FOREST AND STREAM. 
57 
SHOT GUN TRIALS. 
T HE competitive trial of guns made by Messrs. Green- 
ers against those manufactured by W. & C. Scott & 
Son, is the subject of much comment in the English press. 
The guns used were bored on the American principle 
said to be better than nuy hitherto in use— giving closeness 
of pattern with penetration. Mr. John Rigby, of Dublin, 
who will be remembered in connection with the interna- 
tional rifle match, was present at the trial, and in a letter to 
the Field compliments our American-made shot very 
highly He also speaks of the Importance of adopting 
some uniform method of measuring the charges in expert- 
mental cartridges by the space they occupy, irrespective of 
the different qualities of powder and shot. Land and 
Water offers a twenty-five guinea cup for competition to 
the trade, one day in April next, the conditions of which 
will shortly be made public. Now would be the oppor- 
tunity of our gunuiakers to test the sliootiug of their guns 
against those of British manufacturers on their own 
ground — not for the value of the prize, but that, by com- 
parison, they might mark, learn and digest to an extent 
which would result in our having a home-made article of 
excellence, without having to send across the water for 
guns which, by accumulated duties and other expenses, 
rank’ among the extravagancies. The following is a table 
of the results of the Greencr-Scott trial, and Mr. Rigby s 
letter. The totals represent the average: 
MESSRS- OBEKSKR '8 12 -dore oun. 
Two sliote cuchbnrrel. 
8 dre. Lawrence's 
No. 3 and Ho*. Wal- 
ker’s London sliot. . 
Lawrence's No. 
and 1* ox. chlllc 
shot 
IVlIVv ^ 
oz. chilled shot. 
Right Barrel 
Left Barrel. 
Total of 
both 
barrels, 
pattern 
and pene- 
tration. 
Pattern. | 
Pattern. | 
Penetration. 
1° 
£ § & 
o 
Selected 
group. 
0 
1 
c 
£ 
Hi 
5 u 
Selected 
group. 
177 
25 
174 
181 
27 
747 
:»3 
183 
35 
171 
171 
173 
180 
30 
1-2* 
170 
29* 
761 
37 
89 
98 
20 
669 
213 
35 
210 
212 
35 
015 
185 
l85 
34 
108 
1A 
32 
201 
202 
35* 
135| 
139* 
32 
745* 
239 
29 
208 
20S 
33 
956 
188 
217 
31 
195 
214 
25 
870 
2I3| 
228 
30 
201* 
I 211 
29 
913 
MESSRS. W. AND C. SCOTT AND SON’S 12-BORK OUN. 
Right Bar 
eh 
Left Barrel. 
Totnl of 
both 
barrels, 
pattern 
and pene- 
tration. 
Pattern. 
Pattern. , 
a 
1 
a 
* 
0- 
Group from 
centre of 
pad . 
SI 
e 
o 
c 
'll 
Group fromi 
centre of ! 
pad. 
Id 
g o 
TUree idiots eacu bar- 
rel. 3 drs. C. and 
H.’s No 6 and 1* 
oz. Walker’s Lon- 
dou shot 
104 
146 
115 
"iiii 
160 
ITS 
137 
39 
35 
31 
208 
204 
230 
216 
225 
239 
30 
32 
37 
814 
792 
153 
36 
214 
226* 
33 
734* 
Three shots C. nnd 
Il.’a No. 6 and 1* 
os. chilled shot 
225 
157 
211 
197* 
231 
170 
22u 
30 
31 
21 
183 
174 
71 
203 
187 
76 
36 
35 
35 
917 
754 
641 
208 
29| 
144* 155* 
35* 
770* 
The ^'ml^r shot guns reported in your last number 
which I attended at your request, impressed upon me the 
importance of adopting some more uniform method of 
measuring the charges in experimental cartridges than that 
hitherto generally in use, namely, by the space that they 
occupy, irrespective of the different qualities of shot aud 
P °The r shot used was of two kinds-chilled No. 6 and 
Walker A- Parker’s London make, same number. I fi 
to average as follows: Chilled, 270 to the ounce, or 
lhc . e J J l nSet 1.02 grains; Walker’s, 205 to the 
ounce or weight of single peflet, 1.05 grains. Neverthe- 
the chilled shot is slightly larger, the diameter of the 
p e Trets being l038 in one case, and 1025 in the other It 
follows from this difference that a charge of (n°m inaily ) 1 i 
ounces measured with same measure for each shot wou d 
contain about seven pellets less of dulled shot and would 
be deficient in weight nearly the one-sixteenth of an ounce. 
. The same remark applies even more strongly to the 
BSSTirS 
mm ?riaW where different powder and shot are used. 
6 The lower specific gravity of chilled shot is due to the 
creator amount of alloy added to the lead to harden it, 
Ed no» to the method of manufacture from which it de- 
rives its name. I had recently an opportunity of inspect- 
inc the process at the works of Otis Le Roy & Co., at 
New York who claim the invention and are the patentees 
in* America The metal is dropped from a moderate 
heieh“ about fifty feet, and no shot tower is requisite 
The peculiarity of the process is in the device used to 
Itard P the full of the drops of metal until they are suffi- 
ciently hard to strike the water without injury. To effect 
this a current of air is driven by a powerful fan up the 
shaft m which the shot falls, aud its resistance is sufficient 
S r' mrd 7he des" nding pellets, and give them ..me to cool 
and harden before reaching the water. 
The shot made by Messrs. Le Roy & Co. « bsautifully 
round and even, but is not so hard as that manufactured by 
the Newcastle firm, aud called by them chilled shot. 
Virginia Game Law.— Several persons having made 
inquiries relative to the provisions of the Game law of 
Virginia, wc have sent to the secretary’s office for a true 
copy, which we append herewith : 
It shall not be lawful to hunt, shoot, or otherwise cause 
the destruction of partridges, pheasants, or wild turkeys in 
any of the following counties, viz.: Rockingham, Rich- 
mond, Alexandria. Clarke, Fauouier, Rappahannock 
Prince George. Westmoreland, Loudoun, Goochland, 
Northampton, Y'ork, James City, Orange, Caroline, Louisa, 
Princess Anne, Madison, or any county that may so elect by 
its Board of Supervisors, from the first day of February 
to the first day of October of each year, or of any woodcock 
from the first day of July of each year. 
It shall not be lawful for any person to catch any or the 
game mentioned in the preceding section in nets, traps, or 
pens, in said counties, for the purpose of selling such gome, 
for the period of two years next after the passage of this 
a °No person who is not a resident of this State shall be 
allowed to shoot, or take with nets or traps, for salo in or 
out of this State, any of the game mentioned in the above 
section, in any of said counties. 
Offeudcrs may be arrested by any citizen or citizens ot 
this commonwealth, with or without a warrant. 
Fish Pictures.— Mr. E. Sherman Pease, of Twin Lakes, 
Canaan, Ct., whose paintings we have before noticed with 
favor, has just filled two orders for Eugene Blackford, of 
Fulton Market. They arc studies from life— one represent- 
ing a bluefish.with squid in his Jaws, just landed from the surf 
on a sandy beach, and the other a group of bright, nmber- 
hued trout, with the usual accessories ot rod and creel. The 
portraiture of the trout, in delineation and color, is very 
perfect, but the merit of the work is somewhat obscured 
(‘•killed’’ is the word) l>y the tinge of yellowish green that 
pervades the picture. Unless the trout he very dark col- 
ored, it is a great mistake to introduce the yellow basket, 
brassy reel, amber-colored rod-but, and the straw green of 
the grasses, that many artists seem to think essential to the 
completeness of the reality they wish to convey. Mr. 
Pease will take care not to fall into this error again wc feel 
certain. However, strictly treated as n trout study, 
this last effort of Mr. Pease has been enviably successful, 
Mr. Blackford should be satisfied. 
-4«*- — 
Potomac Sinn Naturalists’ Club.— This society held 
its annual meeting at Washington last week. The paper of 
the evening was by Dr. Foreman, and referred to the use of 
the boomerang of Australia, and a similar shaped weapon 
among other savage tribes. The well-known peculiarity of 
this weapon is its retrogressive action, which brings it 
back nearly or quite to the point whence it was thrown. 
The Moqui Indians of Arizona use a somewhat similar 
instrument for killing small game, but it does not return to 
the hand of the thrower. Sir Samuel Baker and Dr. 
Schweinfurth both mention seeing this weapon in use 
nmon" some of the African tribes, and recent travelers 
have found it extensively used by the wild tribes living 
near the base of the Himalayas. The Australian form of 
boomerang is mentioned in “ Ovid’s Metamorphoses ” and 
the wood of which it was formerly made is alluded to by 
Pliny in his natural history. 
A Sportsman’s Florida Outfit.— Our correspondent 
Piseco” sends the following item. His thoughtfulness 
is worthy of gratitude: C .. February 36, 1876. 
Editor Forest and Stream :— ... 
A friend on his way to Florida stopped over a day with me. and talking 
over tl.o necessary oatflts for the Florida trip, read to me from Ms mem- 
orandom book a list of his stores. I conld’ut help giving the reader, of 
Forest and Stream the beneflt of It. Perhape you may go down your- 
self some day. We quote: — 
One round trip ticket. 
One box bine pills. 
One bottle medicine for asthma. 
Four boxes Kidder's pastilles. 
One box Dallcy’e ointment. 
One bottle German salts. 
One bottle La ville’s gout remedy. 
One bottle KilUnger’s liniment. 
One half pound slippery elm 
Ten pounds oatmeal. 
And StedtoS this evening. I have just supplied him, by request, 
with a dose of castor oil. Won’t be have a good time? Piseco. 
8 fir- 
—Mr. J. Wallace, 10 North William street, has very 
generously mounted for us, free of charge, a splendid pair of 
canvas-back ducks which we have forwarded as a present 
to the Hannibal Shooting Club, as some small acknowledge- 
ment of their courtesy extended last Fall to oar worthy 
representative, M. M. Barker. The birds ere very hand- 
fome 
The Sportsman.— We have received the first number of 
a new paper called The SjvrUman, to be published in this 
city whose columns, eschewing general literature, politics, 
agriculture and science, are to be devoted to the further- 
ance of sport alone. The editor is evidently an fait on 
turf topics, which, from the copy before us, we judge is to 
be a specialty. We bid our new colabratcur welcome in 
the ranks and wish for him the success ever merited by 
energy and psrseverence. 
-The new Windsor Hotel, at Montreal will be com- 
pleted on the 1st of January, 1876, and will cover 62,000 
feet It will be leased at seven per cent, on the outlay foi 
ten years, by Mr. J. Fulton, Jr., late of the International 
Hotel Niagara Falls, who engages to pay taxes, keep in 
repair aud furnish it in a style equal to the finest Amen- 
can hotels, also taking $10,000 stock in the company. The 
plans will be prepared by Mr. W. W. Bcyington, of Chica- 
go, who designed the Pacific and Sherman Hotels of that 
city. 
The sale of Ruffed Grouse, Pinnated Grouse and 
Quail which was permitted up to the 1st March is now 
prohibited under severe penalties. Dealers will l b ® 
and not make themselves liable. With the exception of 
YVild Fowl, and Bay Birds, March is a olosa season for 
game. 
— The National Rifle Association held Its regular monthly 
meeting on Tuesday. The proposed change of targets at 
Crcedmoor was the most important matter discussed, and 
a committee was appointed to report upon It. 
—A meeting of the Rifle Clubs was held on Friday after- 
noon, Colonel Wingate In the chair. General McMahon 
reported that arrangements were complete for the amateur 
theatrical entertainment to be given at the Academy of 
Music next month. Various improvements at the Creed- 
moor Range were suggested. A letter from a Rifle Club in 
New South Wales expressed a desire to shoot at Creed - 
moor. Another letter was read from Mr. Mildmay, Sec- 
retary of the National Rifle Association, Wimbledon, 
England, extending u hearty welcome to tho American 
Team on their proposed visit. 
— 
— It will bo seen by the letter published below that Col. 
Wingate has replied to tho challenge ot the Ontario Any- 
Rifle Association, to the effect that, tho Amateur Rifle Club 
will provide a team to meet the Canadians at any llmo 
prior to May 15th. It could scarcely bo expected that Hie 
team selected to go to Ireland should first shoot a mulch 
hero, which, if lost, would ruin their prestige and reduco 
the Interest in the more important event, and if won, 
could be productive of but little kudos to a team supposed 
to be the best the country could produce. Wo say this 
without prejudice to the Ontario riflemen, and arc con- 
fident that foomcn worthy of their stool (or load) will bo 
forthcoming to try friendly conclusions with them in May. 
New York, Fubriiury IT, 1870. 
J J. ifnnm. Esq., Ontario, Canada: 
Dear Em— I ii pursuance of tho roquet contained In your toller, I 
brought your challenge of February l«i before iho Joint C'oinmlttuo of 
Iho Amateur Rifle Club amt National Kill* Asuoolallon of New York, on 
tho SOth lii«t (tho delay, an I wrote you, having been caused by pmouro 
of buslncs* ami family matters). That committee woro of the opinion 
that ne they woro only appointed for the purpose of arranging for the 
International match they Imd no power from either iho Amateur ltlflo 
Club or National Itlflo Aisoclatlon to accept any challenge, and referred 
the communication to tho Executive Committee of the Amuiour Itlflo 
Club That committee mot on same day and directed mo to »Uto that 
the Amateur Itlflo Club will accept a challenge to shoot a match at 
Crcedmoor, at any llmo prior to May 15th, 1875, on tho terms proposed 
In your challenge, (under (lie Wimbledon rules of 1873) and will provide 
a (earn for that purpose. In view of tho fact that the team who are to 
represent the United Stales In the coming International match will soil 
in Juno, and Dial those who are to participate In tlm match will not be 
definitely known until shortly previous thereto, you will see that It I* 
Impossible for Uie club to stipulate fora mulch to bo shot by them, tlm 
more so as several of each team will probably come from other parts of 
Iho country, and will not bo under Ilia control of the dull. Sllll, while 
the team which we will choose may not he Identical with that which will 
shoot In the Ii.ternailonnl match, It will be composed of very nearly the 
same parties, and will Include the best shot* of the Amateur Itlfle Club. 
I remain, very truly yours, Gr.o. W. Winoatk, 
President Amateur Klllu Club. 
—The loiter of Capt. Mildmay, Secretary of the British 
National Rifle Association, t<> Col. Wlngnto, relative to the 
American Team visiting Wimbledon, is as follows:— 
la Pali. Mall. East, H. W., February 0, 1HTV 
Dear 8m— I have been a long time before replying to your letter, and 
niy only apology lethal I wn« anxious to bo able to send you an answer 
to tome of your questions relallvo to rifles, but tlm Council which met 
not long ago (their llrsi meeting since tho Wimbledon one) though they 
talked over tlm question referred to by you. could not undertake to 
come to any decision In tho matter, and It has been referred to u com- 
mlttoo. which will submit It to tlm next meeting of Iho Council, on tho 
2d of March, I cannot, however, wait so long before answering ouo 
port of your letter, the subject of which could never be a matter for dis- 
cussion, and that l«, tho announcement that we are to bo honored ot 
Wimbledon this year by a number of American riflemen. I am sure 1 
need not toll you that tho Council have received this announcement with 
great pleasure, and that wo, as well a* our riflemen, look forward to ihut 
of giving you at our mooting tho heartiest welcome. As soon os our 
regulations and prlxe IlsU are published I shall lose no lime In sending 
you several copies for distribution, and it might so happen (lint your 
newspapers would llk« to give publicity to them, In which enso I would 
a-k you to allow mo to leave the matter In your hands, When the time 
approaches for Iho departure of your fellow countrymen for England, It 
will be very kind of you If you will furnish me with a list of their 
names, or with their number. In order that we may be prepared for 
so (lading thorn, and making other arrangements for lliclr shooting. Our 
meeting will open on the 12th of July, and will last as usual, two weeks. 
Hoping that you h-»ve not been Inconvenienced by tho delay In answer 
Ing your kind letter, and assuring you that no lime will bo lost In for 
warding you all necessary and requested Information end instructions, 
1 am. dear sir, Yours trulr. Edmund 8t. John Milomav. 
Captain and Secretary N. It. A. 
To O. IK Wingate, N. F 
— Twenty-six different kinds of breech-londcrs nro now 
in U 9 C in the vailous European armies. Many of these, 
though belonging to the same system, are made in different 
patterns, such as the Remington rifle In Sweden, Denmark, 
and Greece; the Vcttcrli rifle in Switzerland and Italy; the 
Snider in England, Turkey, and Holland, nod the Dreyso 
in Germany, Rotunania, and Montenegro. The rifle with 
the smallest calibre is the Vcttcrli, of 10.4 millimetre. 
The calibre of the new German Mauser rifle, and also «*f 
the Werder rifle, as used by the Bavarian army, U 11 milli- 
metres The new Drcysc rifle, which is now being tried In 
school of musketry at Spanduu, is regarded aa being in 
many points even superior to the Mauser. The average 
rapidity of lire of the above rifles is twelve shots a minute, 
including the time occupied in taking aim . 
The Acsablk Valley liirLe Club.— T his club was 
organized at Keescville, Essex county, N. Y., a short time 
since and is now in successful operation, with an efficient 
membership, and the following arc the officers:-^. L. 
Purple President; Willis Mould, Vice President; F. Mad- 
den. Secretary; G. 8. Potter. Treasurer. A fine target 
range has been secured, and on every Wednesday P. M., 
despite tbe lltteps* col<J, fte members meet and practice. 
