122 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Ball Clob, of Jacksonville, held Ibolr first meeting of the reason at 
Jacksonville on tbo 13th Inst. and W. n. Lucas was re-olcetcd president, 
Peter Jones, vice president, Ocorgo McConnlhe. treasurer. and B L. 
Knight, secretary. Last season this club and the Garden City Base Ball 
Clab of Tullahossco, Fla , played for tho championship of the State, and 
when the season cloaed they stood ono game each, ao Hint the third game 
will be played this season. Both are excellent dabs, and practicing hnrd 
for the coming contest, which will undoubtedly take place at Jackson- 
ville. Tho talk about building n mammoth hotel hero this Summer Is 
ceasing No prospect for a new hotel as yet Tho travel this season Is 
unprecedented— an Immense Increase. The weather la charming; ther- 
mometer hn» reached n point a* high a* 87 degrees ravcral times this 
Spring. All tho vegetation Is garbed In green, except the orange trees 
which are snow white with tbolr fragrant blossoms. By all appearances' 
the orange crop will bo largo this coming Full, also p, •aches, figs and 
gropes. Yours respectfully. WuimBr 
f> Sifte. 
— Tlic Joint Committee* of tho N. R. A. and A. R. C. 
met on Friday last. The Chairman read letters from Major 
Leech, the Chairman of the Irish Rifle Council, Buying that 
the “All Ireland Challenge Cup," subject to competition 
among the counties of Ireland, would be open to a selected 
four from the American team, the entrance fee being 
£5 per squad and £1 per man. There was also an assur- 
ance of a hearty Irish welcome in store for the American 
visitors. Colonel Qildcrsleeve moved the appointment of 
a special committee of three to supervise the contest for 
places on the team. It was Anally agreed to add two mem- 
bers to the subcommittee so as to permit a division of the 
labors, and General Shalor and Captain Casey, of the 
Seventh, were made the additional members. Tho Com- 
mittee having charge of the Academy benefit reported 
that Othello had been selected as the play for the evening. 
Boxes have been sold to the amount of $1,500. On the 
adjournment of the Joint Committee a meeting of the Ex- 
ecutive Committee of the Amateur Rifle Club was held to 
consider the Caundian challenge. A letter was read from 
Captain J . ,1. Mason, President of the Ontario Any Rifle 
Association, withdrawing his challenge of February 1 to 
the American learn, and repeating it to the riflemen of the 
United States, through the Amateur Rifle Club. On 
motion of Captain Fulton it was resolved that this lost 
challenge he not considered in its present form. It was 
said that if the Ontario Club will challenge the Amateur 
Club a match can be brought about, or if the riflemen of 
the whole Dominion of Canada will challenge the riflemen 
of tho United Slates the Amateur Club of New York will 
be happy to accept It on their behalf. 
— The National Rifle Association held another meeting 
on Saturday evening, at which it was suggested that mem- 
bers of the N. G., should appear in uniform at the Aca- 
demy benefit. 
—The Sub-Committee appointod By the Joint Committee 
of the National Rifle Association and Amateur Rifle Club, 
to arrange the time for the four competitions for places on 
the team to lake part in the International match, have de- 
cided upon the 17th, 21st, 21th and 28th of next month. 
*•••* 
THE ONTARIO CHALLENGE. 
Hamilton, Ontario, March 22, 1875. 
Col. Oto. IF. Wingate, President Amateur Rifle Club, New 
York, on behalf of the Riflemen of the U. 8. A. 
Dear Sir: — I fully understand the difficulty in the way 
of a match between our Association and the team that is to 
he selected to represent the United States of America iu t lie 
forthcoming contest with the marksmen of Ireland, and 
which, I confess, would partake rather of a personal than a 
national character. 
We have been and are still anxious to meet our cousins 
across the border in a representative match, and having 
withdrawn my letter of Feb. 1st, 1875, addressed to you as 
Chairman of the Joint Committee of the Amateur Rifle 
Club of New* York, and the National Rifle Association, I 
now address you as President of the Amateur Rifle Club, 
on behalf of the riflemen of your country, generally, pro- 
posing a match under the conditions hereinafter set forth, 
which conditions arc, of course, subject to such alterations 
as may be hereinafter mutually agreed upon. While, ad- 
mitting that the Amateur Rifle Club ranks amongst its 
members mauy of the most prominent riflemen of the 
United States, still a match between it. and an association 
such as our own, could not be called a representative match 
in the proper sense of the term. Our practice rarely com- 
mences before the 1st of May, and this year it will in all 
probability be still later; it would therefore be impossible 
for us to fix a du'e for a mulch us early as that proposed in 
your letter of the 27th ult., namely the 15th of May. The 
conditions I propose arc as follows; — 
Competitors, eight on each side; targets, scoring, &c., as 
at Wimbledon, either in 1878 or 1875, as may he agreed 
upon; rifles, any not exceeding 10 lbs. weight,’ but without 
telescope or magnifying sights; minimum pull of trigger 
three pounds; ranges, 800, 000 and 1,000 yards; 15 shots at 
each range; position, any, uot involving artificial res'.; 
pluce, Creednioor; time, between 15th of June and 15th of 
October, 1875. Further details could be arranged hereafter. 
Yours, very truly, J. J. Mason, 
President Ontario Any Rifle Association. 
To the above letter Col. Wingate lias replied to the effect 
that while the National Rifle Association and Amateur Rifle 
Club have exerted themselves conjointly in procuring from 
among the riflemen of the country at large, a team to rep- 
resent the United States in the International match, the 
challenge of the Ontario Club must be responded to by the 
Amateur Rifle Club, and the match made with that or a 
similar organization, os neither he or the club feel author- 
ized to accept it on behalf of the riflemen of tho United 
States. 
—The Dc Peyslcr badge which wos first shot for at the 
meeting of tbc American Rifle Association on February 
22, is now completed aud will shortly be on exhibition; 
probably at the manufacturers, Messrs. Tiffany & Co’s. 
— The 17th, 21st, 24th and 29th days of April have been 
fixed upon as the dates of the four competitive matches 
for places on the American international team. All native- 
born riflemen of the United Slates are invited to compete at 
Crcedmoor on those dates. 
— Tiie New Manual. — Riflemen will be pleased to learn 
that a new edition of Col. Wingate’s useful little book is 
about being issued which will contain everything new per- 
taining to rifles nnd rifle shooting, as well as all the Creed- 
moor scores to date. 
— Major Cotton, of the Kingston School of Gunnery, is 
to he second in command of the Dominion Wimbledon 
team this year. 
—Toronto riflemen object to the Ontario Rifle Assoeia- 
iion matches being held in the last week in June, as several 
or the crack shots will then be on their way to Wimbledon. 
Of the wonderful effects produced by the modern rifle 
in the hands of men skilled in their use, we meet with ex- 
amples nearly every day. Sir Sumuel Baker and his little 
band of “forty thieves,” made their perilous journeys in 
tiie heart of Africa, surrounded by myriads of savages, all 
by the aid of the “Sniders,” with which they were armed. 
Now from South America we hear of like results in the 
Argentine Republic during tbc recent revolution which 
devastated that fair land. From the Buenos Ayres Weck'y 
Standard wc take the following description of one of the 
engagements:— 
The enemy fired as they came on, but our men waited till 
they were within the 200 yards post, and poured iu such a 
st end v fire of Remingtons that the enemy staggered and 
wheeled about. Colonel Arias was so certain of his rifles 
that he ordered his men not to fire on retreating hatallions. 
When the enemy’s infantry left off charging, the cavalry 
of Machado came to the tight and dismounted within 500 
yards, then drove away their horses, drew swords and 
rushed forward with great intrepidity to storm Arias’s line. 
But when they got to the 300-yard post it was a nc plus ultra 
for them. The Remingtons caused such havoc that they 
turned and fled. 
After the battle General Mitre wrote to Arias— “I leave 
you half a dozen wounded. Do me the favor to pick them 
up. ns protected by the law of nations.” 
Times have changed wonderfully in the last dozen yeare, 
and the power of the National Government has been in- 
creased a hundred fold, thanks to the successive improve- 
ments introduced by Gon. Mitre himself, when President 
of the Republic, and multiplied under the recent adminis- 
tration of Dr. Sarmiento. Railways, telegraphs, and Rem- 
ington rifles have promptly put down a revolution which 
ten years ago would have probably succeeded. The move- 
ment lias been utterly stamped out in seventy days, aliliough 
headed by the general of most prestige in these countries, 
supported by n great portion of the army and navy, and 
counting on the sympathy of some of the richest Argentine 
families in Buenos Ayres. Ten years ago the revolution- 
ary army would have carried all before them, nnd the Gov- 
ernment would be beginning to collect means of defence on 
the 70th day from the. outbreak. 
Without, at all detracting from the sleepless activity of 
Col. Alsinu, tho valorous conduct of Col. Arias, the dis- 
cipline of the troops, ami skillfulness of the campaign on 
the part of the Government, it is unquestionable that the 
speedy wind up of the rebels is due chiefly to railways, 
telegraphs and Remingtons. Telegraphs have aided almost 
as powerfully as railways in making the action of the 
National Government felt in the farthest parts of the Re- 
public. The Remingtons finally ont fail dee Tnarveillce, giving 
the victory to a small body ot resolute soldiers, ably 
handled by an intrepid commander, iu the presence of an 
enemy numerically overpowering but lacking the discipline 
and arms of the Government trooDs. 
had 0nn. 
GAME IN SEASON FOR APRIL. 
Snipe, Ducks and Wild Fowl. 
, [Under the head of "Game, ana fun in tfeavn" we can Mv wea- 
ry in general 'e-rnu the several varle'ie *, because the laws or States vary 
so much that were we to attempt to particularize we coula do no less 
?***»“« **«<* of game In 
J . "'"'n n»/ic »c«, ireetiHAj ’./i c .flics Of of (I is* VCIVU 
so much that were me to attempt to particularize, we coula do no less 
than publish those entire sections that relate to the hinds of game in 
question. 7 hit would require a great amount of our space. Jn desia- 
by the laws cf nature, upon which aU legU- 
founded, and our readers would do well to Divide themselves 
'Z! '',!! 1 ' n ,"’o "■ f f e *l >ec {}, ve Mat** for constant reference. Otherwise, 
out attemuls to assist them will only create confusion . ) 
Game In Market.— No new feature is presented this 
week, the supply being confined to the few descriptions yet 
in season. English snipe are being received from the West 
and to some extent from New Jersey, the vicinity of Cam- 
den being the principal point of shipment. They sell at 
$5 per dozen; refrigerated snipe $3 50a$3 75. A few 
brant arc coming in from Long Island, as well as ducks and 
geese. Brant are worth $1 50a$l 75 per pair; geese $1 50 
each. Wild pigeons continue very plentiful at $2a$2 50 
per dozen; squabs, $0 per dozen; canvas backs $2a$2 50; 
redheads, $1 25; mallards, $1 25; black ducks and wid- 
geon, 50a?5 cents; wild turkey 25 cents per pound; plover 
$4 50 per dozen; bay snipe 75c.a$l. per dozen; antelope 
from Omaha 25 cents per pound. 
Long Island, Good Ground , March 23d, 1875 The 
ball was opened for the Spring shooting by Mr R B 
Smith, of Smithtown. L. 1., on Monday 22d ult kiliing 
with Ins own gun and doing all the shooting himsel’f fifty- 
six whistlers and broadbills. Mr. Hurlbert, his associate 
from New York on same day, killed twenty-four Tho ice 
being still on the bay they had their blind rigged upon the 
ice aud made of ice at the edge of quite a large sheet of 
water. A few days more and the ice will be gone and then 
all hands will have a chance for some geese and ducks and 
gentlemen wishing some good sport will find the 'Bay 
River House a good place to stop, and all necessaries for 
shooting at hand. jj y jj g 
New Jersey, Newark, March 28th, 1875.— Mr. Ed Van 
Pelt killed five geese aud seven black ducks on Friday 19th 
on Newark Bay, and on the 16th instant Mr. Wessler shot 
| three Scolopax Wiltonii in East Newark. I have heard of a 
great many “English” being seen on that day only ; none 
since. Harry C. McD. 
Maryland, Peer Park, March 26 th, 1875.— Pigeons are 
coming in in vast numbers, more than have been seen in 
the Spring for many years past. They are very fat, and in 
fine condition, but are very wild. Several people are trap- 
B iug them, intending to keep them for trap shooting. 
•uclcs are also here in small numbers. I heard that a 
gunner from Cumberland got eleven yesterday; they were 
mostly redheads and broaubills. Alleghany. 
Virginia. — The Alexandria Gazzefte of March 27th says 
wild ducks are more numerous on the river now than for 
some time past. Many are killed and as the demand for 
them is light they sell ut cheap rates. Jack snipe are be- 
coming abundant in the marshes and low grounds in the 
neighborhood, aud sell at twenty-five cents a piece. Robins 
and bluck birds are also plentiful but are poor, sell for 
little or nothing and should not be killed. 
Kentucky, Midway, Ey., March 24th, 1875.— Our Spring 
is backward. At this time last year we had good bass fish- 
ing to this time until English snipe made their appearance, 
18th; not very abundant as yet, bid six to ten brace 
can be had in a few hours hunting. We are trying to pro- 
tect our streams from seining, &c., nnd have succeeded 
having divers parties presented to the Grand Jury, and we 
will put them to the extent of the law, which is defective 
and hard to convict under. Ducks are making their ap- 
pearance. Our Spring shooting is very meager, suipo re- 
maining only a few days on their way North. 
Respectfully, J. Sutton. 
Wisconsin, Janesville, March 26f/t.— Duck shooting will 
open at Koshkonong in about two weeks, and as the ice is 
very heavy aud will break up late and thus keep the ducks 
near the shores and on the river, we expect it to be un- 
usually good. R. V. 
Missouri St. Louie, March 24 th . — We are having cold 
disagreeable weather, so that I have had no fishing us yet 
this Spring, nor much shooting. Seveial single hunters 
have had great success in killing mallard ducks and brant 
during the last week in some wet prairie a few miles north- 
east of our oily. 
DUCK SHOOT1N GO ■ TH E CON N ECT1CUT 
O UR correspondent, Doctor, of Hartford, gives us some 
incidents of a ducking excursion of his to Saybrook 
Point, at the mouth of the Cunnecticut River, a fortnight 
ago, where he had very good sport. Saybrook Poiut is 
reached hy the Shore Line or Connecticut Valley R. It. 
There i9 a good hotel within forty rods of the depot. He 
says;— 
“The ducks had been quite plenty for some time, the 
severe cold weather having driven them from the upper 
part of the Sound to the mouth of the river where the 
strong currents over the bar kept the water comparatively 
open. Gunners residing in the neighborhood had been 
shooting from twenty to fifty per day, chiefly broadbills, 
with a few black ducks and redheads. On the morning 
after my arrival I pushed my float out over the ice about 100 
yards until I reached the open steamboat channel, and 
sculled down with the current, past the light house, which 
is about a mile below the depot, and out to the breakwater, 
a long stone affair extending out into the Sound some 3,000 
feet. Here I began to fix my decoys. All the way down 
from where I first started I had seen ducks flying and 
swimming, nnd I started up several hundred from under 
the lee of the breakwater. The ducks were very tame. I 
had scarcely got my decoys overboard before six birds 
splashed down within twenty feet of me. I let go one bar- 
rel at them, and missed the whole lot clean. Presently I 
succeeded in anchoring my decoys so that they would 
swing down with the current about fifty feet away from 
my float, which I pulled up against the stonework. I 
scarcely was seated when the ducks began to come singly 
and in flocks of three or four, which made splendid shoot- 
ing. They would come down the Sound, ami seeing the 
clear water would swim around the outer end of the break- 
water where there were acres upon acres of ice churning 
aud grinding in the strong Southwest wind, and would then 
see the decoys and come down to them without hesitation 
It was just beginning to get cairn when I heard a loud 
shouting in the direction of the shore and on looking back 
could see a native with an old gun and a mangy pointer 
crawling with difficulty over the rough stones towards me 
He got out to where I was after some time and adjectives 
and sat down back of my float on the stones, saying that 
“lie had beam me shute and thought it was somebody be 
knew, but was mistaken." Now 1 always prefer to shoot 
alone, and it did not tend to increase my calmness to any 
great extent to have this native, when 1 missed a bird’ 
shoot at Jmn with that antiquated firearm over my head 
and I remonstrated with him with such effect that he went 
about five rods to one side and sat down in full view of the 
ducks with his beautiful pup perched upon the highest 
stone ho could find. He sat there perhaps fifteen minutes 
and I was watching a flock of black ducks, wondering if 
they would see that, dog before they saw the decoys when 
bang went Ins gun, and the shot made the water fly along 
side my float. He said that “he went to uncock his gun 
and put his finger on the wrong trigger fust. ’’ I had killed 
dutks enough! I went ashore at once, but at 4 P M I 
went back again, and this time alone, and until sunset I 
had fine fun, kdlmg tluee black ducks, one tedhead, two 
broadbills, and a little “dipper," and I am not much of a 
8hot « ,ll * er - ^ Doctor. 
COOT SHOO TING. 
„ _ Cohasset, March 20, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
1 thought tho dory mailer about settled, as scores of old shooters have 
said to me since the articles appeared, that they thought I had the rich! 
side of the question. Ju reply to II. N. \V..» I will suegoM , 0 him that 
he take a vote next Fall in favor of boats or dorys on his side of the bay. 
I will do the same on mine, and report to Forest and Stream next Do- 
of r a i° *7 ^° Ck ' 1 ' iaVe hc ° D tl,Cre nnd know it: b “t outside 
hL, ra am 1 w ° ,,der bow man >' ev « b ‘«rd of It? A dory is a good set 
boat for Oshing; for shooting, good for nothing The hardest, roughest 
XhL ,T“ T 19 by P"° l * bonrdin S vessels on dark, stormy 
55 , USe ,°7 B - ° nC thln * ** n 'Mr favor, they are cheap 
-cost one -third of a good boat, and a, for their out livrog a pilot's canoe, 
let us nea! from others on the snbject. Respectfully, 8. K , Jr. 
ft r7iSinT 8 I ri “ W-*®*"" ,aw8 of ^°™ Scotia, moose 
Xro oroft W ®?’ Indians principally, many of those 
slntigtcred being cows, heavy with cult. 
