LETTEfiS FROM SMBTSMEW. 
Sportsman in Italy. 
BY DR. M. GOLDSMITH. 
Rome, Italy. 
"While in Perugia I visited the country place of an 
Italian nobleman, at which I had a chance to see some 
of the methods used for taking birds in nets. Perugia 
I may remark iS an old Etruscan town, situated on the 
top of one of a range of hills, and about 600 feet above 
the surrounding plain. Everj-t'iing about the place, its 
narrow streets, its vast and hoarj’ terraces, its quiet old 
gates, said to be 1500 years older than the Christian era; 
its olive laden donkeys and weazened dames still wield- 
ing the distaff, are queer looking. From this place one, 
coming from Florence, catches his first glimpse of the 
Tiber. A drive over a well macadamised road along 
the crest of the hdl soon brought us in the early morn- 
ing to our destination. A little way from the villa, 
itself occupying a spur of one of the hills, we found thi 
grounds prepared for bird catching. The place selected 
is always like this, the point of a hill, projecting well 
from the side of a range, or else terminating a range, 
and is a sort of natural look out place — the spot which 
a military man would select for posting a vidette upon, 
to watch the valley below and around. At such a point 
birds are taken in two ways. In the first, or that which 
occupies the apex of the spur or knoll, two circular 
rows of bushes are planted, one circle within the other, 
and about four feet apart. The diameter of the innei 
circle is about 40 feet. The bushes in the concentric 
circles are planted in pairs, one on each, the inner and 
outer and both on the line of the same radius. These 
bushes stand about six feet apart, but are so trimmed 
that they will not occupy with their branches more than 
one third of the space of the rings the)' make. These 
bushes are allowed to grow about twelve feet high and 
are trimmed to bent poles, uniting in the middle like 
the arches of a grape arbor. Indeed the circular walk 
which I am trying to describe is just like a circular 
grape arbor, covered with leaves above, but free from 
foliage at the sides, other than that made by the trimmed 
bushes answering to the posts of the labor. This arbor 
is intended to hold the nets which hang like curtains 
suspended from a rod in the roof of this circular arbor. 
’ and enclose the whole space like a wall. Inside of this 
circle and near its centre an artificial tree is erected, 
but hinged or jointed near the ground, so that at a 
proper time, it can be thrown vio'.enily to the ground. 
At one side of the circles is built a small house with 
some narrow, long, transverse loop holes for the bird 
catchers to watch through. Just in front of the foun- 
dation of this house, and on the side near the artificial 
tree, a sort of superficial cellar is built with an aperture 
about 18 inches squre. 
The net is fixed between two tiers of wire, one run- 
ning along the top of the arbor, and one along the 
ground in the circular space between the two rows of 
bushes. Between these two rods are fixed, first, two 
sheets of netting, the meshes of which are about eight 
inches square. The meshes must correspond exactl)' in 
position. Between these two sheets of net another one 
with a finer mesu say 1-2 inch to inch according to the 
size of bird to be caught. This last net is about a hall 
wider than the two first. Kow it will be seen that if 
beginning at the top, at each space in the large net, the 
finer net is pulled up a little, it will form a sort of loose 
fold at that space in the large net, which permits it to 
be at once punched into the shape of a bag when the 
bird strikes it in its flight. This process being repeated 
as each large mesh is set. 1 should have stated tnat 
there must be some good sized trees outside of and over- 
looking the enclosed circular space. Next grain is 
scattered on the ground inside the circle, and over this 
space, and within the cellar, b^ds m cages are placed. 
These are decoy birds and by their singing are used to 
entice the wild ones into the enclosure. In order to 
make the decovs sing well, tueir eyes are always put 
out. All being now ready the snarer goes earl)' in the 
morning before the birds are astir, and, holding in his 
hand the string by which he throws the tree down, he 
watches in the little house until his decoy birds have en- 
ticed a good number of wild birds within the circle, and 
the latter have got to feeding. When those which, at- 
tracted by the deco) >, first lighted on the larger trees 
outside of the circle, to reconnoiter, doubtless before 
entering, have all come down to the ground, the artifi- 
cial tree comes down with a prearranged clatter. The 
affrighted birds, dashing to every side into the apparent 
clear spaces in the circular wall of bushes, go plump 
each into his predestined bag. The whole outfit would 
cost with us about one thousand dollars. It takes one 
man’s time to attend it. Not one bird is bigger than 
our common ground sparrow. This is the sportsman 
ship of Italy, for such an esiablithment as this is as 
much an appendage of an indi in noble’s estate, if he 
has the ground fit, as is a stud or a ktnnel to the Eng- 
lish nobleman. 
In the second method, a net arranged like the first 
but not iiecessiirily in a circle, but in a like situation, is 
used. It too has its watch house, commonly a thick 
arbor of bushes. It has too. many small trees and 
bushes about it. The fowler goes into the bower be- 
fore day break and w ith artificial bird calls which they 
whistle most decoyinhly, whistles down the birds whose 
flight is made mostly in the misty morning twilight. 
Besides this, there extends from tree to tree and but-h to 
bush, in a direction obliquely downward, numerous dry 
twigs for those who have escaped the nets to light upon. 
These twigs are all limed. 
I have not been able to learn much as yet about the 
methods in use for capturing the migratory quail, oniy 
this, that on the Island of Capri they use mostly the 
good old fashioned "Virginia institution, called there, a 
partridge net, in my hoyish days, into which the birds 
ire driven pretty much as sheep are driven into a pen. 
There are variaus other devices in the way of nets, 
which may as well be left untold. This much may be 
said in all truth and moderation however, of these peo 
pie They never shoot a bird if they can trap it, for 
uere powder and shot costs something, but a loafer’s 
time does not. 
A Name with a Meaning. 
New Haxpsuibk, March 27. 
EditobRod axd Gcx: 
“ The Rod aud the Gun." I like the change; for with the snow 
three and four feet deep when it is not drifted, the lakes and streams 
hound in almost solid ice, the thermometers showing during the 
present week, a range from 16 to 24 degrees below zero, the rod and 
the gnn are only to be thought of or read about. That the change 
of name will tronble some of your old friends is to be expected, hot 
be assured that to mauy it will be a better title; especially to those 
who have been bronght in contact with a class of men who while 
calling themselves Sportsmen/' are more generally known as 
** Sports;" a name at once significant and expressive, for while they 
seek ** sport " have they not parted with that which alone consti* 
tntes them “ men ’* in the highest sense of the word? 
But to return to the new paper; new, only in name, 1 hope, for no 
one can expect any better coarse to be taken in the interests of 
the rod aud the gnn than yon have already pursued. The siusof the 
people in regard to the destruction of the game in this country have 
been many and grave, but have been for the most part, owing to ig- 
norance. W itb suen a faithful and efficient instructor as Tnz Amer- 
iCAX Sportsman has proved itself these last few years, the plea of 
ignorance can be no longer put in as a plea in mitigation, but be- 
comes the greatest sin of all. I have been for many years interested 
in the re-stocking of our waters with fish, and my attention has been 
called most painfully to the ignorance of our ]egislator& upcm the 
viml question of protection. No amount of scientific knowledge 
will, or 1 thould more prt)perly say. would, weigh against the preja> 
dices and Ignorance of a legislative committee many of whom looked 
upon all fish only as induccmeuis for boys to neglect their work or 
studies, and held firmly to the belief that the sooner the fish were 
entirely exterminated irom the ponds and streams of the 8tate the 
bettar it w ould be for the material interests of their constituents. 
That a better faeiiug towards, aud a more reasonable view ef the 
great interest of aquacalture has at length reached many of our 
people is owing in a great degree to your efforts; which I trust you 
will persevere in until it wiU be as disreputable to kill any game, 
either fish, fiesh or fow’l, ont of season, as it is now to rob a sheep 
fold or a hen roost, H. 
Nebraska Awake- 
Omaha City, Neb,, March 16. 
Editor Rod ANT) Gun: 
1 send you herewith the game laws of Nebraska, which, under 
the auspices of the Omaha Sportsmen's Club, have been received 
aud published in accordance with the amendments passedat the re- 
cent Session of the Legislature furdisiribution. They have been con- 
siderably improved, and. on the whole, will no doubt aid greatly in 
the general effort over the West being put forth in the protection of 
the classes of animals and birds enumerated in the law. It is very 
desirable that we have united action, as far as possible, between the 
East and West in this behalf. We feel greatly encouraged in our 
efforts by the earnestness manifested by the State Associations in 
Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Ohio, etc. We hope to or- 
ganize a State Association in season for the Cleveland Convention, 
and especially for the purpose ef more efficient inter-communication 
with other State organizutious. Wheu game taken out of season is 
made contraband, and its sale and traffic in the markets a penal 
offence, an impoitant step will have been taken in the right direc- 
tion. You will obsene our law in that regard. It is not so’ much 
the killing of game for local consumption out of season that tends 
to its destruction. But the Eastern markets, both in this country 
and Europe, are largely supplied with game killed ont of season, 
or in violation of tUe local law, and surreptitiously shipped 
abroad. Prairie chickens ana quail are trapped mainly for this pui- 
pose. It is confidently believed that by united effort on the part 
of sportsmen iu the East on this behalf, the great and wanton de- 
struction of game will be chocked, if not entirely prevented. 
B. £. B. Kennedy. 
In re Recapper- 
WestMedpord, Mass., March 26. 
Editor Rod and Gum: 
Having in a spirit of good nature attempted to reassure our friend 
“ Hawkeye," who seemed badly scared by “ Recapper' s" elaborate 
lucubration. 1 find that I have most unwittingly fallen upon an ex- 
ceedingly thin skinned, tidi me tangere sort of case, or in the ver- 
nacular “hit him on the raw." By a course of reasoning pecu- 
liarly his own, “ Recapper" attribntes to me a profundity of knowl- 
edge I certainly never claimed. Then, poor man, he Is afraid I 
sneiTed at him, when certainly nothing was farther from my inten- 
ciOD ; for an honest, painstaking mechanic or tradesman will always 
command and secure my highest respect. Again: he concludes that 
my knowledge was not sufficient to ensure me “ millions" in the 
gun business. It is a most lame and impotent conclnsion. The 
ever memorable 9ch November, 1872, when I and hundreds of others 
stood sorrowfully, helplessly .by and saw our possessions vanish 
into thin air, furnished the cause for failure. The world moves, 
events march. “Recapper" and all men, unless they are 
puffed up with an inordinate self-conceit, learn something 
new with each Succeeding year. IntJiesedays of milling machines, 
gang cutters, drop dies and planers, indeed all the appliances of 
modem machinery, with the single exception of boring the barrels, 
no man need work from fourteen to sixty-five to learn how to make 
a gun. “Recapper" tells us he has had forty years experience. I 
know a man who also had forty years experience as a practical gun 
maker, a descendant from generations of gun makers, who would 
not believe a useful gun lock could be entirely made by machinery, 
when shown the machinery at work, and the finished locks better 
in every respect than any hand made locks he ever turned out — as a 
lockmaker be is famous— more, that machinery b&d not done it. To 
be sure, be was an imported citizen from the so-called “ bright little, 
light little island," where workmen live on one idea, learn but one 
thing in all their lives, move in one groove, and wnen by force of 
circumstances are shaken out of it, are good for nothing. 
“ Recapper" sets himself np as “ Sir Oracle," and would have ns 
believe that without extraordinary precautions it is next to impos- 
sible to buy a good English made gun. I will agree that in thu line 
the English in general are notoriously the most dishonest of all men ; 
but I spoke of makers who, having a good reputation, care to retain 
it, and “Recapper" lamps them all good, bad and indifferent. 
Again, I repeat, that no one need fear that the respectable gnn 
makers abroad, or the respectable gnu dealers at home, will sell un- 
serviceable guns knowingly, and “ Hawkeye's" is not the only case 
that has come to my knowledge where a bad impression was re- 
ceived from the perusal of “ Recapper's" article, A fortunate 
personal acquaintance with most of the famons makers precludes 
the necessity of a perusal of the pamphlets “Recapper" recom- 
mends. Every man is open to criticism, and I s e no reason why 
“ Recapper" is entitled to exemption more than any one e^^And 
no man who places himself on record before the public can creflVbly 
retire behind such a childish excuse as “Recapp>er" gives for not re- 
plying to criticism. Medicus . 
Rifle Shooting. 
Via'alHatbs, Mb., March 21. 
Editor Rod asd Gru: 
Looking over your paper of MarcblS, I noticed a short piece 
about rifle shooting, signed Alfred M. Kibling, in which be eaya 
be pat ten conaecntivp abote inside of a square, 3 3 4 by 2 1-4 inebea 
at 125 yards, with a Frauk Wesson breecb-load rifle, position stand- 
ing, off hand, and says he can do it every day too. Such shooting 
as that may look very fine on paoer, but when one nndertakes to 
do that little thing, tney will find it much more difficnlt than it is to 
read about it, I have a fine muzzle loading rifle, with patent mnz- 
zle, that I can do as good shouting with as Mr. E. did, but I want a 
firm rest w hen 1 do it, and am not conceited enough to think 1 can 
do it erery day. If Mr. K can do the shooting be says he can, ha 
is a wonderful shot, and should immediately shoulder nis little 
Wesson and start for Creedmoor, where, undoubtedly, he w ould 
make even the best of them look to their laurels. 
Rule Nbce. 
Snow Birds 
Colorado Sprcngb, Col., March 16. 
Editor Rod axd Gun: 
I noticed in a recent number of The American Sportiman, a 
communication from Wolverine, in which he inquires for the sci- 
entific name of the “8now Birds," now used eo much in trap-shoot- 
ing, as substitutes for pigeons, and as there are others, doubtless, 
who would like to be assured in the matter, I venture to give the 
information. 
The birds used at Chicago, where I think the practice of snow 
bird shooting originated are of two species, the PUctrophan€» ni- 
talif, Meyer, and PUctropfianes lappottiaa^ Selby. Both of these 
birds are veiy abundant on the prairie of Illinois, imd large numbers 
of them are caught in nets and kept alive in bams or cages until 
wanted. 
In addition to the foregoing, the Shore Lark, Eremophila aJpes- 
Boie, often finds its way into the traps of sportsmen. C. £. 
Duck Season in Ohio. 
Jepperson, O., March 27. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
Section 2 of an “Act to protect certain birds and game" passed and 
tookeflect (in Ohio) April 20, 1874, reads as follows : “ It shall be 
unlawful for any person in any place to catch, kill, or injore, or to 
pureue with intent^ * * * *bloe wing teal, mallow or wood 
duck, or any other wild dock, wild goose or brant, at any time be- 
tween the “ first day of January and the first day of September." 
In this part of the Slate this “act" pretty effectually cuts off our 
duck shooting, for the reason that but few ducks come here during 
tae fall, while in the month of March and fore part of April wc have 
a good many, and would have some fine spoi ting if the law per- 
riittea it. The sportsaien here generally desire to have the law 
amended, so as to extend the shooting sea<^on to say April 15 or 20. 
Are there any objections to having the time extended as aforesaid . 
If so, we would like to have the reasons therefor through the 
colanms of Tor Bod AND Gun. A. W. S. 
% 
