April i6, iM-l 
t^OREST AND StREAM, 
and angular. He said he was fond of fishing. He looks 
like a man who would sit in a boat all day in the broiling 
sun, watching for a bite. When asked by a Sun reporter 
how he came to assume charge of the Aquarium, Col. 
Jones said; 
"Well, you see, it's this way. I was appointed Supef' 
intendent of Small Parks and all the buildings therein. 
The Aquarium is in a small park; therefore I took 
charge. The management of this place is only an in* 
cident in the duties of my office." 
"What is your opinion of Dr. Bean?" asked the re- 
porter. 
"Oh, he was all right in his way," replied Col. Jones, 
"but he was too darned scientific." 
"Don't you believe he Avas a good man for the place?" 
queried the reporter. 
"Oh! Lord, yes; he was a good inan, but he wasn't 
practical," answered the new superintendent. "Every- 
thing with him was science. Now I am a practical man, 
but I believe in science too, because T am a graduate of 
a college myself; but there is such a thing as too much 
science. Do j^ou know how they used to test water here 
to find out whether fishes could live in it'0r npt?" 
The reporter confessed his ignorance. 
"Why, by scientific methods," replied the Colonel. 
"But I've got a way that beats that. The proper thing 
to do is to put a fish in the water. If it lives for twenty- 
four hours, Avhy the water's all right. If the darn thing 
dies, why the water's all wrong." 
"Do you intend to make any changes in the pres'ent 
force?" 
"Well, not any to speak ol But I can't keep 'em all. 
Some of them are not fit to be chambermaids in livery 
stables. You can't expect me to keep them, can you?" 
Wild Pigfeons in Vefmont. 
Milton, Vt., March 28. — Editor Forest and Stream: In 
your last issue I read several interesting letters regarding 
the wild pigeon from various sections of the country. 
We have a few pigeons left in Vermont, and I am cer- 
tain that they nest here. During the last five j^ears I 
have seen altogether probably fifty birds, sometimes 
small flocks of five or six, but generally single in- 
dividuals, and I am positive that one pair at least raised 
a brood in this town last season. Old residents here 
say that in their boyhood pigeons were in such abun- 
dance that they were a constant source of menace to the 
grain fields, to such an extent that boys and men were 
hired by the farmers to watch the fields and frighten the 
flocks away. It is also said that enormous numbers were 
caught in nets and were shipped to the larger cities. 
This was about sixt^'' years ago. Kenewaii. 
Pet Rabbit and Pet Dog, 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The article on the rabbit in this week's issue calls to 
mind a familjr of rabbits under my observation. The 
father rabbit can do battle with the family pug dog. I 
have seen the rabbit turn on the dog after the dog 
had worried him and chased him over the yard, and 
have also seen him bite the dog in retaliation for his an- 
noj-^ance to him. It is quite amusing to see them chase 
each other around and quite as funny to hear the dog 
yelp when the rabbit nips him on the ear with his sharp 
teeth; and he knows his danger, for he keeps his dis- 
tance when pursuing him; experience has taught him, 
through numerous bites, to keep "so near and yet so far" 
from those -squirrel-like teeth or suffer for his temerity. 
Inquirer. 
Spring in Montana* 
BozEMATT, Mont., April 8. — Saw the first robin on 
March 29, and phcebe bird on April i ; the snow is 
nearly gone in the valley, but several feet deep in the 
mountains. H. 
Htri^ md §un. 
After Shootings Over, 
NoRVELL, Mich. — Editor Forest and Stream: I've jest 
hin a-sizin' up my fall ketch o' fur, consistin' of three 
kid rats and a white stripe. Now if ' you ain't too 
onfavorable to the notion I'd like to swap 
'em fur subscripshun to your paper. Folks say it ud be 
safer a-sendin' on 'em through the mails nor clear 
money. They say that postmasters an' such fellers 
wouldn't be no ways so likely to tamper with 'em. I 
thought I'd let the paper stop, seein' she'd run out, but 
when I come to think on't I can't seem to endure the 
notion when, now the shootin' season is over, with fur 
good, an' the two-bar'l scatter gun has bin cleaned up 
an' stood away ag'in the season o' '98, I've got to have 
sumthin to kind o' steddy my equilibrum, so to speak. 
O' course there's our last hunt to think about on the 
last day o' the season. We had a fine time. The fresh 
snow that fell the night afore got me right up early in 
the mornin'; chores all done up afore breakfast; an' 
after that I sHpped on the huntin' togs an' sot out to meet 
my old friend F. H. at the app'inted place. When I 
got there the first thing he said: "Say, ain't this snow 
a corker? We'll make up to-day for what we didn't 
on some other days." An' we did too. When it come 
night we'd bagged i pa'tridge, 4 rabbits an' 18 quail, an' 
lots on 'em got away. Didn't do no big shootin', o' 
course, but then we got enough for anything but a game 
hog. 
Waal, that time is past an' gdne, an' as T said' afore, 
the scatter gun an' game bag an' things has bin laid up, 
an' there ain't nothin' much for me and the old dog to 
do in the huntin' line now; an' some of the days seem 
kind o' long and lonesome like. I notice about every 
rnornin' the dog comes round with an inquirin' look in 
his eye to see if I ain't goin' huntin, an' when I get 
ready to go out he'll begin' jumpin' round an' round, 
tryin' to catch his tail, an' knockin' things over, so 
tickled to think we're goin' huntin. When he sees' it's 
nothin' but an old rat trap or a bit o' choppin' I'm goin' 
to look after he gets disgusted like an' turns round an* 
goes back to the house an' begins barkin' like some- 
body's come, to make the wimin folks open the door 
sost he can slip in by the fire. 
An' then ag'in some days he gits to feelin' so rampant 
that he'll go trail in' off after birds an' stuff by himself 
an' scarin' on 'em up, an' then I have a real spell with 
him, a-callin' him in an' tryin' to make him understand 
We're livin' Under game law government now; that we've 
got to let the birds and things alone; that he mus'n't 
even snuff of their old tracks in the snoW, 'cause it 
mi^ht lead to disturbin' on 'em out o' season, an' that's 
ag'm the law, besides bein' very undogly. An' then he'll 
come an' put his paws up on me an' I hav' to rub his 
nose an' fimible his cars for him an' tell him I know 
it's lots o' fun, but we've got to let 'em alone an' wait 
till the birds hav' come back an' builded there nests an' 
hatched out there young uns an' gone away ag'in, an' 
the old bullfrog down in the pond has got done singin' 
"Jerry Louks, Jerry Louks," an' the maple leaves hav' 
turned yeller, an' the mushrats hav' beginded buildin' 
there houses around, afore we can ever go huntin' ag'in. 
But it's no use; don't do any good; he only holds 
his head kind o' sideways an' looks at me, an' then gits 
down an' walks off waggin' his tail, oneasy, fi'gety likei, 
snuifin' around at things. I dunno wot makes it, but 
seems so his longin's fur Imntin' be all the time a-sprout- 
in' up an' a-pesterin' on 'im, an' I'll be glad when shootin' 
times come ag'in, sost I can let him go an' follcr the 
ways of his natur'. 
An' yet, after all, when I come to think on it, I chtnno 
as his longin's be so very much longer nor mine. Mebby 
they be, but I ain't sure on it. As I said afore, some 
of the days seems kind o' long an' lonesome, now 
shootin's over an' the gun an' things is put away. Course 
I'll hav' to take the gun out of its case occasion'ly an' 
look through the bores to see how she's keepin', an' 
then I wouldn't wonder a mite if I put 'er together an' 
took a squint or two along over the bar'ls jest to see 
how familiar like she comes up. No particular need o' 
doin' the latter, as I knows on, but then I notice the 
true sportstnan seems to enjoy doin' such foolishness. 
Don't you know he does? Some way the holdin' an' 
heftin' of the old gun seems to kind o' remind him of 
about some o' the happiest times of his life. He gets to 
thinkin' about how he use' to git up early in the mornin' 
an' take down the old gun, put a few shells in his pocket, 
an' slip out o' the house an' oft' down to the lake or 
river an' wait for the mallards to come in; or mebby 
he'll think o' the day when he stood on the log an' shot 
at that woodcock an' the old gun kicked him off in the 
creek; or some o' the time shootin' quail or pa'tridge 
along in the fall, an' comin' back at night with his bag 
full o' game, a-Avhistlin' some old tune an' feelin' mighty 
good-natiu-'d to'rds everybody most. 
But now I s'pose there's bin a day in the experience 
of evei-y shootin' man when he's gone out a-huntin' (an' 
a f US-rate day for shootin' too), an' banged away all day 
an' never got nothin' septin a shitipoke or some such 
stuff', an' when come night kind o' dragged himself along 
back home, the wind a-moanin' across the muzzle of his 
gun bar'l, a-feelin' leg-achy, an' mad at the dog, an' 
mean 'nough to go off in the woods an' hide, hatin' like 
sixty to meet his folk. Ain't ye never noticed any such 
feelin's — leastwise when ye was a boy, a-livin' in the fear 
an' admonishun o' dad? But that's all forgotten the 
next time he goes a-huntin'. It's one o' them fine days 
'long in the fall, after we've had a frost. The sky is clear 
an' bright, the grass an' leaves glisten in the mornin' 
sunshine, the air is still, the leaves come flutterin' down, 
an' you can hear the squirrels a-barkin an' droppin' nuts 
out o' the trees way off in the woods, an' if you listen 
real 'sharp like's not you'll hear that old pa'tridge that's 
got away from ye so many times a-drummin' way over 
there in the brush lot, an' hear the hounds a-bayin' up 
in the hills miles away. Bimcby the old dog begins 
trailin' along through the grass up to'rds that old rail 
fence, an' then putty soon he gets to crouchin' an' creep- 
in' along, careful like, till jes' afore he comes to that 
clump o' bushes on the furder side o' fence, an' there he 
stops; he's got 'em. Now he don't put up the birds an' 
begin' shootin' on 'em right oft'. No, oh, no; not if he's 
built right on the inside. He'll stop a bit an' take a look 
at the dog a-standin' there with his for'd foot lifted up, 
his nose an' tail in line an' his eyes a-glowin' like balls 
o' fire, silooted as he were ag'in the bresh. He wouldn't 
use any ctiss words on him now; no, sir; best^dog in 
the State now. But while he's standin' there admirin' 
that pictur', all to onct — whir-r-rl up goes a pa'tridge; 
whir-r-r! 'way goes another; an' quicker'n lightnin' he 
fetches the gun up an' lets go with the right bar'l an' 
then the left. After the smoke has riz up an' the sound 
of his gun comes rollin' back through the woods, two 
little clouds o' feathers that he sees dfiftin' away in the 
air marks the beginnin' o' them days that he'll love to 
yarn about with the boys round the stove in the store, 
after his shootin' seasons are closed on him never to open 
ag'in. H. R. 
P. S. — Hope ye won't be onfavoralile to the tradin', 
cause the white stripe is prime fur. 
Belknap County League. 
Laconia, N. H., April g.~Editor Forest and Stream: 
The first annual meeting of the Belknap County Fish 
and Game League was held in this city on the after- 
noon of the 5th inst. A good attendance was present, 
and matters of much importance to those interested in- 
fish and game were discussed. The following were elect- 
ed officers for the current year: J. E. Wilson, Presi- 
dent; S. S. Jewett, Secretary; A. W. Dinsmore, Treas- 
urer; all of Laconia. 
In the evening the first annual banquet and social meet- 
ing was held at the Eagle Hotel in this city, which was 
a pronounced success in every way. Sixty-two gentle- 
men sat down at table. After the banquet short speeches 
were made by Messrs. Shurtleff and Wentworth, of the 
State Fish and Game Commission; also by Messrs J 
E. Wilson, J. T. Busiel, E. P. Jewell and S. S. Jewett] 
of Laconia; Thomas CogsAvell, of Gilmanton; W. R. 
Clough, of Alton; and others. 
The Belknap County Fish and Game League, while 
only a year old, has become a power in this section in 
all matters relating to legitimate sport and the prop- 
agation and protection of fish and game. The Leagnie 
has 141 members, and includes in its membership many 
of the most prominent men in this section of the State. 
The coming year promises to be one of exceeding activ- 
ity for the League, as it pufposes to do everything pos- 
sibile to stimulate the interests of legitimate sport and 
the protection of fish and game. 
Maine Hunting Tax* 
Augusta, Me., April 4.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
1 send you article written by Col. Farrington. At his 
request I send it to you. I hope you will publish it, 
and make such editorial comments as you, think appro^ 
priate. L. T. Carleton. 
Editor Forest ahd Stream: 
Much of late is said and written regarding changes in 
our fish and game laws, for the purpose of making them 
more effective for the preservation of game. 
The thought natui-ally is, when violations of the laW 
are called to one's attention, that the remedy lies in 
enacting more stringent laws. It is my intention in this 
communication to call public attention to the condition 
of things regarding the violation of the game laws, the 
reason therefor, and suggest a possible remedy or what 
may lead up to a better condition of things. 
In the first place I claim that the laws affecting our 
fish and game are better enforced than most other laws 
upon our statute books, and that public opinion is im- 
proving in sustaining an enforcement of law, and im- 
proving our fish and game preserves. 
But I also admit that there is need of a better pro- 
tection of our fish and game (game especially), and a 
better appreciation of its care. While public sentiment 
is improving, and the State at large appreciates more 
•and more each year the great advantages derived from 
these resources, there will be for many years more or 
less violation of law, same as the lawless violate any and 
all law when it seems for their interest to do so. 
How to meet the demands in the direction of best 
preserving our game resources is the one living ques- 
tion that calls for the best judgment of every person 
who wotild see the State receive the greatest benefit 
from them. What 'is best for the State at large, not 
what is best for this or that section or interest, should 
be the problem to be solved. ' 
To that end let me make the following suggestions: 
First, as I have said to many persons, the State re- 
ceives its greatest benefits from its fish resources — ^very 
much greater than from its game — for from its fishing 
privileges come thousands of tourists who spend many^ 
months at our inland resorts, by lakes and ponds, an- 
nually leaving large sums of money. 
This feature of the State's visiting business may be 
increased many fold by the increase of our best fish 
in waters now stocked, and by stocking many waters 
well adapted for their breeding. In this direction I 
would turn the attention of those desiring to make the 
most of these privileges for the State. 
Let the fish and game business be separated. Let 
the appropriation for the preservation and culture of 
fish be at least $25,000, which sum would show in ten 
years remarkable results in fishing resorts and a con- 
sequent increase in visiting tourists and their families. 
Its benefits would be felt in almost every hamlet in 
Maine in one way or another. The tax upon a valuation 
of $2,000 for this amount would be about 20 cents, and 
I do not believe that the taxpayers of the State would 
raise the least objection to it. 
It is the big game and its care which has led up to 
the most criticism, and which creates the most discon- 
tent. Do not understand that I would advise the aban- 
donment of the care of our large game, or less atten- 
tion to its protection and preservation. On the other 
hand, the method suggested of dealing with it would 
to my mind lead up to the best possible results. 
I assume that our fishing interests are general. Also 
that our game interests are mainly sectional. In other 
words, the benefits coming from our fishing resources 
are general in their scope, and that the benefits coming 
from our large game accrue to certain localities and 
to certain individuals or corporations. To be more defi- 
nite, those whose business it is to care for the sports- 
men, hotels, guides, steamboats upon inland waters, and 
those carrying them by rail, or transporting their ex- 
press, receive largely the benefits derived from our large 
game. 
These interests are mostly in one part of the State, 
or rather a large part of the State only indirectly and 
remotely receives any profit from the preservation of 
large game. Therefore it is and must be sectional in 
its benefits. I do not wish to be understood as saying 
that it is not of sufficient moment and its benefits gen- 
eral enough to demand the care of the whole State, if 
that was the only and best way to preserve it. But I 
feel that there is a better way, fairer and more just. 
Having appropriated $25,000 for fish and fishculture, 
I would compel every non-resident person who desired 
to hunt moose, caribou or deer to pay annually $5 for 
that privilege, and each resident of the State' $1 for 
the same right. 
I have always opposed a license fee upon non-residents, 
and would noAv, if it did not apply in some measure 
to the resident. Laws to be accepted must be fair and 
just. To tax the non-resident alone is not a just or fair 
law to my mind. To tax the resident as much as the 
non-resident would not be fair or just because he is 
paying his proportion of the appropriation for the care 
of fish. 
The non-resident, who would feel injured by being 
alone taxed, w^ould see that there was in this no attempt 
to take unfair advantage of him; and the resident, it 
would seem, ought to be willing to pay something for 
the preservation of a kind of a game he desired to htmt. 
It was stated in the report of the Fish and Game 
Commissioners that some 7,000 sportsmen from out of 
the State came here to hunt large game last j^ear. Sup- 
pose 5,000 should come — and I see no reason to reduce 
the number — a tax of $5 would give $25,000; and if 5,000 
in the State hunted large game we would have $30,000 
for the preservation and protection of large game. 
These two amounts, for fish and game, would make 
Maine's fish and game interests grow marvelously. 
