BiO 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Dec, 2g, i90d. 
When Ducks Were Plentiest. 
At first thought it would seem that wildfowl and 
other small game were most abundant just before the 
advent of the white man and the shotgun, but that was 
not the period. Nature has her ways of preserving 
balances, and always provides a remedy for over pop- 
lation. In the case of the small game "the balance was 
preserved by the various small carnivorous animals and 
birds. So nicely balanced were the increase and de- 
struction that the numbers of the small game no doubt 
remained almost constant for a long period, but at last 
the white man came upon the scene and disturbed the 
balance in such a way that within a century there was an 
incredible increase in the small game, notably among 
the water fowl and other ground nesting birds. Most of 
- the destroyers of these birds were fur-bearing animals, 
and the fur-bearers were the first animals dstroyed by 
the white man, and so long as there w-as an abundance 
of larger game very few of the birds were killed. In 
the course of fifty to one hundred years these small fur- 
bearers that lived on the birds were so reduced in num- 
bers that the birds were left to increase at an enormous 
rate, and by the time the large game became so scarce 
that people began to turn attention to the birds the 
ducks had so increased that they swarmed by tliou- 
sands wherever there was food and water suited to them. 
So great had been tlie increase and corresponding repro- 
ductive power that half a century of shooting made no 
noticeable decrease, and it looked as though we should 
Forever have all the ducks we wanted, and so we would 
if there had always remained the small number of shoot- 
ers, the poor guns, the vast area of inaccessible terri- 
tory and the lack of a market for the game; but with 
the increase of population, the improvements in guns 
and ammunition, and the building of railroads that made 
access to every pond an easy thing, the balance was 
turned against the ducks, and the last state of the tribe 
of ducks is worse than the first, and the present de- 
crease in their numbers will continue until they are 
too scarce to be worth hunting. Then another balance 
will be established between the reproduction and de- 
struction, resulting in a slight increase, which will re- 
main about constant until some new factor changes the 
conditions. 
Quail, on account of the ravages of vermin and the 
scarcity of food where there were no farms, were 
barely able to exist in most places without the protection 
and food afforded by the farmer; hence they increased 
greatly as the farms advanced into the wilderness, and 
the same is true, to a great extent of the prairie chicken. 
0. H. Hampton. 
Weights of Game. 
Brewer, Me. — Editor Forest and Stream: Every year 
our papers report the largest moose, deer and bear evc-r 
taken in Maine as ha^dng been killed, and what is still 
rnore remarkable, this extraordinary ' animal is usually 
killed several times every fall, and has been for the last 
thirty years. Editors' moose usually weigh from 1.200 
up to 1,800 pounds, their bears 500 to 800. and their deer 
250 to 350 pounds. I once saw an account of a Canada 
lynx being shot which weighed 90 pounds. The Youth's 
Companion once contained a stor}^,' I think by C. A. 
Stephens, of a fisher which weighed 60 pounds, and last 
week a story of a porcupine weighing 75 pounds was going 
the rounds of all our papers. To show how utterly un- 
reliable these stories are I will say that I have weighed a 
wildcat which was said to have nearly killed two men and 
a dog, and was said to have weighed 60 pounds. It 
weighed just 8% pounds, and had been killed by a small 
dog without showing any fight or even giving the dog a 
scratch. I had the skin of one 800-pound bear, and 200 
pounds of meat could not have been crowded into it. 
While sorry that my weights do not agree better with 
those of the editors, I will give them as I have found 
them by the scales. 
Fully grown moose free from entrails weigh from 550 
pounds up to in some cases 800 pounds. I have seen a 
moose shot in September when extremely fat which we 
judged would weigh nearly or quite 1,000 pounds, but I 
never saw one weighed which would come near that. I 
have seen a cow moose weigh 640 pounds. In weighing 
many hundreds of deer, over 400 in one year, I have never 
seen but one tip the beam at 250 when free of entrails. 
I once skinned a bear which weighed 402 pounds clear 
'from entrails and probably 500 when alive. The next 
largest v/eighed 435 whole, and 371 when disemboweled. 
As in handhng more than 5,000 bear, skins I have never 
seen fifty as large as these were, I consider that 400 
pounds free from all entrails, is about the limit which 
our Maine bears ever reach. I have the weights of a good 
.many Canada lynx, and but one exceeds 25 pounds; that 
otie weighed 27. I find wildcats to weigh 20 to 30 pounds, 
with 35 the extreme. Fishers weigh 8 to 121/2 pounds. As 
the one which weighed 12% made as large a skin as I 
have ever seen, in handling thousands. I think this is 
about as large as they ever grow. I have seen skins of 
raccoons which weighed 36 pounds each, but 15 to 20 is 
the common weight of fully grown raccoons. Red foxes 
weigh from 8 to 10 pounds, occasionally 12, and in ex- 
treme cases those taken near the sea shore weigh 13 to 
14 pounds. Otter, t8 to 20 pounds, some sea shore otter 
up to 25 pounds. Porcupines weigh from 15 to 20 pounds 
sometimes possibly up to 25 and even 30 pounds. Beaver 
30 to 40 pounds, I have seen skins from Columbia River 
the owners of which must have weighed 60. I have had 
skins of foxes and Canadian lynx taken on the north shore 
of Bale de Chaleur which must have weighed more than 
the weights given, but those given I consider as being 
the hmit reached by Maine animals. I have found cock 
partndge (ruffed grouse) usuallv to weigh 24 to 25 
ounces. The highest records I ' have are two which 
weighed 31 and 32 ounces respectivelv I have a record 
of a black duck weighing over 4 pounds, This duck was 
taken in winter off the Isle au Haut. and had bright red 
feet, and seemed somewhat different from those we get 
in our lakes, which weigh from 2^A to 3J-< pounds. I have 
records of the following birds : California condoT, weighed 
by Franl? Stevens at Witch Creek. Cal„ 20 pounds- 
Maine baJd eagle, g% ; golden eagle, 8H ; loon, 6 pounds' 
I have seen loons which I feel sure would weigh more 
than this, but had no opportunity to weigh. them. 
M. H. 
MoRGANtoWN, W. Va., Dec. , 10.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: The idea of exchanging observations concern- 
ing w-eights of game is a good one — not only interesting, 
but instructive. I weighed the largest jackrabbit I ever 
killed, and it weighed 7 povmds, which I would suppose 
to be about double their average weight. 
The largest bear which I ever saw was a silvertip, killed 
by one of my neighbors. I helped to weigh the meat and 
iride the next day after it wa.s killed and it weighed 787 
pounds. • ". 
It is reported from Newcastle, Wyo., oh good author- 
it}', that about 200 Indians are scouring the western part 
of Weston county, slaughtering and chasing away all the 
game in that section. They are said to have killed over 
2,000 antelope before and since the Opening of the game 
season. AVolves are doing great darnage in the Powder 
River countrj' of Wyothing, and the stockmen are ar- 
ranging to organize an association and make war on the 
pests. The losses cannot be estimated, but every day 
ranchmen find the carcasses of calves and yearlings on the 
prairies. Efforts will be made to induce professional wolf 
hunters to go out and hunt. Emerson Carney. 
Edgewood, la. — Editor Forest and Stream: In response 
to Didyraus' request for weights of quail, here are some 
data. On Dec. 3 I shot eight quail, which weighed as 
follows: 2 females,. 8 ounces each; 3 females; /J^ ounces 
each; 3 males, 71/2 ounces each. I^ think this is unusual 
on account of the slight variation;-'-.... ,,^' E- J>.mes. 
Rhode Island Nptes. 
Providence, R. I,, Dec. 22.— An ametfdiii'yit to tW, game 
laws will be brought up in the LegisJs^vffl nejtt January 
by a North Providence Senator to prohihit the sale of 
game birds in this State. This is a step in the righ^ direc- 
tion, but will probably not meet with the approval of one 
of our game wardens, who is realizing quite a profit from 
game shot by himself and sold in his place of business. 
.Shame! ' 
Town Sergeant John Kinecum, .of North Providence, 
got at Italian with a robin in his possession after a long 
chase. It cost the offender $25.60. Good lessoli. 
The officers of the town of Johnston, which joins the 
city and town of Providence, recently gave notice that 
Sunday shooting would be prosecuted on and after Sun- 
day, Dec. 9. This is rather hard on the shooters, who 
for the most part are men who cannot afford to lose 
many days' pay to go hunting. In view of the fact that 
laws of a much more damaging nature are violated every 
Sunday in the same tOAvn, the shooters are not pleased 
with the project The Belgian hare folly has struck us, 
and several rabbitries are now ready to spread the pest 
broadcast for a consideration. 
A. Tainsh shot and crippled a cat owl in North Provi- 
dence on Friday, and has it alive_ in his Horseshoe Inn, 
where it attracts some attention. 
The Providence Journal says a 9-pound otter, measur- 
ing 35 inches from tip to tip, was shot in Tomaquag 
brook on Monday. These animals are rare in these 
parts. 
Roger Williams Park Lake was seined by Fish Com- 
missioners Henry T. Root and Wm. P. Morton a short 
time ago for white perch to stock Morwansicut Lake. 
About 5.000 adults and fingerlings were secured. 
Pickerel fishing through the ice has begun, and good 
catches are reported to the first comers. 
A party of gunners from here went to Packerville, 
Conn., and secured seventy-eight rabbits and ten par- 
tridges in four days. Mr. Joseph Driver was lucky 
enough to bring down a Belgian hare weighing 11 
pounds. This is the first one shot since they were 
turned loose two years ago, so far as known. It took 
both charges of No. 4 shot to fetch him, and Joe says 
No. 8 would not have done it. 
Sergeant Wm. P. Whipple and a patrolman from 
Providence recently shot fifty-four rabbits and some 
birds in the South county of this State. Seldom. 
Providence, R. I., Dec. 14.— Editor Forest and Stream • 
Jiist before 7 A. M. on Dec- 11, as I was walking down one 
of the busy streets of this city, a flutter of wing; caught 
my eye. and looking up I saw a large owl changing his 
perch m one of the linden trees on the street. He settled 
down m a crotch and tried to make himself as small and 
inconspicuous as possible, and had I not caught the flash 
of his wing I would have passed by not seeing him. I 
walked around the tree and identified it as a barred owl, 
he keeping those great eyes on me and following every 
move I made. 
I left him and went about my business, and at noon I 
found him in the same position I had left him in five 
hours before, while a flock of sparrows were perched about 
him scolding and gossiping at a great rate, while the 
people passed by not knowing what a rare visitor was 
above them. About an hour later he had gone and let 
us hope he escaped in peace and did not share the 
fate of most Avild creatures when they stray into town. 
N tJTH ATCH . 
Strange Geese on the Coast. 
Recently on the grounds of the Narrows Island Club 
Currituck county, N. C, Mr. J. B. Lawrence, Jr.. of this 
city, killed a Hutchins' goose. The specimen has been 
sent to Rowland's to be mounted. While the common 
Canada goose occurs in these waters by thousands on 
thousands, the Hutchins' goose is almost unknown there. 
The species is one of Western distribution, and is seldom 
found on the coast, althou.gh the old writer and old-time 
gunners constantly speak of a goose "just like" the Canada 
goose, but much smaller. 
On the same grounds and about the same time Mr. 
Chas. Fox secured a white-fronted goose, a capture altnost 
more notable than the other. 
A few of the so-calledwhite brant, or snow geese have 
also been killed in this neighborhood. They are regttlar 
\vinter visitsnjits to these groi.in<?.s. ' ' ■ 
North American Association. 
From the Montreal Gazette, Dec. 15, 16. 
A MEETING possessing much interest and importance for 
sportsmen opened in the Government offices, St. Gabriel 
street, yesterday, whert the commiitee appointed for the 
purpose last February by the North American -Fish and 
Game Protective Association met to consider the har- 
monizing of the fish and game laAvs of the Provinces of 
New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario, and the adjoining 
States of Vermont, Maine and New York. This com- 
mit. ee, of course, can only act as a suggestive body, and 
its recommendations will be reported back to the Execu- 
tive Committee, and all the fish and game protective asso- 
ciations in the States and Provinces interested will be in- 
formed of its findings before the several legislatures are 
asked 10 embody them . on the statute books. 
^AJl the States and Provinces were represented with the ■ 
exception of Maine, those present being : 
Quebec — L. Z. Joncas, Superintendent of Fisheries and 
Game. Quebec; N. E. Cormier, Provincial Game Warden 
and Fishery Overseer, Aylmer, East. 
Ontario— Dr. G, A. MacCullum, President jof the On- 
tario Fish Commission, Dunville. 
New Brunswick — ^Hon. A. T. Dunn, StiS"v!&yor-Gen- 
eral, Fredericton ; D. G. Smith, Commissioner of Fish- 
eries. ^ 
Vermont— Gen. , F. G, Butterfield, Derbv Line ; Gov. 
N. W. Fiske, Isle la Mo:te; John W. Titcomb. Vice- 
President for Vermont, chairman of the Vermont Fish 
and Game Commission and President of the Vermont Fish 
and Game League. 
New York— Charles F. Burhans, Warrensburg; Julius 
Seymour, New York; C. H. Wilson, Vice-President 
for New York State, Glens Falls. 
There were also present, as members of the Association, 
but not members of the committee. Dr. W. H. Drumihond, 
Montreal; Dr. J, T. Finnic-President of the F'i^h and 
Game Pro..ection Club. Montreal; E: 'T. D.- Chambers. 
Quebec; C. E. E. Ussher. General Pas.senger Agent C. 
P. R., and Charles A. Bramble. Montreal. 
The Committee on By-Laws held a short session in the 
morning under the chairmanship of Mr. Ussher, and in 
the afternoon the committee having in hand the harmon- 
izing of the game laws commenced its deliberations. Hon. 
A. T. Dunn, on the motion of Mr. L. Z. Joncas, convener 
of the committee, being appointed chairman of the same, 
Mr. E. T. D. Chambers was appointed secretary, and on 
the motion of Mr. Joncas it was unanimously agreed that 
those ^members of the Association present wlio were not 
members of the committee should be allowed to take part 
in the discussions. 
Fishing in Lale Champlain. 
Gov. Fiske introduced the subject of seine fishing 'ii 
Lake Champlain during the spring of the year. He said 
that for ten. twelve or fifteen j-ears past the Commis- 
sioners of Fisheries had been obliged to oppo.se bills in- 
troduced into the Vermont Legislature for an open season 
the year round for fishing in the northern parls of Lake 
Champlain, and up to this j^ear thej^ had succeeded in 
staving these bills off, by promising that Canada would 
join in prohibiting seine fishing in the spring of the year. 
In the spring of the year the wall-eyed pike, or dore, ran 
down the eastern side of the lake into Missisquoi Bay to 
spawn, and af.er depositing their eggs they returned by 
the western shore into the great waters of the lake. 
Across the line seine fishing had not been allowed in the 
lake in the spring of the year; but it had been allowed in 
Canada. Lake Champlain was being depleted, and as it 
\vas fast becoming a summer resort there must be some 
kind of sport ob ainable. If the fish were taken out of 
the lake, summer visitors would not go there. What was 
wanted was that in Canada licenses should not be granted 
in the spring" of the year, so that the fi,sh might deposit 
their spawn and go back into the lake. 
Mr.- Titcomb remarked lhat wall-eyed pike was treated 
as a commercial fish, and Lake Champlain was the only 
body of water where lie knew it to be treated as a game 
fish. He moved : 
"Whereas, The laws of New York State prohibit the use 
of nets in Lake Champlain ; and 
'"Whereas, The laws of Vermont are .so framed thai 
the Fish and Game Commissioners cannot issue licenses 
■ for net fishing, except at such times and under such con- 
di.ions as exist with reference to the laws of the Dominion 
of Canada ; and 
"Whereas, The custom heretofore in vogue of issuing 
licenses to fish in the Canadian waters of Lake Cham- 
plain (Missisquoi Bay) cau.ses the destruction of many 
tons of wall-eyed pike, during their migrations to their 
spawning grounds; and 
"Whereas, It js the desire of both the New York and 
Vermont Commissioners of Fisheries that the ttse of nsts- 
be prohibited, 
"Resolved, That the Committee upon the Harmonizing 
of Laws recommend that all net fishing be prohibited iii 
Lake Champlain in the spring of the year in New York, 
Vermont and the Province of Quebec." 
The motion was unanimously concurred in. 
Shooting of Moose. 
Mr. Joncas remarked upon the difference in the length 
of time allowed by the different Provinces for the shoot- 
ing of moose, and considered that something should be 
done to harmonize the laws of the Provinces and the 
neighboring States. 
Dr. MacCullum wished to be informed as to the nar- 
rowest limits of the breeding season. In Ontario the 
shooting of Virginia deer was only allowed during the 
first fifteen days in November. Still, they were not sure 
as to whal was the proper season for moose, and would 
like to have it limited to as short a season as possibk- 
Mr. Bramble said that his experience was that the open 
seasen on moose was earlier in New Brunswick than in 
any other part of Canada. They came on to rut about 
Sept. 15. but this year, in Ontario and Quebec, they were 
not on the rut quite so early, thoudi all the big moose 
were on by Oct. i. The big bulls were off the rut the 
earhest, and their horns were off by Nov, 15. Ontario 
seemed to be divided by nature into two distinct districts. - 
In so»ithern Ontario the nipose were pretty well eont. hui 
