Jan. 21, 1905.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
51 
of Nathan Harrington, the veteran with whom I hunted 
forty years and more.' 
"Edward T. Whittaker, referred to by former Congress- 
man Walker, when asked as to whether, in. his observa- 
tion, hfe eyer saw anything tp indicate that foxes feed to 
ally extent oh game birds, said : i 
"'I can tell one incident that came under my,,pfei'soria. 
observation, which is an answer to any claim that fojtesi 
are liable to destroy young partridges during the breed- 
ing season. I once discovered in the grounds where 1 
have done considerable of my hunting, a partridge setting 
on a nest within two or three rods of a burrow m which 
a litter of foxes was being reared. It was near the edge 
cf a clump of bushes, and in going out into the open 
the foxes would often pass within eight feet of the setting 
partridge. The litter was raised, and the hen partridge 
brought out and raised a brood of partridges. I watched 
the foxes, I kept track of the partridges, and know that 
thbi^ iivetl llito.the hunting season, for I hunted them m 
that same cover. . ■ . ■■, ^ 
" 'Speaking of what foxes eat, I am certain that gariie 
birds form an extremely small portion of their food. 
Foxes feed in the open, as everybody who studies their 
habits knows. Foxes may lie in the woods, but when they 
start out to pick up their food, they make straight for the 
open fields. Partridges do not remain in the open.' 
"Similar belief is expressed by fox hunters in general, 
jiiey maintain that sportsmen who, credit the fox with 
tlesti-oyiiig game birds have no real pfobf fejttept the occas- 
sional finding of game bird feathers beside a fox track 
in snow time. Frequenters of the woods who may come 
on game bird feathers, at once make up their mind that a 
fox has picked up a partridge. In reality, except when 
snow is on the ground, they have no right to make such 
an assertion, as many animals destroy game birds if they 
have the opportunity. 
"The consensus of opinion among fox hunters_ in 
Worcester is that the fox is maligned many times with- 
out reason or knowledge, and before any attempt is made 
to interfere with one form of hunting- for the benefit of 
another, the would-be reformers should satisfy themselves 
that thes' khbw what they are driving at;" 
A Duck Breeding^ Station, 
Washington, D. C, Jan. 12.— Editor Forest and 
^Strmni A ffldvement is now on foot, which has gamed 
impetus by an able aftlcle on the subject that appeared 
in the Washington Post, Sunday, January i, last, to inter- 
est Cohgfgss ih tha matter witlj a view of purchasing a 
tract of land on tiie Potomac Rivei-, Where wild celery is 
tc be found in large quantities, or elsewhere. , to operate 
a game experimental station^or farm along.. the lines of 
tiie work being done by the United ^States Fish Co.mmis- 
sion (and as is iaeihg Hone successfully oil. a small scale 
no^y on the Poto.mac River, in, the State of Pennsylvania 
and elsewhere, w.here .mallard ducks and other game birds 
ai^e .raised); under the directiot? of the Department of 
AgHeultui-ei eontikuihg and enlarging the work coni- 
meneed several vears ago, by the passage of the Lacey 
Act, which authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to 
take charge of this matter. 
The Washington Post says t 
"An idea of the disappearance of the caiivasback in 
recent years may be derived from the records from one 
of the leading western clubs. The. annual kill has dropp^ed 
frhin .about 2iS(36 to le?s thah too: . Almost .as deplofam| 
h dfe^linfe lias occurred .on the Atlantic Coast, but ste^s 
Have been taken to prevent the extermination of. the 
species. By most of the clubs the shooting days have 
been limited to three per week, and limitations have been 
fixed on the bags. The trouble now is with the pot- 
hunters or 'bushwhackers' —men who hunt for the mar- 
ket, and to whom the inducement of $6 to_ $12 per pair 
is a sufficient offset to all other considerations. It is a 
matter of profound regret that these men cannot be made 
to see that the extinction of a species creates a break m 
nature than can never be filled. The favorite food of 
, the canvasback, which imparts to it the pecukar flavor 
f^o highly esteemed by epicures, is, on the Atlantic Coast, 
the valesneria, an aquatic plant popularly called wild 
celerv, and on the Pacific Coast a bulbous p ant called by 
the Indians wapato, the botanical nanie of whidh is Sapel- 
hii'a MridUlis. The root . is the niost palatable part, and 
the eahvasbaek secures it by diving, but a constant com- 
panion—the widgeon — is frequently on hand to snatch 
away from him the coveted morsel as soon as he comes to 
The plan in brief is this: To interest one or more 
wealthy sporting men or gun clubs to donate a specified 
sum of money, say $30,000, on condition that Congress 
donates a like sum to purchase a suitable tract of land, 
equip the plant and take charge of it thereafter, on the 
same plan or principle that the large poultry or duck 
farms in the various States are now being operated; to 
experiment with wild celery culture and other aquatic 
plants which supply food for the duck family. 
The writer knows of an ideal tract of land for this pur- 
pose on the Potomac River, near the Chesapeake Bay, 
where 3,000 acres with a large creek making up into the 
land can be purchased for $to an acre; and later ex- 
perimental farms could be established in the north and 
w^cst under the direction of the Department of Agricul- 
^^^.j-e \ R. B. B. Chew, Jr. 
Qttail Under the Snow Ctust* 
New Bedford, Mass., Jan. 11.— Regarding the scarcity 
,of quail, here is a little item of interest to your army of 
readers Mr A. E. Manchester, of Slade s .Corner, Dart- 
•mouth Mass., about ten miles from this city, who was 
tramping the woods near his farm m search of a Christ- 
• mas tree, found twenty-two frozen quail m the snow. 
They were all fat and in good condition, and had when 
found been dead perhaps a v/eek or two, and wefe all 
^luddled together and were buried in the snow, which had 
beccme quite deeo and crusted on the top, so that 't was 
impossible for them to get out. This is a case of hard 
i„ek— porri sized flock of birds that lived to get by the 
\,^,,.,un, u-iv lo be ^viped out by a hard wiiitetv 
■ --^ ~- ' Constant Re.-vder. 
Massachusetts Association* 
Boston, Jan. i/^.— ^Editor Forest and Stream: The an- 
nual meeting of the State Association for the election of 
officers for 1905 was held at the Copley Square Hotel, 
Wednesday evening, the iith inst. The attendance was 
good, and the names presented by the nominating , com- 
mittee, 6f ivhidh the librarian was chairman, were all 
elected ufiahimbusly. Mr. W. S. Hinman was re-elected 
president, and most of the nienibers of the old Board of 
Management are continued. Mr. J. C. .Phillips, of Boston 
and Beverly, who served in 1903 on the Exedutive €pit|- 
mittee, is now one of the vice-presidents. Mr. C. A. Taft,- 
of Whitinsville, elected a vice-president, is a new man 
on the list, as is also Hon. Wm. A. Morse. Hon. C. M. 
Bryant comes back to the board after an absence of two 
years, during which time his duties as Mayor of Quincy 
have prevented his working actively in the cause of game 
protection. Three ex-presidents of the association — 
Messrs. Clark^ Wiggin and Reed— will continue to render 
valuable service as vice-presidents. Five of the up- 
counti-y clubS are represented in the board by Dr. J. T. 
Herrick, of Springfield; A. . B. F. Kinney, of Worcester; 
H. S. Fay, of Marlborough; 1. O. Cbtiterse, of Fitch- 
burg, and A. C. Sylvester, of North Attleb'ord, . 
As your readers have doubtless observed, it has beetl 
the policy of the management for the last few yeafs to 
bring the outlying clubs into close touch with the State 
organization. This plan has not only been helpful to the 
W. S. HINMAN. 
Pres. MasslicliusfeUs Ass'tt fof the Protection of Fish and Game. 
local clubs, but has efiabled the gpottsmen of the State 
to present a united front upon matters of legislation, it 
has also been the means of increasing the membership ol 
the State Association, and in the near future it is con- 
fidently expected much greater results m that direction 
will follow. It is doubtful whether any other State can 
be named where there is a greater degree of harmony 
among the various local clubs. 
The report of the treasurer showed that the permanent 
fund had been increased by accrued interest, and that 
from money received during the year a balance of $670 
ren^ained unexpended. Aside from the ordinary account, 
$3 000 had been raised for the purchase of live quail, about 
Isdo of whiell had to be returned to the donors on ac- 
count of inability to obtain birds. After business was 
transacted, several spoke on the outlook f9r birds and 
kindred subjects. Dr. W. C. Woodward said that about 
Middleboro they were feeding quail and had birds enough, 
due in the main, to the systematic feeding last winter. 
From his remarks it is evident there will be no lack of 
suitable food for the birds in that vicinity this winter. 
He suggested that a bounty on foxes in Plymouth county 
would be a good thing for the birds, pne farmer, he 
said, told him. he was feeding "everything--quail, ]ays, 
crows and squirrels." They kept one market-hunter away 
from the covers by hiring him to take care of a bungalow. 
Mr Converse told of a Fitchburg fox hunter who had 
been out a good deal, but only got two this fall. He also 
lold of two men, one from New York city,_ who m six 
days' hunting in southern New Hampshire killed 63 par- 
tridges. , , „ , 
Mr Walter Farmer, of Brooklme, and Henry Eager, of 
Marlboro, related very interesting experiences, and Mr 
C W Dimick urged the necessity of pushing the work of 
re-stocking, incidentally commenting on the destruction 
of birds by foxes. This brought Mr. Kinney to his feet 
in a masterly defense of what he called a "much abused 
animal." Saying anything against the fox to Mr. Kin- 
ney is like "shaking a red flag to a bull, except that 
Brother Kinney shows not the least trace of excitement, 
so sure is he of his ground and so confident of his ability 
to defend his position. , . . 
The meeting was one of unusual mterest, the various 
speakers in their remarks drawing from personal ex- 
perience As a committee to arrange for the annual ban- 
quet, February 16, the president ha^ appointed Dr A. R. 
Brown, Thos. H. Hall, author of "Just One Bite, C. W. 
Dimick G W. Wiggin. B. V. Howe and the secretary. 
The "dinner will be held at the Copley Square Hotel. 
The State Commissioners have arranged with the 
United States Fishing Bureau for a consignment of 
^ 000,000 perch , eggs, two carloads of shad fry, 30,000 
landlocked salmon eggs, and 200,000 Colorado trout eggs. 
If our Commission can break away from the antiquated 
custom of planting fry and secure an adequate supply of 
fingerling or yearling trout, there will be some chance 
of replenishing the streams. As to the results of shad 
planting in the Taunton River, the writer is unable to 
speak from personal investigation, but he does know that 
the results in North River are very disappointing; due, it 
is believed, to the contamination of the water by the 
acid and refuse of a small rubber factory located in the 
town of Hanover. The people along the stream are desir- 
ous of reapine the benefits they were accustomed to de- 
rive from an abundance of fish years ago, and they say 
that if there is no law by which the Commission can effect 
a remedy of the present state of things, the board should 
secure such legislation as is needed without delay. 
In the town of Sharon is a beautiful lake called Massa- 
poag, and it is reported that about half a million bass and 
perch are frozen in the ice, killed by experiments made 
under the direction of the State Board of Health, in order 
to determine the efficacy of copper sulphate in exterminat- 
ing algas. Fishermen in the vicinity are a good deal dis- 
turbed in view of the consequences. 
The New Hampshire Commissioners are still hoping 
to "pinch" the miscreant who shot a bull elk last summer 
in South Danbury. Two years ago the managers of Cor- 
bin Park presented the State with twelve elk, which were 
taken to Andover and turned loose on Ragged Mountain, 
The body of one was found shot last August, and the last 
week of December, near the same spot, was found the 
carcass of a bull with 8 points, which apparently was 
killed about the same time as the other. Commissioner 
Wentworth offered a reward of $100 for the apprehension 
of the guilty party, and is of the opinion that he will soon 
be able to land bis man. 
Among the frequenters of the ponds and lakes of the 
Granite State for winter fishing is heard the voice of 
mourning and latfientation. From Concord the edict has 
been promulgated that many of the waters of the State 
are to be closed for the period of five years. A section 
to suflfer much from this fiat is the Mascoma Valley, a 
charming stretch of rural beauty. Mascoma and Crystal 
lakes are in the town of Enfield, and on their shores a 
communitv of distinguished summer sojourners has been 
established. In Mascoma it is said the German carp has 
been causing havoc to the more desirable fish, which, com- 
bined with over-fishing of the lake, has led the Commis- 
sion to adopt a drastic measure to bring about a better 
condition of the fishing interests. Other bodies of water 
wltete winter fishing is prohibited are Conway, Newfound, 
Webster, Highland^ Ossipee lakes and Pleasant Pond. 
Central, 
Brown^s Tract Guides. 
The Brown's Tract Guides' Association, one of the 
most energetic and active of the many organizations_ m 
New York State which are interested in the protection 
of forest, fish and game, held its eighth annual meeting 
in Boonville on Thursday, January 12. The association 
has one hundred active members, all of whom are ex- 
perienced guides, and an associate membership of 
nearly five hundred. The recent meeting was very largely 
attended, and the reports presented by the officials were 
highly encouraging. Officers for the ensuing year were 
elected as follows: President, Richard Crego ; Vice- 
President, Hon. H. D. Grant; Secretary and Treasurer, 
A. M. Church; Executive Committee— Garry Riggs, Mel- 
ville Oley, Ben Sperry, Ira Parsons, Will Burke, Charles 
H. Smithy Archibald Delmarsh. The following resolutions 
were adopted : , , • 1. 
"Whereas, Vast areas of virgin forest lands m the 
Adirondacks are being lumbered for the timber each year, 
practically denuding such land of its timber and foliage 
and leaving vast quantities of inflammable material upon 
the ground to the great damage of the adjoining forest 
lands belonging to the State, and, 
"Whereas, The opening up of these dense forest lands 
to the rays of the sun and warm winds of early spring, 
causing the rapid increase of the melting snow and the 
subsequent increase of high water in the streams that 
flow to the St Lawrence and Hudson rivers, to the great 
danger of the destruction of the much valuable property 
along the banks of those streams and rivers, therefore, 
be it . . , 
"Resolved, That it is the sense of this association that 
it is the imperative duty of the State to take such 
measures as is within its power to check this increasing 
danger by the purchase of forest lands in the Adirondacks 
and to prevent the cutting of any timber on lands belong- 
ing to the State in the Adirondack preserve." 
Resolutions were also adopted approving of a law re- 
quiring non-residents of the State, who do not own prop- 
erty or pay taxes in the forest preserve, to pay a hcense 
fee of $25 before they are permitted to hunt deer in this 
State; favorins: amending the law so as to prohibit any 
person from kiUing more than one deer in each year ; that 
the killing of otter be permitted from December to April 
inclusive. , • • 
Secretary A. M. Church presented a very interesting 
report, which was in part as follows : 
"To the Officers and Members of the Brown s Guides 
Association— The more a man studies the history of this 
country, the further he goes back into the lives of the 
men who were its founders, the more respect and admira- 
tion he must have for the men who have been before him. 
It is impossible to study the lives of the men of colonial 
times down to the War of the Revolution without becom- 
ing filled v/ith admiration for the wonderful foresight and 
honesty of purpose that characterized all their public acts, 
"September 18, 1708— 'No person. Christian or Indian, 
freeman or slave, shall kill or destroy any buck, doe, or 
fawn, or any sort of deer whatsoever, wild turkeys, part- 
ridge' or quail, except between the first day of August and 
the first day of January.' 
"This is the exact text of an act passed for the preser- 
vation of deer and other game by the Governor, the 
Council and the General Assembly of the colony of New. 
York in the year 1708— nearly 200 years ago— years before 
the United States was a nation by itself, when the whole 
country from Albany to the Mississippi was infinitely 
more of a wilderness than the remotest nook of the 
Adirondacks is ta-day. And this was not the first act 
of game protectioa, for there was a previous enactment 
in tlie year 1705. The sale of deer, grouse and quail, fresh 
