Mabch 20, 1897.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
227 
on the increase, why change a law that is bringing such 
beneficial results? When have we ever had a better law than 
the present one on hares and rabbits? The idea of making 
the season for woodcock and hares the same. What man in 
the State would care to hunt hares unless they could be 
tracked on snow, or could be killed in front of the hounds? 
It would be a much more sensible thing to stop the killing 
of woodcock altogether for two or three years, so that they 
could have a chance to increase in proportion to other game, 
as it is a well-known fact that they have been decreasing 
every season for four or five years. 
But the best Jaw that coald be framed for the protection 
of game would be one that would forbid the sale of game 
altogether. This continual pecking away at the game laws 
where we have good and just ones already is unwise, as it 
puts everybody in an uncertainty as to what is the open or 
close season. 
Would it not be more to the interest of game protection 
for those same people who are advocating a continual change 
in the game laws to use the same amount of effort to have 
a law and its necessary appropriation which would legalize 
the appointment of a deputy game protector in each town- 
ship, so that the laws we now have could be more success- 
fully enforced? 
Would It not also be equally as wise for those same game 
protectors to show a little more zealous efi:ort in enforcing 
the laws we now have instead of recommending so many 
radical changes? 
1 think it is the general opinion of the people who are in- 
terested in game protection that the laws we now have (with 
the exception of the law which allows the sale of game the 
year around under certain restrictions) are all right, and all 
that it requires is a more rigid enforcement. 
Cayadutta. 
NOT ALL ALIKE. 
Editm' Forest and Btream: 
Could we analyze the emotions which causes various classes 
of men to go to the woods and fields for game, we would at 
once be able to divide these men into three classes, the dis- 
tinctive features of each being the objective result to be ob- 
tained from the trip. Class 1st, the men who strive to obtain 
a material, tangible result in the shape of the coin of the 
realm. 
Of the second class is the so-called true sportsman, who goes 
for a lark, a change, to gratify his vanity, and chief of all to 
I bring back birds or game, no matter by whom killed, how 
killed or when killed, so long as the game is in his hand, 
j and he can exhibit it and brag about it. The seventeen men 
' from Ohio who went up into Minnesota and sneaked out 
with six deer belong to this class. What blessed things the 
memories of those seventeen must be stored with! 
The third is the single-standard class. They go after game 
. for the sake of the chase. The knowledge of the game's 
ways and the excitement of the chase are more than the mere 
result of bringing home a certain number of birds or heads 
of game. He will have none of the guide except to inform 
him of the lay of the land, the sign, etc , when in a strange 
country. But as to letting the guide carry a rifle, it is not 
to be considered. 
Once I met a guide who claimed that he had been engaged 
by your correspondent, Mr. C. M. Stark, to go into the 
woods with him, but on putting in his appearance be saw 
that he was expected to leave his gun behind and instead to 
carry a big pack of goods, and he very promptly "thi-ew up 
the job." This same man, by the way, is a curiosity in his 
way. Born and reared in a large manufacturing town, he 
I had studied cheap hunting literature until he fancied himself 
1 a hunter. When I first met him he lived in the woods, 
' eking out an existence by gathering spruce gum; too lazy 
and ignorant of the ways of the woods to hunt or even^flsh, 
he was squalid and filthy to the last degree, but made a 
brave effort to pose as an ideal woodsman to such green- 
horns as chanced to believe his yarns. No doubt C. M. S. 
saw his true nature and would have none of him. Many of 
your readers who have been to the Franconia Mountains will 
recognize him in this description. To do him full justice 
would require quite a lengthy article, and I don't know but 
that 1 will try it some day— he is such a character, and it 
might serve to point a lesson to those young men who revel 
ia cheap sporting literatiu-e. 
To return to the sportsman of the second class — enumerated 
above— one of the greatest sinners against the law of sports- 
men's ethics and against the common law are his wife, family 
and friends. About the first thing they utter after the first 
greeting on a return from the woods or fields is this: "What 
did you get?" As if this were the ne plus idtm of the sports- 
man's desires. However, a man in such a position and fear- 
ing the foolish nagging of his friends and neighbors, is sure 
to obtain game in some manner not truly in accordance with 
sporting ethics, if he cannot get it "straight," and thus we 
find that the blame can often be placed elsewhere than on 
the shooter himself. It is not the custom in all countries 
thus to judge the chase by its material results— quite the con- 
trary in many parts of Europe, and especially among the 
high Alps of the Tyrol and Switzerland. Nowhere in the 
world is true sportsmanship so fully developed among the 
poorer and more ignorant classes as it is among the chamois 
hunters. Many and many a poor man will work hard for 
ten months in the year and the other two will chase the 
elusive chamois, securing perhaps two or three per season, 
which he invariably sells. He has the chance of killing 
deer, roebuck, etc., which when sold would fetch more than 
the chamois — but he never hunts them. It is his passion to 
hunt the chamois, and he loves it because of the very diffi- 
culties and dangers of the pursuit. These men are true 
sportsmen, whatever their shortcomings and however slender 
their pm'se. 
How different are some we meet. "What ye got?" is the 
first question when such an one sees a man with a gun. It 
is he who killed the deer of Vermont on the crust until there 
were none left. It is he who skins the covers to the last par- 
tridge and the last rabbit, takes the game to the store and 
swaps it for goods, any kind, wet or d^J^ Would he eat 
bird or rabbit when he could get a few pennies' worth of 
store goods for .them and salt pork worth only 8 cents a 
pound? Not he. He will lie awake nights thinking how to 
get that last rabbit that's running in the hollow five miles 
back. Often I have had a day in the woods with one of 
these critters, but invariably on bagging a bird its market 
value was considered first, trees and lovely landscapes were- 
estimated as to how many feet of lumber could be extracted 
from them, and I well remember the smiles and knowing 
looks which were caused by my occasionally ascending a 
steep hill to view a particularly pretty sunset or sunrise. Of 
course a sunrise has no market value, and so there must be 
something wrong with the man who would ascend a hill to 
see it — and it not even worth one red cent. 
Mattbbhobjt. 
WeLls BivbR, Vt. 
Maine liegislation. 
Boston, March 13. — ^Mr. Frank Jones, of Portsmouth, 
who now holds the. title of Hon., gave his annual fishing 
entertainment to fifteen of his friends, at Tunk Pond, Han- 
cock county, Me., last week. The gathering was, as usual, 
first at Bar Harbor. The company included railroad men 
and politicians. Annually about the same company as- 
sembles, though but little fishing is done. But the hospi- 
tality of Mr. Jones is described as most bountiful, 
A part of the famous guide license bill has passed both 
houses of the Maine Legislature, and will doubtless be- 
come a law. It has been amended so many times that it 
is not easy to give it in full text. But I believe that it is 
shorn of compulsory registration; guides may register, and 
the commissioners may require them to register. Com- 
pulsory badges are cut out of the measure, and compulsory 
returns to the commission are not required, unless the 
commissioners see fit to require them; doubtless in special 
cases. Such is the form of the bill, unless other amend- 
ments have been tacked on since reported to me. Other 
peculiar measures have suffered at the hands of the com- 
mittee on fisheries and game. They have reported an ap- 
propriation of $750 to advertise the fish and game attrac- 
tions of the State. Leave to withdraw has bfien granted to 
the petitioners proposing to regulate the number of pounds 
of pickerel and perch that might be caught. Legislation 
inexpedient has been reported on the matter of taxing 
non-reaident sportsmen for game killed. The measure to 
prevent the trapping of foxes has also died in the hands 
of the committee; also a proposed measure to prevent the 
hunting of fur-bearing animals by non-residents. The 
asking of legislation to authorize the maintaining of pri- 
vate fish ponds has again failed in the committee. "The 
commissioners are justly down on such ponds and the 
granting of special favors to their owners, especially the 
taking of fish in close time. The measure to prevent Sun- 
day fishing has been branded "Ought not to pass" by the 
committee. "Ought to pass" has also been put on the 
measure for the repeal of a lot of obsolete and private fish 
and game laws. 
But no attempt has been made to repeal the unjust 
measure that allows of ice-fishing or fishing before May 1. 
by residents of the State, while non-residents are denied 
that privilege. This measure works particular injustice at 
Sebago Lake, where the ice goes out in April, and sports- 
men from Portland can fish legally, but Boston fishermen 
are liable to arrest. Special. 
From the Eastern Shore. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Brant are still pounding away at Hog Island light tower, 
the keeper having gathered into bis fold over 100 one 
night last week, while scarcely a night passes that he does 
not get a fine bunch. The light at Hog Island is of the 
first order, revolving, thereby sweeping far out to sea, and 
when turning inland it lights up the bay for miles, the in- 
tention possibly being that the light may be seen in the 
Chesapeake Bay over the mainland, so as to be of service 
to vessels in that body of water too. However, is it not fair 
to conclude that this light will eventually drive from our 
waters not only brant, but our numerous supply of ducks 
of all sorts? 
Brant are now on the flight from Southern waters, and 
are reported in great abundance and tame. Local gunners 
are doing better where shooting for market than ever 
before. Black duck shooting is never worth much after 
Christmas. We have shot a great deal in years gone by, 
and while finding the best of shooting during November, 
and especially in December, have found that after that 
month the ducks will pay scarcely any attention to de- 
coys. 
We met a friend during the week from Chincoteague 
who reported the very best of shooting there, redheads 
and brant being very plentiful. 
The time is near at hand for the Northern flight of At- 
lantic coast birds, which will be plentiful through April 
and May along our coast. These months afford the very 
best of shooting. We will not undertake to give the names 
of the birds further than to say all sorts and kinds may be 
found. Stick a few decoys on the meadow and a few cedar 
boughs to hide in, and no fear need be felt as to the sport 
to be had. Many times, from the 50s to the 70s inclusive, 
have we battered among them until at last we have be- 
came tired of shooting, or possibly it was laziness, having 
to tote the birds for a considerable distance. 
A word about fox hunting. It is a fact — so the boys 
say — that their dogs catch the foxes so quickly that there 
is no longer any sport in the chase. A few days since they 
raised a staving old male and picked him up in less than 
an hour, and this is the case almost each week. Talk 
about flyers, why, these dogs down here in Viginia fairly 
singe the grass, they go with such lightning speed. 
T. G. Elliott. 
Kelleb, Va., March 12. 
A New Brunswick Moose Head Seized. 
St. John, N. B., March 11. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
I inclose clipping I cut out of the St. John Telegraph of 
to-day's issue : 
"During last fall Mr. Charles Church, of New Bedford, 
Mass., arrived in the city and proceeded to the vicinity of 
the Washademoak for a couple of weeks' outing. He pro- 
cured the services of a man who is a hunter and taxidermist 
as a guide, and started to take in the Canaan Kiver. Game 
Warden Samuel McDonald asked Mr. Church if he wanted 
a license, which is worth $30, and was answered in the nega- 
tive. During the time Mr. Church shot a beautiful moose, 
and then the trouble began. He left the country for the 
States, and his guide started in to mount the head. The 
mounting of the moose head was finished about a month 
ago, and Chief Game Commissioner L. B. Knight being in- 
formed of the matter, ordered its seizure, which was accord- 
ingly done by Warden McDonald, and the head arrived in 
the city on yesterday's Pacific express, and was greatly ad- 
mired as it was drawn through the train shed on a Dominion 
Express truck. Mr. Church got out of the country without 
paying the fine of about $80, and it has not yet been decided 
on what wiU be done with the head, which is one of the 
finest captured in New Brunswick. " 
You will notice that through trying to escape the license 
the person referred to has got himself into trouble, and no 
doubt should he visit New Brunswick again the wardens will 
be sure to watch for him. I saw the moose head referred to ; 
it is a splendid specimen. H. H. H. 
The Man in the Hollow Tree. 
Montkeal, Can., lA.BS(ih.lO.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
I inclose clipping from the Montreal Gazette of 9th inst., 
containing our old, old friend of the bear story : 
"A correspondent sends an account of an adventure with 
a bear m the county of Chateauguay. He had started on his 
return from Howick to Peasoup village with some tea, and, 
to save time, made a cut across the country and lost his bear- 
ings in the swamp. Climbing a pine tree stub to get a bet- 
ter look at the country, he found it hollow, and eventually 
fell inside. Here he might have remained to die, but that 
the place was already occupied. He felt something moving 
and saw the exit darkening. Putting up his hand, he caugtit 
hold of the hair of a bear and held on till the top was 
reached. Here the bear leaped to the ground and then pro- 
ceeded to crawl into its lair among the roots again, where 
the correspondent killed it. Then be skinned the animal 
and also captured two cubs, one of which he gave to a friend 
on the Scotch Concession, and one to a peddler for 51bs of 
tea." 
I think your collection of varieties of this yarn is pretty 
extensive by this time. F. W. G. J. 
[In a former issue was given the collection to which our 
correspondent refers. The story of the man in the hollow 
tree, whence he was liberated by a bear, was told in the 
Middle Ages, when bear stories were written in Latin, and 
it has been repeated at frequent intervals ever since in all 
lands the world over haunted by bears. It will outlast the 
wilderness on this continent; it may live long after the last 
"stump bear."] 
Game in Central Iowa. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I have jilst read something that brought to mind some 
observations I made between July, 1879, and September, 
1880, in central Iowa. In the fall of '79 1 saw ducks and brant 
so plentiful among the cornfields bordering the Des Moines 
River, in Boon county, that the most insatiable might have 
tired of the slaughter. They drifted like clouds, and their 
quacking was incessant. I did no shooting, but frequently 
sat in the buggy and watched the flight. I was much 
amused one day at the antics of some sandhill cranes. There 
were about a dozen of them on a bared spot near a small 
lake, and they were having a game something like tke leap 
frog of our boyhood days. I drove past them not over 
200yds. distant, but they went on with the dance, apparently 
undisturbed by my inquisitiveness. Prairie chickens were 
much in evidence also. A farmer living between Ogden 
and the river told me that in midwinter they came to his 
barnyard and hayricks, and he could almost walk on them 
before they took wing. 
Will some reader of Forest ajtd Stkeam tell us how it is 
there now. G. W. Cunningham. 
Probably a Red-Throated Diver. 
Norfolk, Neb. — Fast fall while hunting ducks on Lake 
Quinnebaugh, Nebraska, my friend, Mr. Geo. A. Smith, who 
accompanied me, shot a bird that puzzled us to classify. 
In size it was a little smaller and with head and bill shaped 
exactly like the common loon, but the colors and markings 
were entirely dift'erent, the back and wings being of a slate 
color and the breast white; in flight it resembled the 
speckled front brant somewhat, and for which bird Mr. . 
Smith mistook it when he fired. Only one person at the 
lake at the time claimed ever to have seen the bird before, 
and he called it a gray loon. I am sorry now that the bird 
was not saved for identification, but unfortunately it was 
mutilated by some animals and so thrown away. 
Ducks and g^ese were both wild and scarce last season; 
though lacking in numbers, they made up for it in variety, as 
we killed ten different kinds of ducks in the first fourteen 
shot. H. 
[The bird probably was the young of the red throated 
diver ( Urinator lumme) ] 
Rhode Island Game Wardens. 
Providence, R. I., March 15. — A meeting of the Rhode 
Island Fish and Game Association was held last Wednes- 
day to take measures to notify the city and town clerks of 
the law providing for the appointment of the game war- 
dens in April. After some discussion it was voted that the 
secretary notify all city and town clerks of the law and ask 
them to take action on it. Last year thirty-six were noti- 
fied and twenty-two replied. It was announced that the 
revised game laws that are being drafted would be pre- 
sented to the General Assembly at its next session. 
Bluebirds and robins have been reported as individuals 
in various parts of the Stsrte during the past few days, also 
several flocks of blackbirds. 
Flatfish have commenced to bite, the first catch being 
reported at Bullock's Point steamboat landing on Thurs- 
day, when Hezekiah Bunn, of Riverside, caught several, 
one weighing 21bs. 4oz. W. H. M. 
Ducks in Massachusetts. 
Gov. WoLCOTT has vetoed a bill exempting coots and 
other fowl, and has given his reasons as follows: 
"'The purpose of the first is to exempt from all legal pro 
tection at any season of the year certain of the so-called duck 
species, therein described as white-wing scoters, commonly 
called coot, sheldrake, old squaws and loons, it being illegal 
under existing law to kill these birds between the dates of 
April 15 and Sept. 1. These birds have little or no market- 
able value, and their presence in our waters affords pleasure 
and interest to many, and the right to destroy them during 
the entire year instead of during seven and one-half months, 
as now permitted, would, in my opinion, materially increase 
the enjoyment of few and the profit of none." 
By this action the Governor has placed sportsmen under 
renewed obligations for his sensible exercise of the power of 
veto as applied to game legislation. 
The Forest and Stream ia put to press each week on Tuesday. 
Correspondence intended for publication should reach us at the 
latest by Monday, and as much earlier as practicable. 
