FOREST AND STREAM 
<#- 
23 
& turn ery to $01 respondents . 
No Notice Taken of Anonymous Communication*. 
tr A number of anonymous correspondents will understand why 
their queries are not aDBwered, when they read the lines at the head of 
this column. 
Y. C. O., Danbury.— We send you a form for a club, 
p. s. will And about opening of trout season In this issue. 
M. H. B., Packorvtllo.— Address Arnold Burges, Hillsdale, Mich. 
R. T., Phlladolpla.— Send us the result In as condensed a form as pos- 
ilhle. 
A. B , Manchester, N. H.— Dr. Lynclcum’s writings are not published 
in book form. 
t M., Dauphin, Pa.— Write to Messrs. Peters, Calhoun* Co., Newark, 
r aMcLollan tree. 
FI. O. C., Indianapolis.— Have sent your card to Messrs. Tatham, who 
ill give you full Information. 
H. D. B., Cottonwood, 111.— Pray give mo P. Webley ft Son's address? 
Ana. No. 84 Wearnan st., Birmingham, Eugland. 
SiNcno Panza.— For swan's eggs write to J. H. Batty, Now Otrecht, 
New York; C. J. Maynard, New Ipswich, Mass. 
J. W. B.— The officers of the Adirondack Club are : Pres., J. R. 
Thompson ; Sec., Thos. J. Hall; Trcas., W.E. Pearson. 
W. H. E. Bryant, Kan.— Does Kay manufacture wire cartridges for 
buckshot? Ans. He does uot. We drTOot know of any but Eley. 
8. H. A., Troutman, Pa.— The quarter of 1857 has no value. The quar- 
ters of 1823 and 1827 are worth from $1 to $10, but must be In good order. 
H. B., Philadelphia.— If your puppy, 9 week’s old, will not eat oatmeal 
and milk, or mush, try him with bread panada and milk, or with One 
grlis well boiled. 
W. O. W., Charlottevlllc, Va.— The regular U. 8. Ordnance Reports 
might be dinicult to procure, so we utderstand. Get Col. J. G. Benton’s 
“Ordnance and Gunnery," published by Van Nostraud, N. Y. 
Philadelphia.— I have a 10 bore Irecch-loadlng gun,twlst barrels, 82 
Inches, half pistol grip stock, rebouadlng locks, made by , London. 
What is the reputation of the above! Ans. Very good reputation. 
J. A., Escanuba, Mich.— 1. Can I get pln-flre shells 14 and 10? 2. Are 
there metallic pln-flre sheila In the market ? 3. Where can I get them 
nearer than New York 7 Ans. L Yes. 2. No. 3. Chicago or Detroit. 
J. II W., Rosodale, Kan.— Please tell me the nearest point to get 
Paine's feather-filled balls ; also price. Ans. Cannot bo had anywhere 
but at Bohemtau Glass Works, 214 Pearl 8t„ New York : price $18 per 
thousand. 
H. 0. M., Philadelphia.— My bitch wa9 put to dog, and failed to drop 
pups. Was In her second he»t. I hunted her for three days after she 
came from dog. Was that the cause of her falling to pup 7 Ans. Some 
other reason. 
Enquirer.— Peed your red bird on hulled rice, uncooked. You can 
inly tame him by gradually accustoming him lo your presence. Tbe 
'.60 binding of E. * S. is red cloth with black leather back. Send 
ir numbers by express. 
S. B„ Geneva, N. Y. — Give me the address of some first-rate gun- 
th who can alter a muzzle-loader to a breeoh-loader, and do It cheap 
/ d well ; and whatwould be a moderate price? Ans. Genez, Ckarn- 
ra st. Cost you from $45 to $60. 
M. E. B., Windom, Minn.— Will you please Inform me how far the 
shooter should stand from the trap in glass ball shooting, and how far 
and high the balls should be thrown? Ans. Distance from traps 18 yds., 
balls should be thrown from 12 to 15 ft. high. 
Plankbrs, Hudson.— 1. What la good for a dog to purify his blood ? 
2. What shall I use to get vermin off of my puppy? Ans. l. If you are 
sure that your dog’s blood is impure, which you may not be correct 
about, give him castor oil. 2. Use kerosene, best and safest method. 
A. D„ Plymouth, Mich.— Would you advise crossing beagles and har- 
riers ? Would they run foxes equally well? or would you advise full 
blood? Aus. Do not cross the breeds, unle- s compelled to do so. Such 
a cross might produce good dogs, but It is advisable to keep the Btralns 
distinct. 
H. D. J.— What is the market value of Wilson's American Ornithology, 
with notes by Jardlue, with editions Including the birds described by 
Audubon, Boneparte, NuttAll and Richardson, New York, T. L. Magag- 
nos * Co., 10 Beekman st., quarto, 1864? Aus. The market value is 
not more than fl 50. 
E.—l. Where can I get a catalogue giving the common and scientific 
names of birds ? 2. What is the value of ostrich eggs ? Ans. 1. “Key 
to North American Birds," by Eliott Cones, Is the best work for Identi- 
fication. Published by Dodd & Mead, 751 Broadway, N. Y. Price $7. 
2. Ostrich eggs cost $5. 
Engineer, Wellesvllle, N. Y.— I have $— to buy a No. 1, a No. 2 or a 
No. 3; which would you prefer 7 Ans. All excellent and a toss up be- 
tween them. Had we the money to spend It would bo between No. l 
and No. 2. No. 3 excellent every way, but perhaps not quite as high 
finish for the same money. 
G., Boston.— Have a setter pup sold me, is a Gordon with good pedi- 
gree. He Is a handsome red. It Is said his mother, Meg (Imported) 
was red also. Is he likely to bo a good dog, being of that color ? Ans. 
A good dog may be of any color. Red is certainly a favorite, but not 
tho typical color of the Gordon strain. 
P. W. P., Walla Walla, W. T.— For instructions In taxidermy consult 
Brown’s “ Taxidermist's Manual," price $7, OraDge Judd A Co., N. Y. ; 
“Taxidermist’s Manual," Haney .V Co., 119 Nassau Bt., N. Y.; “ Practi- 
cal Naturalist’s Guide (English)," J. B. Sabin A Son, Nassau st., N. Y.; 
Coues' “Manual of Ornithology," and J. C. Maynard's "Naturalist’s 
Guido.” 
Berg, Red Bank. N. J.— Will you please Inform me where I can pur- 
chase some “ Blue Rock Pigeons ’’ for breeding ? I have sent to Relche 
A Bro., and to Herman Cahill. Neither of them deal In any but fancy 
pigeons. Ans. You will probably have to Bend to England unless some 
one seeing this Hue has them lo offer. They do not seem to breed 
well in this country. 
W. D. C., Washington, D. C.— l. How can I determine tho oxaot 
calibre of my gun ? 2. By what rule do makers measure guns f An9. 
Take calipers and measure inrido, and any gunsmith will, from Ids 
origin 'n l . ,faaKe ’ yon 0llllb, ' e - 9- The gauges of guns were started 
twentv i 1 th ' 8 Way : A 10 b0lc would carry ten balls to a pound, a 20 , 
, “‘iJiiV.s to a pound. Approximative^, a 10 bore Is about X of an 
flush, a 19 about 1-18 less, and- a 10 in tho neighborhood of 8-S’s of an 
Inch. A great deal of trouble is caused by differences in gaug'es of 
guns, for which cartridge manufacturers are bioipcd. It is the gun- 
maker always, who Is at fault. 
G- M. s„ Gananoque.—l. What height of celling Is necessary for a 
room to throw up glass balls In from a Bogardus’ trap? 2. Are there 
any rules to be obtained for the management of a shooting gallery such 
as Coulln’8 7 3. Is not the rauge In his gallery (Conlin’s) an iron tube ? 
Ans. l. Twenty-five to thirty feet. 2 . Not that we know of. Address 
Conlln personally. 3. No. 
C. A. D , Melrose.— I see In tho N. Y. Clipper Almanac, 1878, that 
Jan. 25, 1ST7, Dr. A. Carver beat Captain A. H. Bogardus 50 balls — IS to 
37— Palace Opera House, San Francisco, Cal. It is said tbat Dr. Roblu- 
sou, of San Franolsco, beat Capt. Bogardus the first time and Bogardus 
beat Dr. Robinson the second time. Is N. Y. Clipper Almanac right or 
wrong ? Ans. The Clipper is correct. 
Vallejo, Solano Co.— Estes A Laurlat, Publishers, Boston, wdl scud 
you a catalogue with names of all works relallug to Yachting. None 
are now In print. If you oould get a copy of tho '* Kedgc Anchor,” 
printed for the author m 1848, It would be very serviceable. Apply also 
to J. W.Bouton, Publishers, 760 Broadway ; also " Alston’s Seaman- 
ship," Wiley A Son, New York. 1871. 
Constant Reader, N ortb East, Pa.— Does shooting across a ravine 
have any teudeucy to lower tho shot from the same dlstauce on level 
ground? Does shooting downward fvom a hill or bluff carryover? 
Ans. These ideas are purely speculative and are abstractly theoretical. 
No. Up hill or down dalo over water 1 b all the same. Wo take tho 
faulta of -our sense of sight as liaviug to do with such matters. 
S. O. S., Chtttenango.— Have a spaniel pup, 9 mos. old. His eyes rou, 
and he has had two fits. Fits last five minutes. You would think he 
was dead, but he revives, and seems to be as well as ever. What shall 
I do for him? Ans. It may be that tho puppy is about to have distem- 
per, In which case ho should be put under the treatment proper for that 
disease. In many cases, however, the symptoms yon describe Indicate 
worms, for which give arcca nut and castor oil. 
S. P., Delaware.— Loaned a 12 bore breech-loader, 30-ln. barrel, to a 
friend. He stuck the muzzle In tho snow, got it choked with the snow, 
fired It, and It bursted some luohes from the muzzle. Will shortening 
the barrel 4 or 6 Inches hurt the shooting powers of the gun ? Aus. If 
not a choke-bore, and yon do not say It Is, you might be pleasantly sur- 
prised did we Inform you that by cutting off some 4 inches, your gun 
would be as good as before, and, Just as Ukcly, better. 
Inquirer, Brooklyn.— 1. In shooting glass ball* from Bogardus traps 
Is it an Infringement of the.Bogardus rules for glass ball shooting to put 
auy substance lu the cup In order to change the natural aight of a ball 
thrown from a trap set level on the ground 7 2. Does Bogardus, jprhen 
shooting at double glass balls, place either ball neck downward lu the 
cup ? Ans. l. You are at liberty to cause the balls to go In auy direc- 
tion desired. 2. No, It would break nine out of ten ball9. 
C. O. B., Soulk Gardner, Mass.— In the target used by the Sckutzcu 
Corps, the circles are extended. The printed target stops at the 11 
circle, but In shooting at 200 yds., It Is carried out to the 1 circle. This 
accounts for some of the lower scores. Some day, this method of tar- 
get, we think, will be adopted for all rifle shooting. It shades off the 
exact skill of the rifleman, and no ties are possible. Your drawing Is 
correct. All you would have to do would be to make ten more circles. 
W. F. S., Concord.— Can you send me tho name and address of 
some reliable person In Saudpolnt, Province of Ontario, Can., from 
whom I can obtain all tbe particulars relative to the “ Coulougo Dis- 
trict,” such as procuring guides, provisions, camping outfit, etc.? Also, 
the best hunting localities, and, in fact, everything connected with it ? 
Ans. See five columns of Forest and Stream, Voi. 1., No. 24, for ful- 
lest particulars. See also, Hallock’s “ Sportsman's Qazetteer and 
Guide. = 
Mowitch, New Westminster, British Columbia.— Please give method 
of) preserving castoreum, i.e. beaver castor for druggists’ use. Abb. 
Castorem Is found In the two glands beneath the root of the tall of the 
beaver. When fresh It Is of a yellowish red color, changing to a light 
brown when dried. To prepare it for market mix with ground nutmeg, 
powdered cloves, ground clnuamou anda_dropof essence of pepper- 
mint. Stir In as much whisky as will make a paste, after which bottle 
and keep carefully corked. 
B. D., Mt. Morris, N. J.— 1. What is your opinion of Dittmar po wder 
for field use lu breach-loading Bhot-guns— Is It safe ? 2. Will It ignite 
by concussion? 3. Is It more liable to corrode, or Injure the barrels 
than other powder ? 4. Is its penetration as good as the black? 5. It 
so why not In more general use 7 Ans. 1. Under certain precautions 
Dlttmar's powder Is excellent. 2. It will not Ignite by concussion. 3. 
It does not corrode. 4 Its penetration Is excellent. 5. No fellow 
knows ; see prior F. and S. for fullest description of Dittmar powder. 
Newfoundland, New York.— Have a Newfoundland dog about 14 
months old, whose eyes are weak and suffer a continual watery dis- 
charge. From hLs 6th month to about the 10th the left eye was discharg- 
ing considerable matter, and as I dl<l not get possession of the dog until 
he was 7 mos. old, do not know the reason. He has a soft, long and 
healthy coat, a good appetite, and buoyant spirits. What shall I do to 
effect a cure? Ans. Feed no meat for a time, wa3h the eyes with warm 
water, and then with a lotion containing 2 grs. of alum to l oz. water. 
Fair Shot, Chicago.— 1. Is four drachms Dlltmar powder the right 
charge for a 10 gauge gun weighing nine pounds 7 2. Does It (Dittmar) 
require special care In manipulating? 8. Is It more dangerous carry- 
ing brass shells loaded with that than with black powder? 4. In shoot- 
ing buckshot ought they to chamber In the shell, or the muzzle of the 
gnu? 6. How docs the gun rank? Ans. l. Four drachms. 2. No 
special care. The Ditftiar should be treated like gunpowder as to ram- 
ming ; the mistake Is to overcompress it. 8. No. 4. Chamber in the 
muzzle by all means. 6. Very good. 
F. H. L., Lynn.— Give me full description of tbe target used by the 
German shooting association. Aus. A series of concentric rings start- 
ing from a bull’s eyo 1V4 diameter, with 7 rings x of an Inch wide all In 
the black. Then come 8 other rings x Inch all on the white; sixteen 
rings in all. The centre bull’s eye counts 25. Shots In each ring within 
% of an Inch from the 20 bull's eye being counted one less. Outside of 
tbe tenth ring other rings are made \ of on inch apart, so that l is the 
lowest count. The printed target in use has only the counts from 25 to 
16. Wo will give a cut of It Bhottly. 
F. B. B., Brooklyn.— l.^Do you consider a — gun, laminated steel bar- 
rels, double looks, side or snap-action, a good arm, safe and servlcabie? 
2. Is It a fully established fact that a choke-bore will kill game from ten 
to fifteen yards further than a gun of the ordinary bore of tbe same 
make aud calibre, the charges and other conditions being the same ? 
AU9. Do not know the maker. Would be doubtful about It, a* the name 
used recalls, or Imitates, that of a real good maker. 2. Assumed rather 
than fully established. The best proof, however, that the choke-bore is 
the gun of the future is that without au exception all the great gun 
builders arc making them. 
- G. F. G., Ameabury, Mass.-l. Which Is the better powder for an M. 
or B. L. gun, coarse or fine, pattern and penetration considered ? 2. Is 
the Oriental FFG a quick powder? 3. What would be lla effects as 
to pattern? 4. What grade of Hazard’s Is best for gloss balls with 
muzzle-loader ? 6. Do all choke-bores lead ? I use FFG. c. Do you 
publish glass ball shooting? Ans. l. Wo prefer coarse to fine powder. 
Think that tho best patterns ate inado with eoaree-alow-powder and 
better penetration with finer-qulcker-powdcr. 2. Rather quick ' Use 
FG. s. Good pattern, not much penetration. 4 . Hazara’s Electric. 6. 
Onght not to lead so as (o be annoying. Is your gun smooth? c. We do. 
Boxing OLOVRS.-Oan yon tell me why pugilists spit Into their hatidg 
as a necessary part of the programme ? Aus. This is one if those Insig- 
nificant customs, which are oftentimes the survival of very curious, as 
well as very ancient .beliefs. Leeky.lu his “History of European Morals," 
says tbat among the Romans the human saliva wa9 believed to possess 
many mysterious properties ; ana he quotes Plluy : " If a pugilist, hav- 
ing struck his adversary, spits Into his own band, the pain ho caused 
lustantly ceases. If he spits into Ills hand before striking, the blow Is 
more severe." You will find this subject very fully discussed in Mr E 
B. Tylor's “Primitive Culture.” 
J. V. C„ Presldcut Louisville Gun Club, Louisville, Ky.-The question 
of handicapping 10 boro guns against 12 Is now up before our club Of 
course, there Is a great diversity of opinion on the subject, n | 8 con- 
tended that 10 bore guns should be put back 5 y.ig. on single, 3 yas. on 
double birds. This I think excessive. I have both sizes, ami am dis- 
interested. Will you give me your ideas? Ans. No American rules 
govern this case. But we should a lopt tho English ones, lu England 
one yard only is given for each difference In calibre. For Instance, a 10 
and a l« bore shoot ; tho lfl lias 0 yds. given him. Tho 10, then, in your 
case, is handlcappod 2 yds. Five yards wc would deem excosalve. 
Subscriber, Amamla, Ohlo.-l. In loading paper shells how much is 
left above shot wad to be turned over? 2 . What number of Orange 
Lightning is ucarest in size to Curtla ft Harvey’s Diamond Grain No. « ? 
3 . Is the action of the gun considered strong and reliable, and is 
the gun a good shooter f 4. Do make only two sizes and weights, 
and are their guns bored to shoot open, or close, as ordered. Is it a 
good gnu, price considered 7 Ans. 1 . About of an Inch. 9 . Very 
closely resemble one another. 3. Is considered excellent, especially 
the last model. 4. Yes. Tho last model made is choked ; think they 
have both kinds— cylinder and ohokeil— very good arm. 
Enquirer, Morrlsanla.— ' The snbstanco of your Inquiries has beon so 
lucidly presented In tho Journal of Commerce, that wo copy from that 
paper as follows: J ‘ Congress never did In express terms declare the 
bonds payable lu gold. The greenbacks are payable In coin, silver 
was a legal tender for all debts up to April 1 , IS 53 ; then the fractional 
silver coin was reduced 7 per cent., and was made legal tender for only 
five dollars. Every one for twenty yoavs has understood ’payable In 
coin,’ when either the Interest or principal of the publlo debt were 
referred to, as payablo In gold for all principal sums, and In silver only 
as to tbe fractional parts of the dollur. Silver is still a legal tender In 
many countries.” 
Jafhkt, Malvern, Mass.— Excuso my Ignorance, but please Inform 
me what a " cooley " Is, mentioned lu one of your editorial rambles in 
Minnesota? I Judge It to be a small valley or hollow between hills. 
Ans. Properly c Quite, a ravine, distinguished from other hollows by 
tbelr being caused by rnnulog water, chiefly from melting snows or 
heavy spring rains. They are filled with greener vegetation, shrubbery 
and ranker grass than tbe adjacent prairies. Deer aud other animals 
resort to them for food, rest, moisture and shade. The word coulee will 
be found In the vernacular from Michigan to the PuclUo ; bat Ic is not 
known, orosed, south of Missouri, to any oxtont. In the southwest It 
Is replaced by the synonym “ droen,” or drain. 
L., Llleavllle, N. C.— 1. My setter slut, eight years old, In good health 
and condition, has twice recently, thongh not in succession, miscarried 
when from five to seven week9 “gone.” Can you suggest a remedy ? 
She is too fine for her name and blood to pass away. 2. Who lives or 
shoots at “ The Cedar’s’’— Frank Forester's old homo— now ? 3. Is the 
bine wing teal strictly a migratory duck 7 4 . What la the technical 
name for our Carolina “ summer duck" which stays hero all the time T 
Ans. 1. Keep tho bitch in good ordor, not too fat ; give her gentle ex- 
ercise. Sometimes, however, miscarriage becomes a constitutional 
vice and no remedy can bo suggested. 2. Place was burned und never 
rebuilt. 8 . The bine wing teal la decidedly a migrant and this Instinct 
is exceptionally strong. 4. .4 ix eponsa. 
A. VV. S., Harrisburg.— Some two months ago, during hnnttng, tuy 
dog slipped, and fell on his head. In two weeks his head commenced 
swelling. A physician examined the dog, und decided thut the blow 
was serious. The dog having been lanced under the right eye, there 
was a large discharge of matter. After six week’s the loft eye showed 
swelling, and seems to be ailllcted like tho right eye. This has been 
cut, and is discharging. Wus the treatment proper ? Wliat ought I to 
do? Ans. Wc suppose the doctor diagnosed Injury of the periosteum, 
and if correct, there ib likely to follow disease of tho bone. The treat- 
ment would seem to be correct enough, provided the Incisions were 
sufficiently free to allow completo escape of the matter, which should 
not be allowed to accumulate at any point. The dog’s strength should 
be kept up by giving quinine, ir necessary, and ho should be kept ai rest 
where he can have pure air and suultglit. 
W. C. S.— In the remarkably good chapter on Oy making lu Hallock’s 
"Gazetteer,” there are one or two terms which, when taken In refer- 
ence to color, I do not understand. May I then ask you wliat urc the 
meanings, in this connection, of hyaline and subhyaline ; Inteous, I 
presume, being some kind of clay color? Again, would you kindly 
describe the best knot f ,.r Joining gut In casting lines, and, also, for 
ranking a loos ? I find, for the latter, that a bowline knot, although the 
firmest possible, breaks the gut. Ans. 1. Hyaline and eubhyallne are 
used to designate two different shades of that Indefinite color which 
belongs to the wings of the common bouse fly. Nature Imitates thorn 
in the slaty-colored feathers of various birds. 2. Lutcoas Is deep orange- 
yellow. 3. The water-knot Is the boat for Joining gut lengths, whero 
snoods are to be Inserted. This knot and iheloopoau hardly bode- 
scribed without a diagram. To prevent the bowline from breaking, 
take a second luru with the end. The difference In strength Is as 8 to 3. 
A COBRBCTION. — In our last Issue, lu answering E, G B., by the omis- 
sion of an 0, a 30-ln. target was described os a ?-ln. one. Trusting tbat 
the world will still roll on a3 usual, wo cry “ i(<a culpa” 
— ■# « 
Alligator Boots and Shoes.— The Messrs. H. Sc A. Mah- 
renholz have made a specialty of manufacturing boots and 
shoes of alligator skin. People who even put their trust in 
leather are skeptical sometimes as to the advantages of ulliga- 
tor It is thought that that portion of the skm winch lies 
between the scales is deficient in strength and tenacity. There 
never was a greater mistake than this. Subjected to a rending 
strain at tbe centennial exhibition, alligator skins, when pro- 
perly tanned, were found to stand an enormous amount of 
tension. Not only is an alligator skin boot and shoe tough, but 
it is actually water-proof. As prepared by the Messrs. Mah- 
renholz, this particular leather 19 as soft and elastic as calf 
skin. When sportsmen have to tramp on wet and boggy 
ground, there is no shooting boot or shoe equal to those manu- 
factured by the Messrs. Mabrenholz out of alligator skins 
The peculiar trade mark of ike house has, no doubt, attracted 
the attention of our readers. It is a ’gator enjoying a drnunu- 
tive colored brother. The motto should bo, *' come out of the 
wet ” as applied by the 'gator to the little nigger. A llegon- 
cally it means that, with a pair of alligulor bouts or 8 oea, ihe 
wearer always cau “ come out of the wet." 
