license fund for the pay- 
ment of the wardens according to the population of the 
respective counties. All this shows the modern movement 
toward better game protection, though it is highly improb- 
able that the Legislature will move along lines within 100 
miles of this bill. 
TJ, G., B. and F. P. A. Annual Meeting. 
The annual meeting of the National Game, Bird and Fish 
Protective Association will be held at Kalamazoo, Mich., 
Wednesday next, Feb. 10, to take up further the work it 
has laid out in gam-e law matters for ttiis and other States. 
A preliminary meeting for some of the Chicago members 
was held at the offict; of the president, Mr M. R. Bonree, 
on Monday last, or rather was called for that date, but did not 
attain a quorum. It was called again for last Thursday. 
N-othing except plans for the work were taken up. At the 
annual meeting there will be discussion among those present 
in regard to the best way to improve the game laws of those 
States whose conditions and interests are closely allied, as, 
for instance, those of Illinois, Wisconsin and. Minnesota. 
The Wisconsin law as now proposed will be criticised as 
faulty in many regards. Again the question of duck egg 
destruction will be token up, this time with added zeal, Mr. 
Bortree has discovered in Mr. Omer Maris, an intelligent 
Illinois gentleman, who has recently returned from the 
Alaskan gold country of the Yukon, a fund of information 
upon matters in the far north. Mr. Maris says that the 
Esquimaux do gather and sell and export duck eggs in con- 
siderable quantities, and also have a pleasant fashion of kill- 
ing nesting birds. They prepare large amounts of smoked 
goo:e breasts, and as it Injures a goose to cut off and smoke 
this part of its anatotny the loss of life among the wildfowl 
is gr at. Mr. Maris says the Esquimaux are docile and 
obedient people, and are quick to respect the mandates of 
the white men, so he things they will stop selling eggs and 
smoked fowl when lold not to do so The extent of the in- 
terest in shipping and seUing eggs is not stated by Mr. 
Maris, but it appears from his story that the wild ducks 
have a hard row to hoe, as it were. Mr. Maris is the author 
of a very interesting series of letters, which appeared in the 
Chicago Record, descriptive of the gold country of the far 
Northwest. 
The following are among other topics which will be taken 
up at the annual meeting of the Association. 
1. TJni form game and fish laws for the United States and Alaska, 
which shall be divided into four sections, with a uniform open season 
in each section. 
a. Uniform license, the bestthing for sameprotection, aswellasfor 
farmf r« in general. 
3. Tne best method for procuring and enforcing good game and 
fish laws. 
4. Can a general game and flsh law be enforced in Alaska, and in 
what way ? 
5. Has the time come when the sale of all game should be pro- 
hibited throughout the United States? If so, how can it best be 
accomplished? 
6. What can be done to the women (if America to discourage the 
practice of wearing the dead bodies of American song birds on their 
hat.s? 
The above would seem to offer room for discussion enough 
to fill up a day_ or two without trouble, It is hardly likely 
that the Association will have time enough left to take much 
action toward attaining, securing or enforcing any of these 
measures, the executive phase of such matters bying ordina- 
rily, I am advised, in the Nalional Association left to provi- 
dential supervision. There is much reason in the main pur- 
poses of this Association, though it makes the common 
mistake of beginning at the top and not at the bottom of its 
undertaking — in Alaska instead of Indiana. We have 
heathen a-plenty near at home. Among those pre?ent at the 
meeting at Kalamazoo will be the able hustler .James Fuller- 
ton of Minnesota; Wisconsin's live warden, Mr. Ellarson, 
ami the successful State warden of Michigan, Chase S Os- 
bprn. These are practical workingmen, and may get down 
to the executive part of the business, which is the only part 
that amounts to anything in game protection or anything 
else. 
Against South Water Street. 
The game law proposed by the framers of the county war- 
den act will, among other new clauses, have cue cutting 
down the selling season for the Chicago game markets to 
Jan. 1, instead of Feb. 1, as it now stands. The attempt is 
to make a shooting and selling season beginning at Septem- 
ber and closing at .Jan, 1; thus cutting off all spring shoot- 
ing, and establishing dates easily understood and of wide 
enough range to afford sport for all. Of course Illinois 
game will not be sold at all. The Jan. 1 date will of course 
be fought by South Water street, whose merchants have 
tri' d to get the date extended to March 1, and have also 
undertaiien to have the market thrown open for the entire 
year. Out of all these conflicting interests we shall perhaps 
get a bill somewhat similar to the one we have now. The 
truth is that the Illinois game is not worth making much 
fuss about, as it has nearly all been marketed ; but if the men 
of Chicago and of Illinois would really do themselves 
and the sportsmen of America some actual and practi- 
cal good, let them fu-e the first gun in the Illinois fight 
in favor of the abolishment of the sale of game in the great 
Chicago markets. When they have stopped that absolutely, 
they have solved the question at a stroke. Anything short 
of such a prohibitory measure has the disadvantage of leav- 
ing loopholes for evasions of the law. It is well known that 
the dealers constantly violate the law during the closed sea- 
son; hut if they could not legally at any time of the year buy 
a head of game, they would have no stock on hand to dis- 
pose of surreptitiously. 
Investigation along South Water street on Feb." 2 showed 
little game left exposed for sale (altnough the dealers have 
till Feb. 5 to dispose of game that shall be on hand). The 
closing date is apparently well observed this year. There 
have been enough convictions here in Cni-ago to make the 
dealers afraid to be open and bold in their illicit transactions. 
They are all well educated. But the expression ''apparently 
well observed" no doubt fits tue case closely. About next 
July we shad see waddling down from the steps of some of 
the swell clubs of the city certain sleek and well-fed looking 
individuals who will cjufidcntially advise their friends that 
the "owls" were vc-ry good. The word "apparently" is 
well chosen. The man of South Water street carrietn not 
his heart upon his sleeve. 
Ducks and Cold Weather. 
The extreme cold which prevailed last week over the 
greater part of the North drove all lingering fowl far down 
into the South. It is of courae understood that many of the 
ducks, especially the malkrds, have no definite winter range, 
but work up as far JSloiih all tnrougu the winter season as 
the local conditions make po;sible for them. Thus the cold 
snap last week drove all such birds from those portions of 
Missouri and Arkansas which had not frozen up already. 
In Louisiana tue flight of fowl since the cold spell is reported 
to have been very great. I should expect to hear of very 
heavy shooting on the Texas Gulf coast. 
Louisiana duck hunters have adopted the practice of bait- 
ing the pond holes and other feeding grounds from which 
the natural feed has been killed out. Mr. Robert Saucier, of 
New Orleans, is reported to have found oats a very good 
artificial food for wild ducks. Rice, corn, etc., have been 
the foods customarily used in that locality, but Mr. Saucier 
found the crops of many birds killed by himself to contain 
the oats, which accordingly he took to be good feed. 
Members of the New Orleans Duck Hunters' Club, whose 
grounds are at Rigolets, have aLo found it necessary nowa- 
days to bait their feeding grounds, and by this means have 
recently made fair bags. 
Blfif Prosecutions In St. Louis. 
The following interesting information is in the Associated 
Press dispatches of this evening: 
"St. Louis, Mo., Feb. 6. — Game Warden Henry has in- 
structed ex-Jadge Claiborne to apply for warrants against 
750 game dealers and restaurant keeptrs in this city, who, it 
alleged, have violated the law by selling game during the 
cl jse season. 
"The managers of ten of the principal restaurants and 
dealers in game in the city have been selected to bear the 
brunt of the first prosecution. They will be brought into 
court to-morrow. A similar prosecution in Illinois recently 
cost one dealer $a0,000." . 
The last statement of the above is se'riansly incorrect. 
Allusion is no doubt made to the once famou-i Kewaunee 
case, in which action was brought against H. Clay Merrill, 
of Kewaunee In the lower courts some decisions were 
rendered favorable to the sportsmen, but all such cases were 
appealed, and the cases have never been passed upon as ytt 
by the upper courts. Attorney Ladd, of local connection 
with the cases, has now ceased to answer letters of inquiiy 
