AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
167 
This being ascertained, the winners smile, 
But with no taunting jibes their mouths defile. 
Then to the house resort, (except some stickers,) 
And there regale them with the Major’s* liquors. 
D. J. 
* Major Rose, who formerly kept the tavern on the ground where the New 
Pigeon Club shot their matches. 
PROSPECT OF GAME. 
The season for shooting Woodcocks will open on the 
5th of July, according to law, but the work of destruction 
has already commenced in the neighbourhood of this city, 
and some parts of New Jersey. The birds, however, are 
small, and poor, and can only be valued for the sport of 
hunting them, and not for their fitness for the table. The 
season, thus far, has been favourable to the increase of this 
species of game, which indeed appears to be more plentiful 
than for many preceding years, there being scarcely a spot 
of ground adapted to the habits of the Woodcock, which 
does not contain them. 
This is a fortunate thing for our sportsmen, whose regret 
at the severities of the past winter will find some allevia- 
tion in being able to pursue this bird in anticipation of 
the usual fall’s sport after quails — and I would here most 
strenuously advise my fellow sportsmen, especially those 
whose impatience mostly outweighs their prudence — to let 
the season for woodcock and rail suffice them for the year, 
and in no instance during the approaching fall, destroy 
quails — one winter’s protection to these birds, will repair, 
in a great measure, the havoc, which the protracted snows 
of the past winter have made on this favourite game, and 
the foresight and prudence of one year will advance the 
means of recreation two-fold. 
I am pleased to say, and it may be satisfactory to many 
sportsmen to know, that there is yet a remnant of quails 
in existence, which has been cherished either by some 
friendly hand, or the vigorous constitutions of the birds 
have buffeted the inclemencies of a winter unprecedented 
in its severities. Through the middle and lower part of 
New Jersey, as far as Cape May, an occasional “ Bob 
White. ” may be heard, and in the neighbourhood of Phi- 
ladelphia, and counties adjacent, as well as other States, 
this bird is also heard. 
I was informed that a gentleman, during the latter part 
of this spring, who was standing in front of his house, 
which borders the river Delaware, a few miles above this city, 
observed some unusual appearance in the water, and seem- 
ed like a number of rats swimming to the shore ; on approach- 
ing the spot, however, he discovered it to be a covey of 
quails, which had, no doubt, attempted to pass from Jersey 
to Pennsylvania, but, by reason of the width of the river, 
they were unable to do* so, and settling in the water, were 
obliged to make up the deficiency in their flight by swim- 
ming; through wet and fatigue they were nearly exhausted, 
but a few minutes rest recruited their strength, and enabled 
them to continue their migration. 
This circumstance, in some measure, accounts for the 
reason, why, during harvest, and until the middle of Sep- 
tember, the region about Philadelphia has hitherto been 
so plentifully sprinkled with coveys of quails — for, being 
of a rich soil, and affording abundant food, it invites the 
migration of these birds from New Jersey, and which 
remain with us until the farmers plough their ground again 
for the winter’s grain, when the means of subsistence being 
in a great measure destroyed, they commence running 
until the Delaware impedes their progress, over which 
they fly in accumulated numbers, to spend the winter in 
Jersey; the soil of the latter place not being able to sus- 
tain the same degree of cultivation as the former, much 
food and cover for the quails consequently remain, and 
hither they resort until the subsequent spring. M. 
Philada. June 27, 1831. 
SHOOTING MATCH. 
An interesting Pigeon match, for Five Hundred Dollars 
a side, was decided on Wednesday, June 22d, 1831, at 
Cornell’s near Bristol, Pa. The parties were Messrs. 
T. P. G. and J. L., of Philadelphia, against Dr. G. W. 
and Mr. H. S., of New Jersey. Each person shot at 
twenty birds, twenty yards from the trap, and stood as 
follows: 
Birds. Birds. 
Mr. T. P. G 15 Dr. G. W 17 
Mr. J. L 19 Mr. H. S 15 
34 32 
Being won by the former party by two birds. 
The Shooting was represented to have been very fine; 
each person shooting, in his turn, at five birds, until the 
twenty shots were accomplished. Mr. J. L. killed his 
first seventeen birds, missed the eighteenth, and killed the 
other two birds, making the nineteen killed. 
Mr. H. S. counted only 15 birds, but 19 were killed by 
him, the other 4 having fallen dead out of bounds. 
The Jersey gentlemen challenged the successful party to 
a second trial, on a future day, but the challenge was de- 
clined. 
