8 
-A-pril 3 
Wilbur F. Parker, - - Editor and Proprietor. 
Term of Subscription,; Four DoUars a year in adoanee. 
The Rod ahd the Gch can be obtained from aU News Dealers. 
SATIRDAY APRIL 3, 1875. 
The Postage on this paper is pre-paid to subscribers in the 
United States. 
Persons sending money to this office, by means of Money Orders 
should invariably make the same payable to The Rod asd 
The Guh, at the West Meriden P. O. 
AU oommunications must be accompanied by the fuU name of the 
writer and addreesed to 
THE ROD AXD THE GUX. 
West Meriden. Conn. 
^^W« earnestly request all our contributors to adopt the plan in 
re'mrd to the nse of scientific names which some of them have 
already adopted, viz; to PRIXT aU such names legibly in the manu- 
script, as this wiU prevent error by giving the compositor plain copy 
to follow. Above aU things we say, do not venture upon the nse 
of scientific names at aU unless certain of their accnracy. 
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBEE. 
Page. Page 
Our Xew Name 1 Volume VI 8 
National Sportsmen Conven- How can Sportsmen Ex- 
tion 1 change Ideas 8 
A BUzxard 2 Enforce the Laws 8 
Recollections of Marajo Boone to Wahkonza 9 
Island 2-3 Acrobats of the Sea 9 
The Rifle 4-5 Coming Stole Conventions.. 9 
The North-Woods of Maine — Western Items 9 
No. 7 8 Sportsman's Library Table.. 10 
Ch^eleons — Their Habits ^ptogus 10 | 
and Color-Changes 6 Letters from Sportsmen 10-11 
Sterna Portlandica 7 Pigeon Matches 12 
More about the Florida Bur- Queries end Answers 12 
rowing Owl 7 
VOLU.WE AI. 
THE ROD AND THE GUX. 
In commencing a new volume we have thought it ex- 
pedient to substitute the title of The Rod and the Gcs 
for our old time name of The American Sportsman. 
The word sportsman has become an almost technical 
term, implying a far wider range of amusement, both 
outdoor and indoor, active and sedentary, than we ever 
proposed to ourselves to advocate or illustrate. Our 
very able contemporaries, 2he Turf, Field and Farm 
and Spirit of the Times have taken the whole field of 
amusement into their keeping. In the course of our 
editorial career with The American Sportsman we 
have from time to time experienced some inconvenience 
from the extent of ground our title was supposed to 
cover, and we have been under a constant necessity of 
asserting ourselves as desiring to work in a circle, 
which, if seemingly limited, was at any rate wide 
enough for our ambition. We were the only paper “de- 
voted exclusively to shooting, fishing,” and incident- 
ally “to natural history and game preservation,” and 
yet we were constantly asked wh}"^ our titlecovered a so 
much wider range of topics. To put ourselves right with 
our readers, and with those who desire to support a 
shooting and fishing jou'Dal, we have taken a new 
name which places our purpose and calling beyond any 
manner of question. 
The same principles which characterized The Ameri- 
can Sportsman will be maintained in The Rod and 
the Gun. We shall maintain a strenuous advocacy of 
game and fish preservation and protection; we shall 
insist on fair sport; we shall promote good fellowship 
and kindly intercourse among gentlemen sportsmen, 
with a proper respect for the rights and feelings of land- 
owners. 
Our columns will be as heretofore, a record of pro- 
ceedings for natural history, fish culture or sportsmen’s 
societies. 
Our list of contributors will be found in another 
column, and we need only refer to the illustrious names 
mentioned to convince our readers that there will be no 
falling ofi in the excellent qnality of our reading matter. 
l\'e have already received so many kind words and 
friendly assurances in answer to the announcement 
made in our last issue, that we have no doubt of ap- 
proval for the change of name from the majority; but 
it is natural that some should cling to the old title. Of 
them we would ask a continuance of support for The 
Rod and the Gun, if only for their kindly memories 
of Tb£’ American Sportsman. 
HOW FAX SPORTSWEX EXCHAXGE IDEAS! 
The free exchange of opinion among sportsmen in 
all parts of the country is a matter of great interest and 
importance. Discussion is the best way to promote 
and advance the best interests of all true sportsmen. 
Fishers and fowlers are scattered all over the land; they 
live at a distance from each other, every man must take 
his holiday as times and seasons permit; he picks up 
experience as he goes, and until very recently there 
was no medium whereby facts could be communicated 
or opinions exchanged. Of course a man could always 
tell a “ fish story ” to a party of friends, just as he can 
now, but such a circle is necessarily limited, and does 
not help much to extend information. Such open 
council as “ The Letters from Sportsmen,” in these col- 
umns, does more in one issue for the diffusion of know- 
ledge and the enjoyment of interesting experience than 
a year’s fore-gatherings in a social way. Xay more, if 
a hunter knew of a lick or an angler of a good stream, 
the old fashion was to keep it to himself; now a more 
generous sentiment prevails, and he has not only the 
will, but the easy means of telling his good fortune and 
sharing it with others. The local clubs are places in 
which sportsmen can meet each other on an equal and 
friendly footing. Instead of a man going off alone to 
shoot or fish, gleaning his knowledge by scanty bits, and 
having none to s> mpathize with his good luck or mishap, 
or to gather wisdom from his experience, he can, at his 
club, impart and receive information, gather up and 
record incidents, and profit from association — the great 
principle of human progress. 
The National Sportsmen’s Association will be the 
great exponent of ideas for all sportsmen. Everyman 
that ever goes out for a day’s shooting or fishing is 
directly interested in the best mode of protecting the 
arts from which he draws his pleasures, while ever}' 
citizen is interested in the animals which are the objects 
of the sportsman’s skill. In the National Sportsmen’s 
Aasociation the sportsman will find his means of im- 
pressing his ideas on the general public and particu- 
larly on the legislators and other representative men. 
The individual sportsman finds his means of communi- 
cation in the local club and the state convention, but 
above all in a free and honest press. IVe urge on 
sportsmen the duty of keeping up an active intercourse 
with each other, and we invite them to continue their 
contributions to “The Letters from Sportsmen.” 
The New Jersey Fish Commission consists of Dr. B. 
P. Howell, J. R. Shotwell, and G. A. Anderson. We 
have just received their fifth report for 1874. The 
spring of last year was late, and the shad fishing in the 
Delaware was so plentiful that the price fell to $6.50 
per hundred in Philadelphia. The observance of the 
fishing law has led to an increased weight in fish. On 
May 11 occurred the heaviest run kno'wn in eighteen 
years. The largest shad weighed nine, with an 
average of four and a half pounds. The protection is 
nevertheless but parliil, owing to difliculties of juris- 
diction between the thiee States on the Delaware river. 
The remarks on fishways are of much interest. In the 
Non-tidal Department a great improvement in the take 
is observable, which is clearly referable to the more 
energeiic enforcement of the law. It is gratifying to 
learn that the fishermen themselves appreciate the ef- 
forts of the Commissioners, and are willing to co-op- 
erate in breaking up illegal practices. A detail of the 
operations in the different counties are given, which 
confirms the general review of the beneficial results. It 
need only be added that the financial statement shows 
an expenditure of $1100 for all this good work. We 
presume that wages and travelling expenses are carried 
to some other account, but in any case the outlay^is 
absurdly small. 
The Worcester Sportsmen’s Club held theijp first an- 
nual meeting on Wednesday evening, March 24, and 
under the new constitution and by-laws, Dana K. 
Filch was elected to the office of second Vice-President. 
The Executive Committee were authorized to obtain 
legal advice in regard to enforcing the present game 
and fish laws, and to recommend some desirable place 
for the practice of the club. The next meeting will be 
held April 7. 
The Queens Co., L. I. Agricultural Society have no- 
1 Rifled us tiiat their next show will be held Thursday, 
.June 16. “ The show of dogs which proved so attract- 
ive at the annual fair,,willbeoneof the main attractions 
of the Spiing exlwbitiou. 
/ EXFORfE THE LAWS. 
If there has been one topic which we have persist- 
ently urged on all sportsmen, it is that to the duty of 
observing the law they should add the kindred obliga- 
tion of enforcing its observation on others. The very 
existence of sporting as a pursuit hangs on the preser- 
vation of game and fish m such abundance and under 
such conditions as shall furnish to the sportsman the 
means of continuing the favorite occupation at his leis- 
ure. How ridiculous then, for a man who really acts 
out his own views of right reason and social duty, to 
stand idly by and fola his hands when he sees those du- 
ties of which he is so careful, openly and deliberately 
broken and set aside by others, and not only to his own 
personal disadvantage but to the loss and injury of all 
his fellowmen. 
Almost the first issue of this paper contained our pro- 
test against this supineness. W e have urged the formation 
of sportsmen’s clubs, firstly, because it is always well 
that those who are bound together in a common interest 
should have some external evidence of their union; but 
the most cogent argument in favor of sportsmen’s clubs 
is, not that they may exchange views and know each 
other, but that they may act with the force which co- 
operation gives against market hunters and other habi- 
tual depredators to whom the law is as nothing. It is 
always an invidious and unpleasant office for any one 
man to attempt to reform a district, and to put the law 
in operation against,evildoers; it requires the combined 
strength of numbers, and the encouragement of public 
opinion to undertase the ungracious function of a pub- 
lic prosecutor. 
The law and the officers of the law must always be 
weak and ineffectual unless upheld by the voice of the 
community. We expect to be obliged to revert to this 
question again and agaio,but wecall on every sportsman 
to inform the local club or the state association of the 
infractions of law, and at least to lend a helping hand 
if he lacks the courage or ability to proceed in person 
against the pot hunter and game destroyer. 
The Minnesota Fish Commissioners’ Report is be- 
fore us. The Commissioners are Dr. David Day, and 
Messrs. Horace Austen and A. W. Latham. After a 
brief reference to ancient and modern fish culture, the 
report reviews its growth in the United States, and calls 
attention to the economic and hygienic value of 
fish as an article of food, rich as it is in phosphates, and 
readily supplying the waste of our excessive brain 
activity, while its commercial value, might be increased 
to an incalculable amount. Minnesota with her 1,600,- 
000 acres of water surface might raise over six millions 
of fish values annually, if only as imperfectly managed 
as French fish culture. The .species uuited for Minne- 
sota are enumerated, in which whitefish, salmon, and 
trout are prominent, with other varieties in the second 
rank. 
The question of laws is handh.d vigorously and their 
want of uniformity pointed out. “ They are empirical, 
and have no coherence or general design.” The doings 
of the Commission are rather preliminary. They have 
pul 80,000 shad fry into the Mississippi; these w ere ob- 
tained from Professor Baird. 160,000 California salmon 
eggs were obtained and distributed, and the result is 
40,000 or 50,000 young Salmon. An unsuccessful at- 
tempt was made to obtain whitefish frorq Lake Superior 
anrt, although the immediate result was failure, the ex- 
periment was redeemed by the experience gained, and 
they hope for “ better luck next time.” An eflective 
commission can be worked for $5000 a year, just one 
cent a head for the population. 
The Buckeye Shooting Club, Warren, Ohio, on 
March 2 elected the following officers for the ensuing 
year- O. B. Fullam, President; W. A. Birchard, Vice- 
Pres. ; S. C. Iddings, Sec. ; C. W. Tyler, Tieas. ; N. B. 
Tyler, D. C. Stewart and F. I. Freeman, Directors. 
The following members were appointed delegates to at- 
tend the National Sportsmen’s Association, to beheld at 
Cleveland, Ohio, in June next: W. D. Phelps, W. A. 
Birchard, S. C. Iddings, Geo. North and F. Freeman. 
Dog- Whip's imported Field Trial setter dog 
“ Leicester” will not be put to public stud. His owner 
deems it necessary to state this in answer to many let- 
ters of enquiry lor his services. 
The “Rod and Gun Club” of Springfield, Mass., 
have voted to hold a bench show of dogs in that city the 
last week in April, 
