FOREST AND STREAM, 
of the Post and Gazette, makes an appeal that is par- 
ticularly^ fetching. If he will let me know at what par- 
ticular time of the year he and his neighbors are "run 
over by bears" I'll certainly visit the place and photo- 
graph the stampede for the benefit of readers of 
Forest AND Stream and the law-makers of New York. 
I agree with his consensus of opinion that "Bruin is a 
beast of prey," and that he should be "shot on sight." 
But what I have been trying to learn these many 
years is how to get the sight without the use of a trap. 
If bears are so numerous there as to add to the bur- 
den and heat of the day — well, the only burden and 
heat that afflicts us on this side of the mountains in 
connection with bears is due entirely to our inability 
to get sight of the wily beast. 
One other point of the letter of the editor and man- 
ager of Post and Gazette is notable. He says "our 
sheep, pigs, cattle and horses, our crops and fruit 
trees" have been "totally destroyed" by Bruin. That is 
a most interesting statement. I beg that he will 
amplify — just how many of each have been so de- 
stroyed in that county during the last year, or, say dur- 
ing the last time the bears "run over" the county. I 
have lived on the edge of the great wilderness for 
sixteen years, and in that time not one domestic ani- 
mal has been destroyed by a bear anywhere in my sec- 
tion. A bear came to the house' Hirectly across the road 
from mine one morning early, and it smelled of the 
chicken coop, but went to the swill barrel a moment 
later, leaving the chickens unhurt. My neighbor's wife 
got up to build the fire about that time (good woman, 
that — she built the fire), and when she went out to get 
some wood she met the bear. But the bear didn't run 
over her — not a step. He hiked it for the woods. 
Neither swill nor chickens could tempt him to remain 
in the presence of a lady uninvited. The bear, as said, 
is of all game in the nation the most difficult to get 
by fair hunting. For this reason and for this alone, I 
hope they will long remain with us, even though they 
do run over some of the Essex county editors and 
managers and add to the heat and burden of the day. 
It is a good thing to have them here if only to attract 
to our region now and then one whom all the gods 
declare to be a hunter sportsman — one who can kill his 
bear by "fair shooting." And meantime, some others 
among us are doing as well as we can to acquire the 
skill of these rare great ones, and we don't want to lose 
our incentive. John R. Spears. 
NORTHWOOD, N. Y., March 13. ' , 
From the Elizabethtown Post, March lo: 
When Senator Townsend's bill relating to the protec- 
tion of wild black bears in the State of New York was 
reached in the Senate Monday night. Senator Townsend 
offered an amendment to except Essex county from the 
provisions of the bill. 
Speaking of the Essex county exception in the Albany 
Argus of Tuesday, March 8, 1904, Smith, the editorial 
writer whose fun-making is proverbial in and about the 
Capitol, said: 
"Senator Townsend's bill, to protect the black bears 
of the State and give them a close season wherein to 
be as reasonably safe from the out-of-season hunters of 
the Adirondack region as the deer and other game 
animals are, has been favorably reported from the 
Senate Committee on Fish and Game with an amend- 
ment exempting Essex county from its provisions. 
Senator Prime and Assemblyman Graeff were prepared 
in the event of not being able to exempt the whole 
county of Essex, to have inserted a provision exempt- 
ing Editor George L. Brown and the Elizabethtown 
Post from the operations of the proposed black bear 
law. Editor Brown has waged continuous war against 
the proposition to put the black bear among the game 
animals of the State entitled to protection of law, and 
he has been successful in getting his county out of the 
list of those where Bruin may be protected for a periqd 
of the year." 
The Post and its editor have followed the plain path 
of duty regarding this bear matter, representing an 
immediate constituency, and doing what was reasonable 
in aiding to crystallize public sentiment against a meas- 
ure which we believed to be not only obnoxious but 
positively dangerous to the best interests of Essex 
county as a whole. If our attitude along the line of 
duty has furnished material for our newspaper friend, 
fun-maker Smith, of the Argus, and thus added to the 
enjoyment of the world, we certainly shall take no of- 
fense. However, we were merely instruments used 
toward a much-desired end, and Senator Prime and 
Assemblyman Graeff are entitled to the credit for the 
exemption of Essex county when it came to the final 
"shown down" in the Legislature, and have our sincere 
thanks for the manly part they have taken in represent- 
ing their constituency, notwithstanding their personal 
views on the bear protection matter. Personally, we 
are satisfied, as the exemption of Essex county is 
what we have fought for from the start to finish, if 
the other counties of New York State want bear pro- 
tection, let them have it. 
Senator Armstrong's Bills. 
Senate Chamber, Albany, March 1$.— Editor Forest 
and Stream: My attention has been called to a letter 
from Mr. Redmond, of Rochester, in your issue of Feb. 
13, criticising some bills which I have introduced rel- 
ative to dangerous weapons. I inclose you copies of 
the bills with amendments which I have made to them 
to meet some objections which were made, and to 
perfect the measures. , j 
If you will examine Section 409 of the penal code, as 
it now exists, you will see that the sale or gift of a 
firearm to any person under the age of eighteen years, 
or of an air gun or spring gun to any person under the 
age of twelve years, or of any toy pistol or instrument 
in or by which loaded or blank cartridges may be used, 
to any person under the age of sixteen years, is already 
prohibited. I have endeavored in this bill to not do 
more than to equalize the age below which such danger- 
ous weapons and instruments shall not be intrusted in 
irresponsible hands, by making the age uniformly six- 
teen years, and at the request of the State Medical As- 
sociation have included in the prohibition loaded and 
blank cartridges. I think it will be readily conceded 
that such dangerous weapons ought not to be put in 
the hands of irresponsible boys; but in order to do 
justice to those who hold Mr. Redmond's views, and to 
limit the application of the existing Section 409, I find 
it necessary to amend Section 410, so that the pro- 
hibition of the possession of these dangerous weapons 
should only apply to their possession by persons under 
sixteen in public places. 
You will readily see, therefore, that boys may still 
shoot at marks on their own premises, go afield hunt- 
ing, and have the utmost freedom in their use, pro- 
vided they do not carry them in the public streets. 
This means that boys of that irresponsible age, when 
they are upon the public streets, must either refrain 
from carrying these instruments or be in charge of an 
adult person. The latter part of my amendment to 
Section 410, from lines 9 to 17 inclusive, is only aimed 
to regulate the carrying of concealed weapons by per- 
sons over the age of sixteen, and certainly does not 
interfere with the carrying of guns, rifles or other hunt- 
ing implements. 
Now for the purpose of these amendments. It is 
two-fold. First, I am seeking to protect song birds 
and animals from the annoyance of irresponsible boys 
with Flobert rifles and toy guns, than whom our song- 
birds and our pets have no greater enemy. At present, 
as the law exists, boys by the hundreds in the public 
streets of cities, villages and towns are carrying these 
weapons, at an age when they are quite irresponsible, 
and shooting at every bird or animal which moves 
whenever it strikes their fancy. They can only be ap- 
prehended by being followed and arrested in the act 
of shooting at a protected bird or animal. If this 
amendment becomes a law, the possession by them in 
a public street of such weapons will be sufficient. They 
cannot be touched in any other place than upon a 
public street. 
In the interest of the song birds and animals, both 
pets and other kinds, I feel as if I could appeal con- 
fidently to your many years of friendship to such legis- 
lation to correct the wrong impression which has gone 
forth that I am seeking to do something either ridicu- 
lous or unjust. 
The other part of the purpose is as I have suggested, 
at the request of such men as Doctor Louis C. Ager, 
Third Avenue and Silliman Place, Brooklyn, President 
of the New York State Medical Association, to prevent 
the blank cartridge nuisance among children, and to 
this end I have made the amendment take effect on 
June I, so as to govern the procedure at the next 
Fourth of July celebration. 
Will you not read this carefully; and if you discover 
that they do more than I have suggested, advise me; and 
if you find that they do not, support me in the effort 
which is approved by the Forest, Fish and Game Com- 
mission of th© State, and by many of my sportsmen 
friends who hope to see the measures enacted. 
Wm. W. .Armstrong. 
The amendments proposed by Senator Armstrong are as follows, 
new matter underlined, words to be omitted in brackets: 
Section 1. Section 409 of the penal code is hereby amended to 
read as follows: A person who manufactures, or causes to 
be manufacturad, or sells or keeps for sale, or offers, or gives, 
or disposes to any person of any instrument or weapon of the 
kind usually known as~ slungshot, billy, sandclub or metal 
knuckles, or a person who offers , sells, loans, leases, or 
gives any gun, revolver, pistol or other firearm o r loaded «f 
blank cartrrdges or ammunition therefor [to any person under 
the age of eighteen years], or any air gun, spring gun or other 
instrument or weapon in which the propelling force is a spring 
or air or [who sells or gives away] any instrument or weapon 
commonly known as a toy pistol or in or upon which any loaded 
or blank cartridges are used or may be used, or any loaded or 
blank cartrid ges or ammunition theref or [to any person under 
age of sixteen years is guilty of a misdemeanor. 
Section 2. Tkis act shall take effect June 1st, 1904. 
Section 1. Section 410 of the penal code is hereby amended to 
read as follows: A person who attempts to use against an- 
other. 04- who with intent so to use, carries, conceals or possesses 
any instrument or weapon of the kind commonly known as slung- 
shot, billy, sandclub or metal knuckles, or a dagger, dirk or 
dangerous knife is guilty of a felony. Any person under the 
age of sixteen years, who shall have, carry or have in his posses- 
sion in any public [street, highway or] place [in any city or 
incorporated village in the State, without a written license from 
the police magistrate of such city or incorporated village any 
pistol or other firearm of any kind] any of the articles named or 
described i n the last section which it is forbidden therein to offer, 
sell, loan, lease or give to him shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. 
Any "person over the age of si xteen years who shall have, carry 
or ha ve in his possession in any public street, highway or place 
in any city or incorporated village in this State any instrument 
or weapon of the kind usually known as slungshot, billy, sand- 
club. Or metal knuckles or a dagger, dirk or dangerous knife, or 
who, w ithout a written license from a police magistrate in such 
city o r incorporated village, shall have, carry or have in his pos- 
session in any such public street, highway or place any pistol" 
7evolver or oth er concealed firearm of any kind shall be guilty of 
a misdemeanor. This section shall not apply to the regular and 
ordinary transportation of firearms as merchandise , nor to sheriffs , 
police men or other duly appointed peace officers [or for use 
without the city or village limits]. 
Section 3. This act shall taffe effect June 1st. 1904. 
Lcgfislation at Albany. 
Albany, March 19.— Governor Odell has signed Assemblyman 
Reeve's bill (43»— 477) relative to leases of oyster lands. 
Bills amending the forest, fish and game laws have been intro- 
duced recently m the Legislature as follows: 
Senator Elon R. Brown, providing for additional protection 
against forest fires, in accordance with the recommendations of 
the special joint legislative committee which investigated the 
subject duHng the summer. ^ . , , , , , 
Assemblyman Hooker, defining the powers of boards of super- 
visors in relation to the protection of fish ^d game. 
Ass^emblyman Simpson, authorizing the Forest, Fish and Game 
Commission to sell and dispose of buildings on the abandoned 
Beaver Kill hatchery, in the town of Rockland, Sullivan county, 
and authorizing their removal from the hatchery lands. 
Sfenator Carpanter, amending Section 100 so as to provide that 
this article shall apply only to , the counties of Kings, Queens, 
Nassau, Suffolk airi Westchester, and to Long Island Sound. 
Assemblyman Cook, adding a new section, to be known as 
Section 41a, so as to provide that trout shall not be taken from 
brooks and streams in Erie county for two years from June 1, 
Assemblyman Denison, forbidding the taking of ducks, geese, 
brant and swan on Black River Bay in the night from sunset to 
daylight. 
Assemblyman Robinson, providing that carp shall not be placed 
m Conesus and Hemlock lakes, Livingston county. 
The Senate has passed the following bills: 
Senator Townsend's (12—853), for the protection of wild black 
bear. . 
Senate Committee on Forest, Fish and Game, relating to and 
defining the boundaries of the Adirondack Park. 
Senate Committee on Forest, Fish and Game (481—754), pro- 
viding that no person shall take any wild deer between- one-half 
hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise. 
Assemblyman J. T. Smith's (293—518), providing that there shall 
be no open season for deer in Columbia county prior to Sept. 1, 
1907. 
Senate Forest, Fish and Game Committee, creating the Catskill 
Park. 
The Senate has advanced the following bills to third reading: 
Senator Townsend's (15—758), requiring non-residents to pro- 
cure a license before being permitted to hunt wild deer in this 
State. 
Senate Forest, Fish and Game Committee (668—811) relative to 
the^ prevention of forest fires. 
The Senate Game Committee has reported the following bills: 
Senator Le Fevre's (326—356), making the close season for grouse, 
woodcock and quail in Ulster county from Dec. 16 to Oct. 15. 
Assemblyman Coutant's (389—979), allowing the use of tip-ups 
and set lines in Ulster county in fishing through the ice. 
Senator Elon R. Brown (473-536), providing that the close sea- 
son for plover and other birds shall be from Jan. 1. to Sept. 15. 
Assemblyman G. H. Whitney's (741—876), providing that perch 
shall not be taken in Saratoga county from Feb. 1 to May 1. 
Assemblyman Harvey's (482—848), providing that the close season 
for black bass m Seneca Lake shall be from Jan. 1 to Sept. 15. 
Senator Ambler's (602—721), providing that the close season for 
gray squirrels m Dutchess county shall be from Dec. 1 to Oct. 15. 
Senator Barnes' (410—699), providing that trout shall not be 
taken from the streams of Rensselaer county for the purpose of 
selling the same. 
The Assembly has passed the following bills: 
Assemblyman C. R. Matthews' (687—807), making the close 
season for lake trout from Oct. 1 to April 15. 
Assemblyman Chanler's (870—1080), providing that suckers may 
be taken with nets through the ice in Crumelbow Creek. 
Assemblyman Stevens (709—1194), making the close season for 
trcut m White Creek m the towns of White Creek and Hoosick, 
m Rensselaer and Washington counties, from Sept. 1 to April 30. 
Assemblyman Nichols' (284—1193), striking out the clause that 
makes the close season for grouse and woodcock in Ulster county 
from Dec. 1 to Sept. 30, and in Orange county from Dec. 1 to 
Oct. 15. 
Assemblyman Patton's (611—1243), providing that wild duck 
may be taken in Erie and Niagara counties from March 1 to 
Oct. 15. 
The Assembly has advanced to third reading the following bills* 
Assemblyman Cowan's (518—1297), providing that there shall be 
no open season for Mongolian ring-necked pheasants or English 
pheasants, except in Suffolk county, before 1910 
Bedell's (951—1183), allowing the use of nets in 
Wallkill Creek or River in the town of Wallkill from Sept. 1 to 
May 30. 
Assemblyman Wood's (950—1182), giving the game protectors an 
annual salary of $600 and $600 a year for expenses. 
Assemblyman Stevens' (982—1220), providing that special game 
protectors shall have the same power as to the right of search 
without warrant as regular protectors. 
100 Sportsmen's Tinas. 
Some of the Queer Discoveries Made by Those Vho Are 
Looking for Game or Fish. 
95 
The story of the discoverey of human bones and 
bangles in the interior of a crocodile captured at Fort 
Johnson, Rhodesia, brings to mind another story which 
may appositely be recalled at the present juncture. Every- 
body has heard of "Mrs. Macquarrie's chair," as they call 
the eastern point of Farm Cove, in Sydney harbor. There 
it was that a poor emigrant, in precable days, killed and 
towed ashore a shark, cut him up, and found a London 
newspaper in his internals. In the paper was the an- 
nouncement of the war between France and Germany. 
The shark had outdistanced the steamer by which the 
mail was coming, and here the discoverer had the fact to 
himself. He gave his information to a wealthy wool 
dealer, who bought all the season's clip at gd. per pound 
and sold at 3s. after the news of war had arrived by the 
ordinary channel. He cleared, it is said, four millions 
sterling by the deal. The man who killed the shark and 
extracted the news of price — well, he received a battered 
silk hat and a five shilling piece, and unrestrained liberty 
as to the disposal of the shark.— St. James's Gazette. 
Concetningf Dogfs. 
Berryville, Editor Forest and Stream: The 
article regarding cats as vegetarians makes me think 
that I never hear stories of cats, or in fact, anything 
regarding the intelligence of various animals. I do 
not want to add a tribute to the dog — any dog. 
I once owned a dog which could have been full 
brother to the one owned by the youngster who de- 
scribed his pet's pedigree as being "half p'inter, other 
half jest dawg." This dog not only ate vegetables of 
every description, but was especially fond of fruit. 
When strawberries, cherries and gooseberries were in 
season, I would usually find her down in the garden 
feasting upon the ripened fruit. She it was who found 
the first strawberries, and after a storm in summer, 
which shook the ripened cherries and peaches from the 
trees, she would make a dash for the trees before 
the children could get there before her. She was also 
exceedingly fond of nuts, and would hide them away 
like a squirred and munch on them as her fancy 
dictated. 
When I returned from a day's sport in the fall, cov- 
ered with burrs and beggars' needles, she would sit at 
my feet and carefully pick the burrs from my clothes 
with her teeth. If beef and other meats continue so 
high, and the numerous trusts about the country con- 
tinue to hold a tight rein on "what we shall eat and 
what we shall drink," why cannot the cat and dog 
meat be utilized? The principal objection is prejudice, 
and prejudice must have arisen, because these animals 
were thought to be carnivorous only. But the Forest 
AND Stream has proved this to be otherwise. 
^ E. A. L. 
All communications for Forest and Stream mmt It 
directed to Forest and Stream Pub. Co., New York, to 
receive attention. We have no other olRcf. 
