S48 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
Rod and Gun Club of Massachusetts. 
'' At a recent directors' taeeting of the club sixteen appli- 
cations for membership were presented. The treasurer re- 
ported a donation of $23.69 from the members of the Med- 
lord Shooting Club, for which the club offers its warmest 
thanks. The membership of the club (not including the 
above applications for membership) now numbers ninety- 
eight, aiid the treasurer reports the cash on hand $634.06, 
with ho bills outstanding. 
We (Juote from the secretary's report: "The last bulletin 
was dated March 22, but the secretary (to tell the truth) has 
been too busy to write bulletins. Every day has counted, 
however, and the future will be influenced much by the 
work of the past eight months. 
"The whole State east of Worcester has been covered, 
largely on foot, and correspondents, places to stop at when 
in the field, and the most notorious poachers in the different 
towns have been located. 
"The beginning of a system of 'underground communica- 
tion' has been established, and we have already begun to 
make good use of it, so that we can quickly learn from 
reliable sources if any of the many poachers begin to get to 
work, in fact, three notorious ones have gone to work at 
their trades this summer for the first time in years. 
"Several persons, but not many, found with guns in the 
woods during the summer have been sent home — and they 
all went. 
"We had one complaint, in July, of quail shooting, which 
was well founded. It proved to be the work of a boy, and 
out of consideration for his father, a respected citizen of the 
town, the matter was dropped. The boy will probably do 
no more shooting out of season. 
"In a postscript to the March bulletin, mention was made 
of illegal trout fishing; also of seining smelts. The club se- 
cured conviction in both cases. In the trout-fishing case the 
man was sent to jail, as he did not see fit to pay |20 fine 
and costs; and there is also another story connected with the 
case. He got off easy, and there was no more fishing in that 
locality until the law went off. 
"In the smelt-seining business six persons were interested, 
and at the trial in Hingham were all convicted, being fined 
$50 each and costs. They were not satisfied, however, and 
appealed to the Superior Court in Plymouth, where they 
had what did (apparently) suit them, viz., $65 each, instead 
of the $50 at Hingham; and there wasn't a man on the 
smelt-spawning grounds all the rest of the season except our 
warden. 
"We had hoped to stop the spearmg of black bass on their 
spawning beds during the spring, but were not successful, 
though not from lack of endeavor. Better fortune next 
time. 
"Several complaints of snaring came with the opening sea- 
son, and at Burlington Charles A. and George H. Nichols 
were arrested on Sept. 32. The trial came off Sept. 28 at 
Woburn, and conviction and fine of $20 each followed. In 
almost every case there has been an interesting story, and 
this case was no exception. 
"It was hard to have our warden kicking his heels impa- 
tiently in the bushes at Burlington waiting for his man to 
turn up, while the secretary was receiving notes and tele- 
phones every day from three Other places; but he went as 
Boon as he could to Dighton, and the trial of Everett Horton 
comes off next Tuesday for snaring. Your warden is now 
in anotiier locality, and it is not the pleasantest thing in the 
world to he in just one clump of bushes from daylight to 
dark, day after day; but if the snaring of our game can be 
stopped, it is worth much to us all, and far more than the 
money it costs to stop the business. 
"Every week of the club's existence gives added testimony 
to the good use we could put another warden. And although 
the members have done nobly in furnishing money for the 
work in hand, yet again the secretary would ask the help of 
all to make our membership 200. With 200 members, the 
annual subscription of $10 will help give us the services 
of two wardens all the year, and extra help when needed. 
There are hundreds of sportsmen who would gladly help on 
a good work, and we are doing good work, and want to do 
more and better. 
"The prospects for game this season seems more uncertain 
than usual. In some sections partridges have done well, 
particularly in portions of Essex, Middlesex and Worcester 
counties. In portions of the above and in the southern 
counties, they seem to be unusually scarce. Woodcock are 
hardly as plentiful as usual, though, of course, the flight 
birds will not be here for some time yet. Quail have, as a 
rule, done well, and there ought to be good shooting, partic- 
ularly on the Cape, from all appearances." 
Hknry J. Thater, Sec'y. 
Game Laws and Game Protection. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
It is a well known fact that the enactment of the laws for 
the protection of game and fish do not necessarily accomplish 
such a purpose. On the contrary, they cause great annoy- 
ance to the class of our citizens, who are most desirous that 
the game should be protected. This is always the case when 
an otherwise good law is not enforced. For example, a law 
is enacted that partridges, ducks, squirrels etc., shall only 
be shot between certain dates. The sportsman who wishes 
to shoot for pleasure in a day's outing respects the law ; he 
does not shoot game for sale, and is interested in conserving 
the supply, to the end that game shall be plenty. On the 
other hand, the "pot hunter" and "sooner," who will not 
hesitate to kill the last bird in a flock or covey, or the last 
squirrel in the woods, are at it early and late in the close sea- 
son; and if the law forbidding such shooting is not enforced, 
it operates to give this scalawag a monopoly of the game, to 
the great injustice of people wno wish to obey the law. 
A game law not enforced is much worse than no law at 
all. It is of no effect for the very purpose, for which it was 
enacted and it is demoralizing to the citizens of any commu- 
nity, who, seeing laws of the State openly violated with impu- 
nity, lose in a ceitain degree respect for all law. 
This is now the situation generally in the State of New 
York. The laws for the protection of public game are good 
enough, and if they were enforced the game would be amply 
protected and would increase; but the trouble is that in 
many localities these laws are constantly violated by certain 
persons, who have no respect for the laws and are not appre- 
hended or punished for such violation. It is useless to ask 
citizens to take notice of these matters locally, for they will 
not spend their time and money and incur the ill-will of the 
class of persons who violate these laws, in attempting to 
punish them. The game laws can only be enforced by State 
officers, who are independent of local influences, particularly 
local political influences. Unless we can have a largely 
increased force of game protectors, to thoroughly cover the 
State^ the public game is doomed, and the time is very near 
when there will be no game in the State, except in private 
parks. 
Let us have sufficient State game protectors to effectively 
guard every portion of the State, or change the game laws 
so that they shall only apply to public and private parks. 
Give decent citizens a fair show, instead of giving the "pot- 
hunter" and the "sooner" a monopoly of the game. 
J. B. A. 
My First Prairie Chicken. 
Latham, Kans., Oct. 6. — It was a perfect frosty morning 
in October. Overhead the gloriously beautiful blue sky of 
"Sunny Kansas," underfoot the uncut grass of the prairie, 
on one side a good shot, in front, King, a setter dog. Sud- 
denly the sharp words "the dog is drawing," and then out 
from the dead grass came five magnificent f uU-plumaged 
birds. A moment more and two of them — one to my com- 
panion and one to myself — fell on the sward. Whatever 
success I attain to in any way I do not expect ever to see a 
happier, richer moment than when I held in my hand that 
first chicken, the first one to my gun. 
I have been over a good bit of the southern part of this 
State the past summer. Quail were very plentiful every- 
where, especially in Sumner county. I was pitching to the 
stack one day near here when (you can judge my surprise), 
on raising a forkfull from a load just brought by the dump- 
rake, 1 saw a full-grown, able-bodied quail dart away Irom 
among the hay as only a quail can. I suppose she had got 
tangled in the hay in the windrow. The last quail I shot 
last season had been wounded previously just forward of the 
thigh ; I should judge by striking against a barbed- wire fence. 
The wound was stuffed full of small gravel stones. I 
thought it a good case of bird surgery. 
Last spring an acquaintance who had been on a trip down 
among the cattle ranges along the southern line of the State, 
spoke of seeing there some birds wholly new to him. They 
were fairly large, and part of them had long, forked tails. 
I could not think what they were, but on questioning him 
closer as to color, we concluded they were the long lost wild 
pigeon. I will investigate further if I can. Pine Tree. 
Golden Plover near Chicagro. 
West Pullman, Chicago, 111. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
I must tell the readers of your paper of a day with golden 
plover within half a mile of the city limits. While sitting 
at my window trying to think of something to do I espied 
my friend Charlie coming with gun in hand and looking 
like business. I promptly joined him and we had barely 
passed the city limits when we saw a fiock heading our way. 
1 fired at the leader, missed, but scored one bird with left 
barrel. We marked them down, and one of us circled 
around them; they flushed, Charlie scoring one with first 
and two with the second barrel. 
We got several stragglers and had just made up our mind 
to return home when a large flock was seen coming our way. 
They alighted some distance from us. Vick, another friend, 
who was with us but had no gun, circled around them and 
flushed, driving them straight towara us. I waited until they 
were well within range and scored three with first barrel 
and two with second, Charlie bringing one to bag at long 
range, a splendid shot. Total for the day: Charlie eleven 
plover and one rabbit, myself ten ; a fair bag in this section, 
and enough for anyone. We shall try them again in the 
near future as they seem to be plenty. 
Ducks are quite numerous on the Calumet marsh, but the 
army of shooters gives them little rest. The almost worth- 
less mudhen is killed by the hundreds, especially on Sun- 
days. GtiY H. Stoddard. 
Rhode Island Gales and Ducks. 
Providence, R. I., Oct. 24. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
The late northerly and easterly gales which have prevailed 
during the past week or more have proved quite a blessing 
to the sportsmen along our southern shores, as it drove large 
flocks of ducks and other game inland and several good bags 
were secured in the district of Narragansett. Among the 
fortunate gunners was John Gardiner who in a few hours 
knocked over fourteen widgeons, besides other varieties of 
game. 
The fishermen at Narragansett Pier are just now being 
favored with a phenomenally large run of bass and sea trout, 
and hauls of from 2,000 to 3,0001b3. of these flsh are said to 
have recently been made. 
Visiting hunters from this vicinity to the woods of Maine 
have been very numerous this fall. Those who have returned 
report satisfactory sport, W. H. M. 
Bears in Vermont. 
Milton, Vt. — Several of our Vermont deer hunters have 
met unexpectedly with bruin on their hunts and have killed 
some large specimens. The region known as Camel's Hump 
abounds with bears, which are fast reducing the farmers in 
that vicinity to a state of despair by their depredations on 
the flocks, one farmer having lost over fifty sheep. A party 
of eight returned here last week from the western part of 
Maine bringing eight deer, only one having horns. They 
reported deer very plentiful. Kenewah, 
The Mongolian Pheasant in Texas. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
We have just organized the Grayson County Pheasantry 
and Game Protective Association at this place with forty 
charter members, and we intend to see that the game laws 
are not violated. We have also ordered sixty- eight Mongo- 
lian pheasants, which, with what we have, will give us 
seventy-five to start from. We expect by March, 1899 to be 
able to stock all the northern part of the county and a few 
in the territory. Levi Lingo, 
North Carolina Game. 
TflUHMAN, N. C — I have just returned from hunting. It 
resulted in very good luck. I found all the squirrels you 
are looking for, and in my journey I saw atl the quail a man 
wants, but the law is not off of tbem until Nov. ] 5. There 
is an abundance of fish in Neuse River, trout and others; 
people are catching all they want. I often see lots of turkeys 
in traveling through the woods; I think there are more than 
ever before: in fact the season has been in favor for them. 
J. S. H. 
DEATH OF DAVID FOLSOM. 
David Folsom, president of the H. & D. Folsom Arms 
Co., died at his home in this city on Wednesday, of last 
week, Oct. 21. Mr. Folsom had been out of health for some 
time, but his last illness was of short duration, and the news 
of his death came as a great surprise and shock to his host 
of friends. 
Mr. Folsom was born in Auburn, N. H., fifty-six years 
ago, his father being John Folsom of that place. He was 
educated at Dartmouth College, and in 1861, immediately 
on leaving college, went to St. Louis to join his brother, Henry 
Folsom, who had established a business for the manufacture 
of arms a year previously. The firm was known as the H._ 
& D. Folsom Arms Company. At different periods it had 
branches in Chicago, Memphis, New Orleans and New York. 
At present it has two establishments, one in this city and the 
other in New Orleans. It has been chiefly engaged in the 
manufacture of rifles for sporting purposes. Henry Folsom 
died about six years ago, and his son, Henry T. Folsom, 
took his place in the firm. David Folsom came to this city 
to conduct the affairs of the company more than twenty years 
ago. He was a man of many friendships, and held a 
high place in the esteem of the business community. 
At a special meeting of the New York Gun and Sporting 
Goods Trade, called Oct. 21, 1897, to do honor to the memory, 
of Mr. Folsom, the following resolution was passed ; 
Inasmuch as it has been the Divine will to remove from us 
our esteemed associate, DA^^D Folsom, with whom our con- 
stant intercourse for fully a generation, had ripened ac- 
quaintance into a deep and lasting friendship; 
Therefore, We desire to give expression to our sorrow, and 
to make record of the worthy name he has left among us. 
His honorable career was recognized and deeply valued — 
courteous, straightforward and high-minded. His sterling 
character and upright example are a goodly heritage. 
Resolved, That this expression of our sorrow be conveyed 
to the bereaved family, and that it be duly published. 
Ducks on Lons Island. 
The ducks have made their appearance in goodly numbers 
in the Great South Bay and other Long Island waters, and 
shooting is now to be had at many places convenient to New 
York city. We shall be glad to give inquirers specific in- 
formation about desirable points to visit. 
Proprietors of fishing resorts will find it profitable to advertise 
them in Forest and Stream. 
MEN 1 HAVE FISHED WITH. 
LIX.— Prof. James W. Mllner. 
Fly-FIshlnsr for Shad. 
It's awaj back, almost a quarter of a century. I find that 
I am beginning to date things by fractions of centuries, a 
rather inexact but ponderous way of writing, wiiich merely 
shows that I would write ponderously, if I could; but it was 
in 1873, or a year later, that Prof. Baird wanted me to help 
in the shad hatching, and I was to report to Mr. James W. 
Milner at Castleton, on the Hudson River, about ten miles 
below Albany. At the time Mr. Milner's fame had not 
reached me, and all the way down from Rochester, N. Y., 
I was wondering what manner of man he might be. Not 
that it mattered much, but a man's thought would naturally/ 
meander in that direction. When I reached Albany I hadi 
him figured up. He was sure to be a tall, slim young; 
student who had studied fishculture in some college, audi 
would of course make himself as disagreeable as possible toi 
a practical man who was so unfortunate as to be under his; 
orders. I would keep "a stiff upper lip," however that isi 
done, and obey orders like a soldier, and if he did not know, 
his business it was none of my affair. 
At Castleton I was told that Mr. Milner had gone to in- 
terview some shad netters, but would be back soon. "There 
comes his boat now," said a man, and I saw the party lands 
and go to the hotel. I recognized Milner at once, just the 
man I had fancied — tall, dark, and suffering from a compli- 
cation of youth and importance. I introduced myself and 
presented my letter. He read it and said: "Oh, I'm not 
Milner; this is he." As the real Milner arose and grasped 
my hand I beheld a short, pleasant faced man of about, 
thirty-three years, who was not in the least the man of my 
imagination. I was disappointed. Conscious of my own 
flshcultural ability, based on experience, I was prepared to 
serve under this man and obey his orders, only this and 
nothing more. I had disliked in advance without reason ; 
but we do many things in that way. We were friends before 
we had known each other ten minutes, and nothing ever oc- 
cured to break that fiiendship. 
That year all the shad hatching was done at "Camp 
Green," on the west bank of the Hudson, some dozen miles 
below Albany, and in connection with the State work,, 
which was under the immediate charge of Mr. Monroe A.. 
Green. I went out with shad fry in cans or stayed in campi 
to help take eggs and hatch, as Milner ordered and the new 
work grew, for it was the first shad work of theU. S. F. C, 
and all was new to Milner and others, except to me and the 
State men; for I had been engaged with the latter the year 
before. Seth Green, the State superintendent, came down 
and had a dispute with his brother about hauling on certain 
tides and Milner referred to me. Seth had great prestige, 
based mainly on newspaper fame, but his brother had more 
practical knowledge, and I knew that he was right in say- 
ing that we could not make four hauls on a tide, and that 
we could not keep male shad penned up in the nets for four 
hours. Our first hauls were mostly of male shad, while the 
list haul of the tide often brought us many ripe females 
with many thousands of eggs, but not a "buck" to impreg- 
nate them with. A few nights with the netters was enough 
to show that we were right and Seth went off in a huff". 
The next year we operated awhile on the Hudson and 
then, as the shad season opened on the Connecticut River, 
we shifted our quarters to South Hadley Falls, opposite 
Holyoke, Mass., and obtained more eggs. We were kept on 
the jump running young shad to Western rivers or at work 
with the hatching boxes, for we only knew the floating 
boxes then. There were Dr, T. H. Bean, Frank N. Clark, 
Orin Ckase, and others, who have attained more or lesa 
fame, and we were kept on the go. It was early in June, 
