the. t9, 1903.^ 
gan," by Edwin Arnold, was the next paper. Mr. T. 
Qaire Wood contributed an interesting sketch entitled, 
"Late Nesters." He has found occupied nests in every 
month of the year except November and December. Presi- 
dent Covert gave a few remarks on his recent trip to the 
east, and an account of the John Lewis Childs Museum. 
A general discussion on the white-winged scoter, soli- 
tary sandpiper, and bitfflehead followed by Messrs. 
Arnold, Swales, Covert, and J. C. Wood. A business 
meeting followed. Mr. Blain presented a corrected con- 
.stitution, which was adopted. The club is divided into 
three classes of members, Honorary, Patrons, and 
Actives, the former being restricted to five. A number 
of new active meinbers were elected. The membership of 
the club is now over one hundred, and will begin the year 
with bright prospects. The Michigan Ornithological Club 
was reorganized last February with A. B. Covert, of Ann 
Arbor, president; Bradshaw H. Swa;les, of Detroit, secre- 
tary and treasurer; Alex W. Blain, Jr., editor of the club 
organ, the Bulletin. The secretary is desirous of enroll- 
ing as members all interested in birds in any manner in 
the Great Lake region, and trusts that many of the sports- 
men will send in their names. 
Bradshaw H. Swales. 
DbtroiT, Mich., Dec. 10^ , 
Another Labfador Duck. 
Since the publication of the article on the Labrador 
duck in Forest and Stream of December 5, our atten- 
tion has been called to a note published by Mr. Witmer 
Stone, in Vol. X. of the Auk, which recorded the dis- 
covery of an adult male of the Labrador duck in the pri- 
vate museum of the late Geo. W. Carpenter, of Phila- 
delphia, which in 1893 was presented to the Academy of 
Natural Sciences in that city. This specimen makes the 
representation of the species at the Academy, four in- 
stead of three individuals. 
^^ttie md ^ntK 
— # — 
All communications intended for Fohest amd Stkeaii should 
always be addressed to the Forest and Stream Publishing Co., 
New York, and not to any individual connected with the paper. 
The Game Laws in Brief 
is the standE-rd authority of fish and game laws of the United 
States and Canada. It tells everything and gives it correctly. 
See in advertising pages list of some of the dealers who handle 
the Brief. . . - 
The New York League. 
Many matters of interest to devotees of the rod and 
gun were considered at the annual meeting of the New 
York State Fish, Game and Forest League, held at the 
Yates Hotel in Syracuse, Thursday, December 10, and i» 
Avas decided to recommend a number of quite important 
changes in the game laws. There was a large attendance 
of delegates from different parts of the State, and the dis- 
cussions proved very interesting. The various clubs repre- 
sented at the meeting and their delegates were as follows : 
Spencer Sportsmen's Club of Lyons — W. S. Gavitt and 
Henry Killick. 
Chemung County Forest, Fish and Game Protective 
Association of Elmira — ^Joseph H. Considine. 
New York Association for the Protection of Fish and 
Game, New York City — Robert B. Lawrence and John D. 
O'Connor. 
Anglers' Association of Onondaga, Syracuse — ^John H. 
Forey and D. R. Cobb. 
Schenectady County Fish and Game Protective Associa- 
tion— Dr. A. T. Sitterly. 
Black River Fish and Game Protective Association, 
Utica— H. A. Pride and W. E. Wolcott. 
Albany County Fish and Game Club — ^John D. Which. 
Rap- Shaw Fishing Club, Buffalo— J. P. Rapalje, of 
Buffalo, and H. E. Robbins, of Syracuse. 
Honest Fishermen's Club of Seneca Falls — Ernest G. 
Gould and W. D. Clark. 
St. Lawi-ence River Anglers' Association — A. C. Corn- 
waU, of Alexandria Bay, and R. P. Grant, of Clayton. 
Niagara County Anglers' Association — H. K. Wicker 
and M. H. Hoover. 
Fish and Game Protective Association of Mannsville — 
A. T. WiUiams. 
Newark Fishing Club — ^W. S. Gavitt. 
Geneva Fish and Game Protective Association — C. C. 
Gates, C. S. Burrell, Nelson C. Smith. 
Rensselaer County Rod and Gun Club — J, R. McLaren, 
Central New York Fish and Game Protective Associa- 
tion— C. H. Mowry and F. C. Eddy. 
Black Lake Game Club of Gouverneur — Andrew Irwin. 
There were also numerous individual members of the 
League in attendance. 
The meeting was called to order shortly before 11 A. M. 
by President Robert B. Lawrence, who spoke briefly con- 
cerning the existing game laws and the work of the League 
during the past year. He felt that the League should be 
congratulated upon what it has accomplished, as the laws 
were never better than now and no absolutely bad 
measures appear upon the statute books. 
The Rap-Shaw Fishing Club_ of Buffalo, Central New 
York Fish and Game Protective Association of Syra- 
cuse, and Hudson Rod and Gun Club of Hudson, were 
formally admitted to membership in the league.^ The 
secretary reported the names of sixteen new individual 
members. 
W. -S, Gavitt, chairman of the organization committee, 
reported that the League embraces 40 different organiza- 
tions and 75 individual members. 
Charles H. Mowry, chairman of the legislative and 
law committee, referred to the satisfactory work of the 
committee in getting support in the Legislature for 
measures recommended by the_ League, and praised the 
untiring efforts of F. C. Eddy in this work. This com- 
mittee succeeded in having several excellent measures 
passed, and prevented a number of vicious bills from be- 
coming laws. There is but little new legislation to be 
recommended now, the main efforts of the organization 
being needed to see that no bad measures are carried 
through the Legislature. 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
Major J. W.'Pond, Chief Game Protector of the State, 
was elected tn represent the League at the convention to 
be held in De'jroir, December 23, when efforts are to be 
made to impresr. upon the Canadian officials and upon the 
legislatures of border States the benefits to be derived 
from uniform laws for the Great Lakes. J. D. Whish 
was chosen alternate. 
Major Pond expressed his views regarding the licens- 
ing of nets and of boats engaged in the business of fish- 
ing along the Hudson. He stated that thousands of dol- 
lars might be derived by the State by charging a higher 
fee, which is at present only a nominal one, being one 
dollar. 
Major J. W. Pond, A. C. Cornwall, and E. A. Bow- 
man were appointeid a committee on nominations, after 
which a recess was taken for dinner. At 1 :30 P. M. busi- 
ness was resumed. 
The League, after duly considering the various proposi- 
tions submitted, decided to recommend that the following 
changes be made in the game laws : 
1. That all non-residents of this State shall be required to 
pay $10 for a license permitting them, to hunt game birds, 
wildfowl, and all manner of small game within its 
boundaries, and $25 for a license permitting them to hunt 
deer; also that residents be required to pay $5 for a 
license permitting them to hunt deer in this State. 
2. That the use of the automatic shotgun in hunting 
game birds and wildfowl be prohibited. 
3. That the last 15 days of the open season for shooting 
deer be cut off, thus making the close season begin at mid- 
night October 31, instead of at midnight November 15, 
as at present. 
4. That a reasonable bounty be paid for the killing of 
foxes, large owls and large hawks. (Referred to the law 
committee with power.) 
5. That no muskallonge shall be taken of less than 20 
inches in length, and that if taken the same shall be re- 
turned to the water without injury. 
6. That the closed season for shooting mud hens and 
gallinule shall be made the same as that for wildfowl. 
7. That the sale of game birds and trout be prohibited 
until five days after the beginning of the open season, and 
of game birds five days after the beginning of the closed 
season. 
8. That special game protectors regularly employed on 
a salary by incorporated clubs or associations, or by 
boards of supervisors, shall ha^e the sam.e power of search 
as the regular State protectors. 
9. That Section 141 of the present laws shall be so 
amended as to apply only to fish, which will do away with 
the present right of bonded cold storage warehouse 
keepers and others to keep in their possession game birds 
or flesh in the close season for the killing of such birds or 
flesh, even though such may have been killed without the 
State of New York. 
Considerable discussion arose over some of the pro- 
posed amendments, and there were many interesting argu- 
ments before final action was taken. In two or three in- 
stances the vote on the propositions was very close. 
When the question of a gun license was being con- 
sidered. Major Pond opposed the proposition on the ground 
that it might tend to keep away many sportsmen who now 
spend much money in the hunting regions. That it would 
lessen the number of hunters and therefore the number of 
deer killed each year is undoubted. 
It will be advised by the League that the Maine system 
be employed in licensing hunters almost entirely. A pro- 
vision of this will require that two coupons be issued 
with each hunting license, and that one of these be at- 
tached to every deer shipped out of the woods. Each 
being numbered, it is argued that no hunter could then 
bring out more than his allotted two deer in a season, 
the section of the present law covering this point having 
been violated, it is said, many times in the past. 
The first draft of the committee's offering concerning 
automatic guns referred also to "pump" shotguns, but 
this was eliminated after discussion. 
An effort was made to have the League favor opening 
the deer shooting season two weeks later than at present, 
instead of closing it fifteen days earlier, but the proposi- 
tion was passed as recommended by the law committee. 
There was a debate as to whether hawks and owls 
actually destroyed game birds, and there being a divisioti 
on the matter, it was finally referred to the law commit- 
tee, with power to act upon investigation. 
R. P. Grant, of Clayton, w^as sponsor for the request 
that small muskallonge be protected. He gave an inter- 
esting talk upon the propagation of this species of game 
fish, and exhibited some pictures of muskallonge caught 
within the preceding two weeks weighing 41 pounds 
each. They were taken from the waters of the St. Law- 
rence River. 
It was said that by making the closed season for mud- 
hens and gallinule the sair.e as for vv^ildfowl the preven- 
tion of all illegal marsh shooting could be accomplished, 
a point which is much desired. It was claimed that many 
hunters now shoot young fowl while nominally in quest 
of the other birds. 
In recommending the proposition to prohibit the sale 
of trout and game birds until five days after the beginning 
of the open season, Chairman Mowry stated that it had 
been his experience to fitid trout and birds offered for sale 
on the morning of the opening day of the season, which 
must have been killed out of season. 
The provision relating to special game protectors was 
offered and accepted nearly in the same form a year ago. 
Its passage would make the duties of a regularly em- 
ployed protector much easier, and make him more feared 
by violators of the law. 
Jolin D. O'Connor and Major Pond opposed each other 
on the action against cold storage houses, particularly of 
New York city. These, at present, upon giving bond, 
are enabled to keep game birds and fish in storage even 
during the closed season for shooting or taking such in 
this State. Mr. O'Connor said he would introduce a bill 
into the Legislature to have this repealed anyway, but that 
he would like to have the League's indorsement." .Although 
his associate. President Lawrence, took the floor against 
him, Mr. O'Connor, backed by Mr. Mowry, carried the 
day. 
The following officers were elected for the ensuing 
year : President, H. _ K. Wicker, of Lockport ; Vice- 
President, W. S. Gavitt, of Lyons; Secretary, Ernest G. 
488 
■■ , ., ._ , - I 
Gould, of Seneca Falls; Treasurer, A. C. Cornwall, of 
Alexandria Bay. 
Legislative and Law Committee — Chairman, Charles H. 
Mowry, of Syracuse ; F. C. Eddy, Syracuse ; W. S. Gavitt, 
Lj'ons ; R. P. Grant, Clayton ; Garritt S. Conger, 
Gouverneur. 
Auditing Committee — Chairman, Aaron Mather, Bridge- 
v/ater; J. R. McLaren, West Sand Lake; C. W. Hatch, 
Lockport. 
Biological Committee — Chairman, James Annin, Jr., 
Caledonia; Andrew Irwin, Gouverneur; Henry Killick, 
Lyons. 
Organization Committee — Chairman, R. B. Lawrence, 
New York; John H. Forey, Syracuse; W. E. Wolcott, 
Utica; E. A. Bowman, Medina; H. McCoi-mick, Albany. 
President Lawrence positively declined a re-election to 
that office. 
The newly elected president, H. K. Wicker, in assuming 
his duties, made a brief address. 
A vote of thanks was extended to the Legislative and 
Law Committee and to the officers, particularly Mr. Law- 
rence, who ended a long term of service as president at 
this meeting. 
A vote of condolence was extended to W. H. Thomp- 
son, of Alexandria Bay, one of the League's oldest mem- 
bers, who was unable on account of sickness to be present 
at the meeting. Adjourned. W. E. Wolcott. 
TJricA, Dec. 12. 
Strife in the Great South Bay. 
As the result of a merry war waged off and on for 
years between the baymen of certain localities along 
Great South Bay and the members of various gun 
clubs, over the question of gunning privileges, it is 
thought that a movement will soon be made petition- 
ing the authorities of the township of Brookhaven to 
purchase all bay bottoms, islands and marshes now in 
the hands of private individuals. It is the contention of 
those favoring the movement that if such a plan were 
carried into operation, not only the baymen and hotel 
keepers, but the township itself, as well as the general 
public, would profit thereby. 
As matters now stand, it is asserted that gunning 
privileges along the best shooting localities are leased 
to clubs composed of a few wealthy members, who 
invoke the strict enforcement of the law on all who 
may be poaching, so to speak, on their leased pre- 
serves. This bars, it is said, the general public from 
participating in the sport of gunning along wide strips 
of land and water to which they have long had the 
freedom granted by time and custom. 
Should these favored localities be made public prop- 
erty, it is said that the township would get ample return 
for the money so expended by compelling every gunner 
to purchase a license for the privilege of shooting. In 
this way, instead of the shooting being confined to a 
favored few New York sportsmen, everyone procuring 
a license could indulge in the pastime. 
In speaking of the matter with a representative of 
Forest and Stream, an old-time and prominent resi- 
dent of Bellport said: 
"The whole trouble is due to the action taken by the 
members of the Bellport Gun Club, who some eight 
years ago leased from the William Smith estate the 
strip of beach about a mile long and extending about 
one-quarter of a mile back into the bay, and that taken 
by the dozen or so wealthy New Yorkers, who, last 
October leased the Egbert Smith property, generally 
known as St. George's Manor. 
"This property adjoins that leased by the Bellport 
Gun Club, and is the best shooting locality along the 
shores of Great South Bay. It extends four miles 
along the beach and controls all rights and privileges 
over the bay bottom of Moriches Bay, and spreads out 
over several thousand acres of the mainland of Long 
Island. Over these ten or twelve thousand acres of 
land and water the general public was practically al- 
lowed to roam and shoot at will. Now, if anyone is 
caught bagging a bird or duck on this vast hit of prop- 
erty, he is liable to arrest, and the law is strictly en- 
forced. The whole matter is thoroughly un-American 
and reminds one of the strict punishment meted out to 
poachers caught on ducal game preserves on the other 
side of the ocean. 
"Now, what is the result? The baymen are angry, 
the hotel keepers are disgruntled and the general pub- 
lic who have always had the privilege of shooting over 
this bit of territory are disgusted. For instance, sup- 
pose man who has planned to enjoy a few days or a 
week or two of shooting writes to one of the hotel men 
at Bellport asking if the sport is worth the trip. The 
hotel man is compelled to write back that while the 
sport is excellent, the shooting over the waters of the 
bay and of the beach and mainland is all in the hands of 
a few persons, and all others are forbidden by law to 
indulge in the pastime. 
"On learning of this the sportsman, of course, stays 
awajf, the hotel man loses custom, and the baymen, 
who have been accustomed to make a living by accom- 
panying visitors on their shooting expeditions and rent- 
ing boats, guns and other paraphernalia to them, have 
had their vocation taken away. When Fred Lewis, a 
grandson of Moses Taylor, had the lease of this prop- 
ertj' some years ago, he; never objected to the public 
shooting over it, except over a small portion, which 
he restricted to the use of himself and friends. 
"However, I don't think that the few New Yorkers 
who have leased the Egbert Smith property are having 
such a lot of fun after all. Many of the baymen by 
way of retaliation, sail their boats over the waters of 
the bay at all hours of the day and night, and by their 
shouts and the banging of guns have scared most of the 
ducks away. This is done particularly when it is known 
that some of the club mernbers are about to indulge in 
a morning's shoot, and it has been empty bags for 
them, as a rule. 
"Matters could be easily adjusted if the town of 
Brookhaven would buy title to the bay bottom and the 
strip of beach along Narrow Bay, where the sport of 
duck shooting has always been of the best. Enough 
sportsmen would gladly pay $10 for point shooting and 
