MARCEt 24, tgoo.y 
231 
tlie_ markets I see freshly killed ducks, mostly mallards, 
which no doubt came from the lower marshes of the 
State. They do not seem very fat, and are much as mal- 
lards usually are a couple of weeks before they can ge 
anything to eat. 
Buffalo and WtH Turkeys in ^Tiscoasiat 
The Winnebagoes are going to install a new cliief this 
coming month, up at Black River Falls, in Wisconsin, and 
the occasion is to be a big one, and celebrated in chiefly 
fashion. Here is what the Sunday issue of a Chicago 
daih^ has to say about the sort of food the Winnebagoes 
are going to spring on the assembled multitudes: 
"Thei'e is a great show of bustle and activity in the 
Winnebago village this spring. The mighty hunters of 
the tribe have gone miles and miles in their search for 
game. They have come back laden with deer and wild 
turkeys and partridges and pheasants and prairie hens, k 
From the West their brothers of the other tribes hav( i 
sent to them great haunches of buffalo and bear meat. I 
Day by day the3^ have gathered in stores of provisions and 
tobacco which, they have purchased at the trading posts. 
The game has been frozen and packed carefully away, and 
the groceries and the food from the stores have been 
placed in large wigwams and jealously guarded." 
It would certainly seem that the writer of the above is 
taking dangerous liberties with his readers. Docs he 
really suppose that any of them to-day think there are 
such things as wild turkeys in Wisconsin, or buffalo in 
any part of America? He has himself read perhaps some- 
where that these things once formed a part of the bill of 
fare at Indian feasts, and hence supposes they woi:ld be 
correct to-day. It is taking liberties to think that all his 
audience is as ignorant as he. 
Value of a Tree. 
Out at Austin, Minn., Gen. C. C. Andrews, chief fire 
warden of Minnesota, gave a little address on forestry 
March 5. Among other things he made the following 
statements, which are worth remembering as showing 
the value of a tree : 
"1 know of a farm of 300 acres on the Connecticut 
All along the open water of Lake Michigan swarms of 
ducks are in, though the ice still covers the water out for 
a long distance. North of town, near Evanston, the 
geese are now working. 
This should be a good time for a floating trip for ducks. 
The Kankakee would" be .prijne for that this week, before 
the flats clear of ice and while the river current is open. 
The mallards nre in the timber now. 
Movements of Sportsmen. 
Messrs. John Hallock and H. C. Mackenzie, of Cres- 
cent Athletic Club. Brooklyn, N. Y., left home March 
ID for a duck shooting trip to Cumberland Lodge, on the 
Kankakee River, near Lowell, Ind., and were in this city 
March 12. They should meet the flight just about right 
this time. 
Mr. F. R. Bissell, of this cStv, leaves to-day for a shoot 
at Water Valley, Ind. 
Mr. C. M. Beach, of Saginaw% Mich., paid this office 
a pleasant visit to-day. Mr. Beach is rather a lover of 
the gun than of the fly rod, and he says if I will come over 
there he will put me on to a game pocket. Last fall, and 
on the last day of the season, he killed eighteen quail 
and fourteen partridge to his own gun, which is cer- 
tainly a Ifery good bag for any country. 
Death of Dr. D. Taylor. 
It is very sad news which comes this morning from 
Mr. Benj. C. Miles, of Brownsville, Tenn., telling of the 
death of that very noble gentleman and sportsman. Dr. 
W. D. Taylor, one of the most prominent citizens of his 
city, and one of the finest characters it has been one's 
privilege to meet. Dr. Taylor was within the last few 
months taken ill of consumption, and visits to the mild 
climates like those of San Antonio and Pass Christian this 
winter did not check the rapid growth of the disease, 
which proved fatal three weeks after his return, death 
ensuing March 15, Dr. Taylor leaves a wife and several 
children, his wife being at this writing herself ill from 
long" anxiety atkl care. Among those to whom are dele- 
gated the last offlces of regard, I see the names of Mr. 
Miles, Mr. Chapman, Mr, Moses, Mr. Riddick, Mr. 
'I llh: GAME P.-VRK AT THF. SPOKI'SMAN's SHOW I.N_-[mAL)1 SON S^U.-VRK GARDEN. J 
River in Vermont which was offei-ed for sale a year ago 
for $15,000; yet recently just the standing pine on it was 
sold for $14,000. The owner had not before understood 
its value. This pine had grown in a man's lifetime. If 
the Minnesota farmers, even in the prairie regions, would 
plant a few acres of white pine on their poorest dry soil 
it w^ould add value to thqir property and beautify their 
landscape. On our poorest sandy soil it will take on an 
average eighty years for a crop of pine to grow to mer- 
chantable size, but it will not make as good lumber as 
the virgin pine now being cut in Minnesota, that has 
been growing from 100 to 300 years, and which when 
removed we shall never see its like again." 
Chicago Fly-Castiog Club. 
. The next meeting and dmner of the Chicago Fly-Casting 
Club will be held March 13, at 6:30, at the Leland Hotel. 
This is the last club dinner for the season. The only 
business will be the report of the Committee on Tourna- 
ment Plans, and recommendations for several fishing 
excursions and other summer entertainments. The even- 
ing will be devoted to storj;- telling and fish talk generally. 
The Ducks Are Up. 
Chicago, 111.. March 15. — To-day word comes up from 
Crown Point, Ind., that the Kankakee River is full of 
ducks, which are dropping into every open bit of water 
in large numbers. 
Reports from Water Valley, on the Kankakee, say 
that many ducks are in and the outlook is very good. 
The water is very high, though the ice has not broken up- 
yet on the flats. Some parties are camped out on the 
river and have been for over a week, waiting for the 
flight to come in. These should be hitting it well to-day. 
From Meredosia, Til., on the IlHnois River, from 
Havana, comes word that more ducks aad geese are in 
than haA^e been known for many years, all that country 
being full of water. 
Floods have caused much damage along the valleys of 
the Fox and the Illinois rivers this past week, the water 
being 21 feet .above low water mark at many points. The 
ice is going out and many gorges were blown up by 
dynamite to prevent woi'se flooding. 
The Des Plaines River is boihng full and out all over 
the cnuntrv. The Sangamon is also out. and at this writ- 
ing the Illinois is still rising. The Vermilion River is 
raging this week. Indeed, all rhe bottom lands along 
our lareer stream are overflowed this snring, so that they 
resemble^ lakes rather than rivers. This means tlrat the 
ducks will stop along this part of the country in great 
numbers, and the snine grotmds will be nf great extent. 
It is to be expected that more ducks will he killed th's 
spring than at any time for several years. Swan Lake 
Chib should have great shootirsr. and the clubs of the 
Kank.akee country will nO doubt have news within xhe 
next ten days, 
-B;»Bumpass, Judge Livingstone, all of which . names are 
familiar to those who remember mention in these- columns 
of our very pleasant trips together at BrownsAnlle. The 
charm and the sincerity of the welcome extended the 
stranger at those times are things not to be forgotten. 
My personal acquaintance Avith Dr. Taylor was one of 
many very dear ones formed through the Forest and 
Stream, he first coming to my office, and that to invite me 
to his home. Tall, slender, cheerful, hospitable, kind and 
unselfish, that was Dr. Taylor always, and America had 
no more honorable a sportsman or more admirable man. 
His loss is one not only to his family, his friends and his 
community, but to the public at large who know and 
love a real sportsman and a sincere-minded gentleman. 
E. Hough. 
30O BoYCE Building, Chicago, 111. 
Spring Duck Shooting. 
In an article on page one attention is directed to tlie 
wide discrepancy existmg between the game laws of New 
York and those of the Province of Ontario and to the con- 
sequent ineffectiveness of the regulations of Ontario 
Avhich aim at the abolition of spring duck shooting. 
The true sportsman will not kill birds at mating or 
nesting time. As a rule the birds are not in the best 
condition at that season and he would- prefer to wait — 
Avith a reasonable guarantee that tlie pbt-hunterS wouldn't 
bag them.all — until they were fat and strong and plenty m 
the glorious autumn days when sport is sport at its best. 
Along the Niagara River there are breeding places which 
attract ses eral of the more desirable species of duck, but 
the trouble is that thej'- are on the Ncav York side of the 
river, Avhere spring shooting is permitted. If these nest- 
ing places were on the Canadian shore the birds would be 
protected through the entire mating and nesting season 
and imtil the broods Avere strong enough to take care Of 
themselves. ' Thoroughly.- protected from slaughter in 
Avinter and spring, the birds would instinctively cothe 
to the Niagara River to rear their famiHes, and with a 
little effort toward replenishing the feeding grounds it 
Avould soon become an ideal region for fall duck shooting. 
The provisions of the Ontario game laws eifectiArely pre- 
A^ent disturbance by American gunners of the ducks on 
the Canadian side of the river in the long Canadian close 
season. Besides the heavy 'fine Which is attached, the 
riA^er is fairly well ' patroled hy a revenue boat, and 
unless a hunter has an Ontario game license, which costs 
him he dare not be found in Canadian waters or on 
Canadian soil with a gun without risks which few care to 
take. 
The New York Leei.^lature might with advantage to 
the ducks adopt similar provisions. As the laws noAv 
stand Ave are making a bid for the Canadian to come to 
this side of the river to do his spring shooting and assist 
in the general slaughter. As no one is debarred from 
shooting on this side of the river in the open season, he 
is at liberty to come and kill as many birds as he can, sell 
them to Buffalo dealers, take his gun and go home. 
There are no license, no tax, no prohibition. It's all free. 
NeAv York is too generous. 
, Neither the Ontario nor the New York game laws can 
be effective until the commissioners of the State and 
Province get_ together and frame uniform regulations. 
This method is already faA^ored by the Ontario Commis- 
sioners and it is to be hoped that an arrangement will be 
.reached by the new Game Commission of this State and 
the laws so ag;i;eed upon that one set of regulations will 
apply on both sides of the Niagara River long enough to 
see the result of real, ample protection. — BulYalo Expres.s. 
In Massachusetts Woods. 
Boston, March 19. — Sportsmen tell us that there is 
more game even in the woods of Massachusetts than is 
generally realized. Looking at the coons in the Sports- 
men's Show, it was remarked that it would be a good plan 
to let the whole dozen go in the woods of this State. 
Hearing this remark, a local gunner said that he had 
shot a couple of coons in the Reading woods the past 
season, and also told of a fellow sportsman who had 
taken one in Dedham. This led to another gentleman 
remarking: "Did you knoAV that an otter had been shot 
on the Charles RiA-^er this winter?" The gentleman 
questioned was not aAvare of it, and this description was 
given: "EdAvard Sweeney, of Dedham Centre, is a good 
deal of a hunter. A short time ago he was paddling up 
the Charles, in quest of muskrats. When near the 
summer home of Samuel D. Warren, near Needham, his 
attention was attracted to a large animal running over 
the dead grass and Aveels along the bank of the rivef. 
Soon it slid into the Avater, something after the manner of 
a muskrat. Watching for the creature to show its head 
above water again, Sweeney got a good shot at the broad, 
flat head, when tlie animal turned over, dead. He was 
easily taken into the canoe. At first Sweeney was un- 
able to identify what he had shot; a flat head. Webbed 
feet, a long body and slightly flattened tail. He took 
it home, and it was fully identified as an otter." This 
conversation led another gentleman to remark that there 
are several yards of deer in Barnstable county this winter, 
where quite a lierd will Avinter, if let alone. Deer are also 
fairly plenty among the Berkshire hills, with scA^eral 
yards in Franldin county. By law these deer are pro- 
tected till 1903. But these gentlemen all agreed that 
partridges, or ruffed grouse, are about done for in the 
State of Massachusetts. Very few were killed by sports- 
men last fall, and even the snarers and market-hunters 
got very few. It is hope'd that the proposed Bcnnet law 
prohibiting the sale of such birds may help the mat- 
ter a little. It is also argued that quail are scarce 
in this State, the Avinters having been too severe for 
them, except, possibly, in the coast towns. But at the 
Bennet bill hearings the same old plea for the farmer's 
boy and the quarters he can earn by hunting goes up ; and 
It is more than probable that the. measure will be amended 
so as to absolutely spoil it. It matters not Avhether there 
are any birds or not, the privilege of shooting them 
must not be taken away from the farmer's boy. 
Mr. Arthur L. Finney, of Boston, is about as fond of 
dog and gun as anybody, and generally gets his share of 
birds on every trip. Two years ago he spent con- 
siderable time quail and other bird shooting in Bahia, 
South America. He found the bird shooting all that 
could be asked for, especially under a tropical sun, which 
is apt to make one too lazy to hunt. Snakes he found 
to be particularly dangerous to both dogs and hunters. 
Cobra he shot scA^eral times, when hunting for quail. He 
sails for Venezuela this Aveek for a stay of six months, 
also .visiting Costa Rica and other countries. He will 
t ^ sure to see what shooting is in these countries. 
Special. 
[What is the South American "cobra"?] 
Attacked by Brant. 
■ DaRiNG the night of Feb. 22 the keepers of Hogg Island 
light on the Virginia coast Avere aroused by the cries of 
the brant which were flying about the light in great num- 
bers. The man in charge of the light was soon obliged to 
call for assistance, as the brant Avere flying against the 
tower and breaking the glass, notwithstanding the fact 
that this is protected by Avire netting at the top. 
The men promptly got their guns, and for an hour and 
a half continued to shoot at the brant as rapidly as they 
could load and fire. They are said to have killed 268 
birds. 
On the following night the attack on the lighthouse 
was renewed, the birds breaking the glass in several 
windoAVS and finally getting into the watch room, where 
they put out the lamps. 
Good Snipe Shooting Wanted. 
New York, March 17,— Editor Forest and Stream: 
Can you or any of the readers of your paper tell me where 
I can be reasonably sure of getting, about the first Aveek 
m April, good English snipe shooting? 
Subscriber. 
[There is little hope that any one may get good .Eng- 
lish snipe shooting near New York, but if our subscriber 
h' willing to go out to Indiana — say to Vincenncs — he 
may haA^e great shooting— if he happens to strike the 
flight. Snipe are notoriously erratic and uncertain, and 
no biie can coimt on them. 'W^e have had great shooting 
at Vincennes. DoAvn in Louisiana west of the Missis- 
sinp! bottom, snipe are to be found up to April 15 usually, 
These are perhaps the best snipe grounds in the world] 
Auction Sale of Foreigfn Game. 
There Avas sold last Aveek at the seizure room of the 
Public .Stores, 6di Washington street, a quantify of im- 
ported game. The eight cases, which held nearly 600 
English and French game birds, were sold to a com- 
mission merchant for $33. The birds were grouse, plover, 
snine and woodcock. 
These birds Avere not seized as dutiable goods. They 
were consigned, however, to persons in this city who 
