FOREST AND STREAM 
205 
California. — San Rafael Rifle Club match, April 4 
yards, off hand, Creedmoor rules : 
Farrow 4 4 5 6 
Pike o 4 4 a 
Ladd 3 4 4 5 
Dubois 4 4 4 4 
Parker * 4 4 4 
Rotctie 4 4 4 
Berry 5 4 6 
Watson 3 5 
4 
5 
4 W 
200 
5—45 
4—29 
4—49 
4-41 
B— 41 
5 4 4 4 4—14 
4—25 
3—23 
3— 20 
4— 25 
4 24 
8-17 
0—17 
4—26 
4—25 
3— 28 
4— 25 
2—25 
j tied on 20, ■fired three 
score as follows : 
San Francisco, April 11. — The sprlDg meeting of the Cnlq 
fornia Rifle Association opened to-day. The weather wus 
unfavorable, with a strong, gusty wind. The military team 
match, 200 yards, was coutested by teams from First, 
Second and Third Regiments, National Guard, and was won 
by the First, by a score of 402 out of a possible 500. The 
Kellog Challenge Cup, 00 0 yards, was won by Private 
Sbaugbnessy, of the Unioii Guurd, by a score of 20 out of a 
possible 25. The Pacific Life Cup, 200 yards, was won by 
Brig.-General John M cComb, by a score of 23 out of a pos- 
sible 25. 
Montana — Helena — At a match held March 30 the follow- 
ing scores were made : 
D w Curtiss a 4 
H Hewlns 4 4 
Major Unrt 2 " 
Lieut 3 2 
Lieut Hale 4 3 
Edward Ingersoll <> 4 
Dr Jones 4 4 
O Allen 3 3 
ST Hauser 4 3 
Major Pago 4 6 
G Stuart 3 2 
W J Blckett 3 3 
Major Page and O. Alleu havin 
shots each to decide the winner. ; 
Al'cn 4 4 3-11 Pago 3 8 3—9 
The Back Position. — The question of the prone and back 
position in rifle shooting in England has gone through the 
usual round of discussion. In regard to the back position, 
a correspondent of the Volunteer Service Gazette shows (there 
being nothing new uuder the sun) that the back position was 
in use by the English Rifle Brigade seventy years ago. In 
the history of the Rifle Brigade, by Sir William Cope, in 
the description of a fight at Cacalielos, in Spain, during Sir 
John Moore's campaign in 1809, it is related that : 
“ It was at this moment that Thomas Plunkett, a private 
of the battalion, noted for his excellent shooting, crept out 
with the expression that he would 1 bring that fellow down, 
and, throwing himself on his back on the snow-covered 
ground, be caught the sling of his rifle over his foot, fired 
with deliberate aim, und shot General Colbert dead.' His 
orderly trumpeter rode up to assist him, but Tom Plunkett 
had reloaded, and he also fell beforehis unerring rifle. He had 
just time to jump up, and, nmid the cheers of his comrades, 
by running in upon one of the rear sections, to escape the 
sabres of u dozen of troopers who spurred after him in pur- 
suit.” 
—Any one wishing a good field glass to use at a rifle range 
will please refer to advertisement this week. 
§nm §<iq !liul @“n. 
GAME IN SEASON IN APRIL. 
Wild ducks, geese, brant, etc. 
Patbnts Issued in Week Endino Marco 5, 1S7S.— Fire arms, 
nipple guard, N. Fretz. 20u,9fl9 ; Cartridge, G. W. Evaus, 200.993 ; 
Cartridge box, J W. Frazier (r), 3,113 ; Cartridge loading device, B. 
Sclienck, 200,810. 
Game in Market— Retail Prices, Poultry and Game— 
Game— Red head ducks, per pair, $1.50; brant geese, 75; 
mallard ducks, 75 ; black ducks, 75 ; widgeon ducks, 50 ; 
broad bill ducks, 50 ; teal ducks, 50 ; wild geese, per piece, 
$1; Wilson snipe, per doz., $1.50; plover, $1.50; bay birds, 
large and small, 75 cents; wild pigeons, flights, $1.25; do 
stall fed, $2 ; Philadelphia squabs, $3.00 ; wild do, $2. 
Foultry— Philadelphia and Bucks County dry picked chick- 
ens, per pound, 25 cents ; do., fowls, 18; do., turkeys, 18 ; 
State aud Western chickens, 15; do., turkeys, 15; do., 
fowls, 12; do., ducks, 15; capons, 50; slips, 40; spring 
chickens, per pair, $1.50. 
Then up we hail to go over two miles to get > couple more barrels otr, 
but this was no luu, so wo hail soon to glvo It up. Reports say that 
lu the vicinity of Sydenham anil Colllua Lake there were inauy more 
whistlers than usual, anil that Mud Lake was well stocked, but Kings- 
ton Ians seem to have got out of tho way of late years of going In that 
dlrectlou. 
“Up the Bay of Qulnte, particularly about Big Island, ducks were 
very numerous, the flshermen In that locality having hail good ►port 
after their fishing. Great pigeon news comes from the line of the 
Kingston and Pembroke R. R , but this Is not now, for there were 
always plenty pigeons In that direction In the spring." Roy*l II. 
Canada — Montreal, April 13.— Weather quite damp up 
here just uow. Ducks are reported quite pleuty in tho river 
both above and below here. J- N. 1‘. L. 
Massachusetts — North Cohasset, April 8. — Coots, shell - 
drakes, neese aud whistlers are uow coming along in large 
flocks, and some good sport will be had this week by those 
who are tough enough to stand the exposure. Woodcock 
and snipe are coming, and have commenced to uest. 
S. K. Jr. 
SPRING SHOOTING IN CANADA. 
Montreal, April 0, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
There has been little sprlDg shooting in tills vicinity. The very ap- 
parent reason of the utter failure of the spring duck shooting wus the 
sudden disappearance of the Ice. Birds come, as yon well know, with 
the flrst opening, and onr chances are In decoying from the different 
polats of Ice nearest the channel. I managed to have one tolerably 
good day by being on the spot In the nick of time. I baggo l twenty- 
three only, many more having dropped, which It was Impossible to pick 
up on account of the swiftness of the current. Further west, how- 
ever, the sport seems to have been more general. Their time for de- 
coying extends over a much longer period, namely, almost a fortnight. 
Our esteemed friend and skilled marksman of the Llmstone City, J. G. 
S., says : 
“Duck shooting opened unusually early this spring, owing to the 
thinness of the Ice. In the vicinity of Kingston Mills birds were not 
as plenty as they have been, bat one or two of tho local sports got some 
very respectable bags, Old Jock taking the load, of course. In the 
drowned lands the Ice went too evenly. We generally depend on Its 
taking a week or ten days to get out of gun shot of the shore, thus con- 
fining the birds In their flight up and down the Rideau ; but It went In a 
few days. Muskrats took advantage of this, though ; so did we of them, 
and all through tho moonlight till early moru, could be heard their 
death-knells. 
On ike Si. Lawrence, about the Thousand Islands, things were even 
worse, as was proved by some of our most wlloy sports returning with 
exceedingly few Golden eyes. Big Boy, or Woire Island, had its thous- 
ands upon thousands of blue bills ; but, cut bono, they remsln la the 
middle some three-quarters of a mile from any point at which we could 
put our decoys, and the law forbids our * sunken punts ’ and batteries. 
We could scare them up with heavy shot (occasionally dropping a bird 
or two which happen to miscalculate the exact rango of onr 32-lnch, 
No. 10, which was perfectly new to them), bat round and round they 
would fly, and presently, down they would come at the other end of the 
bay, tut an extent of half a mile of water was actually covered by them, 
Salem, April 15.— A small shoot, ten birds each, Fust Day 
between Messrs. Chase, Gardner and Morgan, resulting in 
eight, seven and five birds respectively. Several other 
shoots occurred, but they are “private-" Scores “too 
good" to publish. Notbiug but scattering snipe have been 
seen as yet, and generally wild. Some geese flying OCCfl 
sionally. Harbor bare of birds. R. L N. 
New York — Buffalo, April 9.— Pigeon shooting Is good 
around Tionesta and Tidcoute, Pa. Snipe are being shot 
around here. The woods are full of partridges, and the pros- 
pect for fine sport is good next Sept. Ed. 
Kingston, April \2 . — A large black bear was killed in Wood 
slock lust Wednesday. Snipe are killed now on the Rondout 
Creek flats. 
Good Ground, April 10.— There lias been good goose gun 
ning hero this week. On Monday Laue with one man killed 
17. " On Tuesday with a party he bagged 33. Next week the 
flight of yoking geese is expected. The new Iulet continues 
fair. 
Atlanticville, L. A pril 10. —Ducks and geese very plenty 
Our parly killed more tliuu thirty geese yesterday ^ ^ 
Hornellsoille, April 14 .—Dear Sir : Wilson snipe and swal 
lows arrived April 9th ; not much of a flight of snipe yet, only 
about a dozen killed. A man at Dausville, while shooting 
pickerel, put the muzzle of his guu in the water. Result— an 
eye blown out. A crow blackbird shot here last week mens 
ured 13 inches from tip of bill to end of tail. Another sped 
men of rose-tinted gro99beak shot on the 10th. A magnill 
cent specimen of the blue herou was shot at Glean the other 
day. John- 
Adirondack Game.— Mr. A. R. Fuller, of Mcacham Lake 
writes to the Albany Journal that the mild weather of the 
past winter has done more for the game In the North Woods 
than all the enactments of the Legislature. A good season 
may be expected by Adirondack visitors. 
In a letter just received by u9 Mr. Fuller sayB : 
“ Ducks and geese in great numbers going North. Nearly 
nil of the spring buds have arrived. From the drumming one 
would think the woods full of parlridnes, and well they might. 
I never saw them so plenty in the spriDg. The open winter 
und great quantity of feed last fall has kept all kinds of game 
in good condition.” 
New Jersey — Pine Brook —Three Newark gunners made 
the unusual bag of 72 snipe at Pine Brook oue day last week. 
West Side Gun Club.— At the annual meeting of the West 
Side Gun Olub, of this city, the following officers were elected 
for the ensuing year: Edward Schweyer, President; G. 
Boucsein, Vice-President; D. Simpson, Treasurer; Francis 
J Dugro, Secretary ; J. Radley, V. Solnowski aud Matthew 
llcttrick, Executive Committee. The club is in a flourishing 
condition, having fifty active members. 
Pennsylvania — Maple Lodge, Pike Co , Pa., April 12. 
The streams here are pretty high and cold, and though muddy, 
aro in excellent condition for fishing. One afternoon last 
week I took fifty-three fine trout from a branch of the Panpack 
Ilivcr near by. Fbbd W. Jones. 
Delaware.— A correspondent reports good snipe shooting 
at Lewes Dela. The snipe grounds aro almost inexhaustible, 
and the walking good. Quail shooting in sensou. Reached 
via Old Dominion Line steamers from New York direct, and 
from Philadelphia via. P. W. & B. It. It. Write to Wm. Toll, 
proprietor United States Hotel, Lewes, Delaware. 
Ofiio— Cincinnati, April 12.— We are having an early 
spring, and some snipe, but in small quantities as compared 
with some other States. R- E. Duoaiqne. 
Pomeroy. April 9 — Snipe came about a week ago, and are 
getting tame and more plenty. Plover aud yellow-legs are 
also beginning to arrive in lair numbers. Abe. Daootaii. 
Hook hocking Shooting Club.— This is the name of a 
club recently formed at Lancaster, O., with the following 
officers : Dr. George W. Boerstler, Prea; Ohas. It. Richards, 
Vice-Pres.; S. G. V. Griswold, Sec.; George W- See, Trcos ; 
Directors and Executive Committee, J. C. lutlull, William 
Davidson, H. W. Carpenter. 
Illinois Sportsmen’s Association.— This society holds 
their fifth annual convention and tournament at Quincy, June 
II under the auspices of the Quincy Shooting Club. Among 
the list of prizes offered are the following : 1 he Audubon 
Club of Chicago, donates a gold medal valued at $15<) ; s. 
H. Turrill, a gold medal ; Nichols & Lefever, of Syracuse, a 
breech-loading shot-gun, $150; Parker Brothers, of West 
the value of $100 ; the St. Louis Shell Co., 4,000 conical base 
shells; the Union Cartridge Co.. Bridgeport, Conn., 400 
brass shells, 2,000 paper shells, 4,000 wads, -,M0 P r ‘“Jjrs. 
There are fourteen other prizes, ranglDg in value from $85 to 
.*10 The meeting is to continue four days. The conven- 
tion of the society to sit at the Quincy House on the evenings 
of Tuesday and Wednesday, the 11th and 12th. During the 
tournament an exhibition shoot will occur between W. B. 
Hanwortli and Cupt. Stubbs, at 109 pigeons each, single 
vises, for the championship of tho West. It is announced 
that Capt. Bogardus aud E. T. Martin aro barred from all 
shoots. Rover. 
Iowa— Oreston, April 7.— 1 There aro lots of prairie chickens 
hero see them by the hundreds every day ; have shot a few 
when I could uot help it ; they set so close to the house it is 
hard to keep from getting hold of my gun and shooting them. 
There are lota of plover here, and some ducks. Have seen 
five prairie wolves since I settled here oue month ago. 
N. D. M. 
Indiana — Brazil, April 0 .— Snipe abundant. Yesterday 
wo men brought in 81 Jack snipe, and to-day two men got 
87 snipe and five ducks. Snipe are plcutior than ever known 
about hero before. J. J. 8. 
Nebraska— Omaha^ April 9.— immense numbers of wild 
gecso along the Platte River ; all kinds of ducks in the 
marshes and ponds. Some good bags reported. As high as 
56 head for an evening and morning shoot. Seallopax wil- 
sonii have arrived, aud number nines are thrown at them 
without regard to sex or condition. A bag of 80 was brought 
in yesterday. Bob Wiutk. 
Tnnouan Boston — The Guns, the Rods and Links. — 
Boston has thcbc9t peculiarities of on English city. In it may 
be found that highly cultured class of gentlemen sportsmen, 
who aro capable of fully appreciating what is really good 
work, auil who look critically at such guns, rods, reels, flies 
or lines as they may want to use. Such persons abhor shams, 
aud hold in mortal horror that scamping which produces 
flashy, hut unserviceable goods. What is wanted in Boston 
must be of tho greatest excellence ns to make and finish, 
nothing must he slighted. Gentlemen, then, who want good 
sporting goods of Buston make, are perfectly willing to pay a 
good price for such, fully aware that a conscientious 
workman must bo fairly remunerated for his services. If 
foreign goods are wanted, the Bostonian wants tho very best. 
Your Bruinmngen goods find no market in Boston. Now, 
there is that old established firm of Messrs. Wm. Read & Sons, 
.13 Faueuil Hall square, Boston. This Is a house which has 
been over a lmlf-century in tho sumo business. Messrs. Rend 
& 8 ou 9 is tho headquarters for the guns niude by \V. <fc C. Scott 
& Son, of England. A? is well known, Bogardus uses those 
guns entirely. Shown by Mr. Read over all their extensive 
establishment, wo saw all the many varieties of guns maiio 
by Scott & Son, from the premier gun to those of larger ami 
cheaper grades. The Messrs. Read now sell for $50 a top- 
snap action breech-loader ; Scotl, for $50, with side action 
guns from $30 to $35. Hero, too, were gnus by all leuding 
English makers, with a fine collection of double guns— one shot 
barrel with a rifle— au arm we aro often oalica about. Tho 
Messrs. Read & Sous keep the fullest possible stock of all load- 
ing implements and amimmilion. Long established as are 
these gentlemen lu their special branch of trade, they are 
known not alone in New England for their probity, but 
have a reputation winch extend* throughout the country. 
At the Centennial the remarkably lhicl'mc of goods exhibited 
by Messrs. Bradford A Anthony, of Boston, claimed particu- 
lar attention. For all kinds ol angling implements, this firm 
lias a merited reputation. Their catalogue comprises every 
variety of hook aud lino used for halibut off the Georges to tho 
finest hook for lly tying. Their rods were the perfection of 
art. Rods can be hud costing a few dollars up to those 
miracles of lightness, suppleness and strength worth some $72. 
In flies, their collection was most varied. If the peculiar 
idiosyncrncies of the trout or tho angler could uot be satisfied 
amid one hundred different varieties of Hies shown us, well, 
Messrs. Bradford & Anthony would carry their fly-making, if 
necessary, even further. We never could have believed that 
so many varieties of reels could be produced. We have Iodc 
been preaching that good reels (not running in ruby centres) 
ought to bo furnished at reasonable prices. Here wo 
found that at a small outlay a good, honest, serviceable metul 
reel could be had. Messrs. Bradford & Anthony showed us 
patent adjustable floats anil sinkers, which were ns novel ns 
useful. You can put on or take off one of these floats or 
sinkers at will without knotting or lying the lino, and onco on 
it will stay uutilyou want to remove it, which can be done in 
an instant. There iB nothing in the sportsman's outfit for 
angling or camping that the Me39rs. Bradford & Anthony do 
not keep. 
At Messrs. Lincoln & Hopkinson's wc found Gale’s patent 
lawn and camp teut. Here was repeated over again what we 
have perhaps frequently heard before, that advertising in our 
columns does bring goods most particularly into notice. Con- 
stant orders had come to Messrs. Lincoln & llopkinson from 
the publicity given to the Gale tent in our columns. Briefly 
described, the Gale tent, weighing ouly 25 poundB, can be 
stored in a wagon or in a boat, and when opened on a kind 
of strong umbrella frame, is 8 feet high by 7 feet square, and 
will lodge quite comfortably some 4 to (5 persons. For cro- 
quet or cricket on tho lawn, for the bather on the beach, or 
for the hunter, or general sportsmen, wc have yet to see a 
better, more compact or more readily adjustable teut. 
Our remarks at the beginning of this article in regard to tho 
care taken of leading Boston houses with their work has its 
fullest explanation when wo examined the really fine guns 
made by Mr. W. It. Schaefer, or No. 61 Elm st., Boston. Mr. 
Schaefer is truly wliut lie represents himself to bo, a manu- 
facturer of first-class guns. A cerlain number of guns we saw 
at Mr. Schaefer's shop in process of manufacture. There is no 
slighting done. Portions of guns which one never sees have 
as much conscientious good work put on them as have the out- 
sides. Every working part is finished to u hair. All that 
good judgment dictates os lo choice of material to be used in 
a gun is followed up with patient skill. Now, what is the 
the consequence of such good work? Why, exactly this: 
When Mr. Schaefer sells a guu of his make, say in Bangor, 
Maine, some one there on a visit from Portland, Oregon, 
orders another just like the one lie has seen. Mr. Schaefer js 
now making guns for all parts of tho United Slates, never is 
without orders, and obtains good prices for good work. It is 
just one of those cases whore a manufacturer setliug out to build 
only the best guns far firet-clnss customers, even in these dull 
times has a multiplicity of orders. 
To draw a long visit in Bostou to a close we must speak of tho 
fine hunting suits made by G. W. Simmous & Co., Boston, of 
which Fowler A Fulton are the agents in New York. Here 
were shown all the varieties of sportsmau's clothiDg, ranging 
in price from $13 to $60. 
At the American Arms Co., No. 103 Milk at., whore motto 
is “a price to suit the times," we examined Fox's patent 
breech-loader, a style of gun which is rapidly gaining in 
public favor. Excellent breech-loaders, with twist barrels, can 
