1875 
73 
viously, D’O . and I had bagged nineteen birds in a 
couple of hours. No such luck on xhis occasion, bow 
ever, as owing to the dryne.ss of the season the birds 
were scarce. Keeping the dogs to heel until the spot 
was reached, we leisurely crossed the farms, getting 
into cover, “ Hold up good dogs,” set them to work 
“Bang, marsh, marsh, cock,” told a tale of a bird 
missed. Now another is flushed and falls to Frank, 
again one rises to me and a second time is missed. 
“The mischief is in the luck, it seems.” .“Never mind, 
old fellow, try again and be more careful,” advice 
quickly followed, and soon I bag a couple of birds. 
Now the dogs begin to be a little rash, and range too 
far from the gun, requiring some 'talking to, and some 
whip as well. No more birds in Gaynor’s and we 
move to Moore’s where I killed a cock weighing ten 
ounces, the biggest I ever saw. Frank gets a ruffed 
grouse. Another move to widow 8iacj'’s farm, 
where we pick up three more birds, two to 
Frank and one to me. I am getting the 
roughest part of the work, having to keep close to 
the dogs and crawl through the brush wherever they 
go, and find the shooting deuced hard, though I get 
more chances they are difficult ones, and my score is 
decidedly bad. Frank judiciously skirts the edge ahead 
of the dogs and bags nearly all that comes his way. 
"We then went down to the bank of a small river that 
has points of brush every here and there, and picked up 
another couple. Crossing the stream at a ford, Jim, 
who went with us to keep us from losing our way, 
called out, “ Shoot that crow !” Frank and I each gave 
it a barrel, firing together, killing it of course. All of a 
sudden we heard an awful row, and an old Frenchman 
threatened io arrest us for shooting his tame crow. He 
said that it had been brought up as a chicken in the 
house. I offered to pay for it as a chicken, and settle 
the matter amicably. However, that would not suit, 
and as he was inclined to be abusive, I told him to go 
to anywhere he liked. A mile or two further on we 
beat another cover, picking up two more birds. Then 
as we had a good distance to walk, we struck across the 
lots for home, picking up a couple of partridges or 
ruffed grouse eii route, getting home a little before dark, 
with, I think, 11 cock and 3 partridges, pretty well tired 
out, and both hungry and thirsty. We listsned to 
many pleasant yarns from old Mr. Hope who had 
lived upwards of forty years on the same farm, and had 
killed many a deer and bear on it in former years, and 
laughed heartily at his story of an attempt at fire-hunt- 
ing when he succeeded in shooting his neighbor’s ox in 
mistake for a deer. As we were pretty tired and had to 
leave very early in the morning, we did not stay up late, 
but went to roost early. We were firmly convinced 
that cock shooting in October over spaniels was very 
good fun, but very hard work for the man who worked 
the dogs, and that except in certain very thick covers 
more birds would be bagged over pointers or setters. 
P. S.— Two cock I killed weighed respectively ten 
ounces and nine and three-quarter ounces, or nineteen 
and three-quarters the brace. 
NATIONAL SPORTS.IIEN’S CONVENTION— 
CLEVELAND, 0., JUNE 8, 1875. 
We propose to give a list of delegates from the 
various State Associations to the National Convention 
to be held at Cleveland in June next. To this end we re- 
quest the Secretary of each State Association to forward 
us names of delegates as, and when, they may be ap- 
pointed. We have occasionally received letters disclos- 
ing mistaken views as to the nature and objects of the 
National organization. We are very sure that all intel- 
ligent sportsmen who take any' pains to enquire into the 
subject will not have any hesitation in giving their 
hearty support to both the National and the State Asso- 
ciations, of which the National is composed. To re- 
move any doubts, however, we give the following ex- 
tract from the proceedings of the National at Niagara 
in September last: 
Resolved, That its precedent is, first, the protection of 
game and fish in all the Slates and Territories, by pro- 
curing the passage in each State, and in the Congress of 
the United States, of uniform co-operation and consis- 
tent laws, strictly prohibiting their destruction during 
the bree<ling, nesting and spawning seasons, and rea- 
sonable lime preceding and following the same. Pro- 
hibiting the capture and destruction of ceitain species 
of game birds in nets and traps during auy’ and all -sea- 
sons; prohibiting the catching and destruction of fish, 
in the now navigable lakes and stream.s, with nets or by 
means of chemicals; prohibiting the obstructing of the 
free passage of fish by nets across such streams, and by 
the creation of fish-dams and traps ; and to procure the 
passage of such other and further legislation as may' he 
necessary' and proper for the full accomplishment of our 
purpose; second, through subordinate organizations, to 
insure a rigid enforcement of all the game and fish pro- 
tection laws now or hereafter to be enacted; third, to 
secure by and through proper legislation the right of 
property in useful hunting dogs, making them, when 
stolen, the subject of larceny, or when wantonly killed 
or maimed the subject of a misdemeanor; fourth, to 
secure, through and by proper legislation, the passage 
of laws prohibiting at any time and season the killing 
or destruction of all song and non-game birds; to or- 
ganize and consolidate under our State juristiiction, 
game and fish protective clubs or associations in each 
State and Territory, to act under the jurisdiction of the 
National Association, in securing and enforcing proper 
protective legislation. 
Resolved, 'That all naturalists, fish culturists, and 
sportsmen generally in those States having no a.s.soci 
ations be, and are hereby, earnestly requested without 
delay to organize local clubs therein, to form State As- 
sociations under the jurisdiction of the National Asso- 
ciation, and that all State organizations nose existing and 
operating be and are solicited to become members of this As- 
sociation, so that by unity of action throughout the land 
we may accomplish and perpetuate the great reform 
designed and desired. 
LIST OF DELEGATES. 
CosNECTiCDT. — H. J. Bougliton, Waterbury; AV. F 
Pa-ker, West Meriden; A. C Hobl'S, Bridgeport; Henry 
B. Harrison, New Haven; F. W. Russell, Hartford. 
Illinois. — W. F. Alilligan, Chicago; Hon. S. P 
Hopkins, Palatine; Altner Price, Chicago; Dr. AV". A 
Pratt, Elgin; Jno. L. Pratt, Sycamore. 
AIassachusetts. — John Boyden, Worcester; Luthei 
Adams, Boston; Hon. E H. Lathrop, Springfield; Geo 
Delano, New' Bedford; T. L. Sturtevant, Framingham 
AViscoxsin. — H. N. Sherman, Beloit: S. S. AA''ood 
ward, AVatertown; A. F. Lund, Madison; F. AA'^. AA'ood 
ward, Eau Claire; C. W. Henning, Waupun. 
Ohio. — Buckey'e Club, AA’^arren. — AA'. D. Phelps. AA’. 
D. Birchard, S C. Iddings, Geo North, andF. Freeman. 
New Ha.mpshire. — John B. Clarke, AA’'aterman 
Smith, Albert G. Dole, Geo. Bisco of Manchester; 
AVilliam Jarvis of. Claremont. 
CO.IIINW STATE CONVENTIONS. 
New York Association foi*the Protection of Fish and 
Game will hold its next annual meeting at AA'atertown, 
N. Y. Day' not y'et announced. 
Ohio State Sportsmen’s Association, will hold its an- 
nual meeting in Cleveland on the 7th June next. 
Kentucky State Sportsmen’s Association will hold its 
first annual meeting at Paris, Ky., May 18. 
AA’'e request early notice of all meetings. 
TO SP0RTS.1IEN. 
We remind our readers that this is the only paper in 
the country which deals exclusively with gunning, fish- 
ing and the protection of fish and game. AVe believe 
that in our gunning and fishing, our game preservation, 
our fish culture and our natural history, w'e have a 
line of subjects that are of permanent interest. AA'^e 
honestly believe that our paper should be in the hands 
of every man, not only with a view to our own gain, 
hut also to our increased usefulness. It has been sug- 
gested to us that we should do well to reduce our sub- 
scription price. On consideration we have determined 
to take another course. The Rod and the Gun is 
already lower in price than any other paper. It is well 
known to most of our friends that money profit is not 
the chief motive with which this paper is run, although 
as a business undertaking it must pay before it is en- 
titled to be called really useful. In place then of re- 
ducing the price we think we shall do more good by 
making such additions to the paper as will increase its 
value and attractiveness. 
To this end we ask each and everyone of our sub- 
scribers to send us at least one new subscriber. One sin- 
gle name is not much. Every sportsman can afford to 
pay eight cents a week. In this way our circulation 
would be doubled, and a list of twenty thousand names 
would make us a power in the land. 
Homo writes us that he claims the name of “Pride of 
the Border, Jr.,” for his black, white and tan dog sent 
him April 24 by' Chas. H. Raymond, Alorrislown, N J., 
said whelp being out of Lavcrack’s “Fairy” by Laver- 
ack's “ Pride of the Border.” 
A Land and Water corres-i*ndent advances the notion 
that canine rubies is induced by docking and cropping 
tail and ears. He refers to the immunity of full tailed 
dogs in tropical countries as a fact favoring his sugges- 
tion. Is that BO? 
California Pak'ikidge are too plentiful for the vine- 
yard. They like grapes. 
A handsome table of winners at the N. Y. State 
Sportsmen’s Convention, from 1865 to 18'(4, has been got 
up by Mr. John B. Sage, The rollof honor shows that 
the prizes are pretty equally distributed, Buffalo. Roch- 
ester, and Syracuse taking the precedence. 
Du. Sterling suggests in letters from sportsmen that 
a good book could be made from Dr. Lincecum’s letters 
and other articles of science and adventure in our col- 
umns. AA’e have our hands full just now, but we make 
a note of it. 
The AYohcester, (Mass.,) Sportsman’s club have 
obtained the use of grounds near Jourdan’s pond for 
trap and rifle shooting. They will erect a club house 
and targets 
The Glasgow dog show is reported as the best show 
ever held in Scotland. Alost of the winning dogs had 
already been distinguished. 
Mr. Charles Linden, an able sportsman and accom- 
plished naturalist, gives his views about woodcock 
summer shooting in another column. 
John Kkider has gone AA''est. He reports 55 snipe 
as a good day’s shoot, within a couple of hours from 
Philadelphia City Hall. 
Shad have been taken in the Upper Mississippi. They 
are probably the offspring of the spawn planted there 
bv Seth Green in 1872-3. 
Nova Scotia is awake to the extirpation of cariboo. 
The Halifax Game Society is working for a restrictive 
law. 
The rule deducting points for lopped tails will not 
be enforced at AA'atertown dog show. 
AA'oodcock ate announced as numerous, from various 
parts of Ahc country. 
AA'ild Pigeons have passed over Lake Erie in vast 
flocks. 
The Springfield Dog Show came off AVednesday 
and Thursday last. Particulars in our next. 
Jno. ay. Munson, Secretary Missouri Sportsmen’s 
Club, St. Louis, writes us a follows: 
“ Nell,” a handsome Chesapeake du'k bitch, one of 
the purest of her breed in the state of Alaryland: in 
whelp to Mr. Joe Turner .Ir.’s dog “ Old Joe,” another 
pure blood of considerable local reputation in Baltimore; 
came to me by expiess on the 2d of this month, and 
w helped on the following day, a healthy litter of five — 
all doing well. T ese, with a young dog of the same 
strain which I have in training up the Alississippi river 
I believe are the only Chesapeake duck dogs in this 
state. I hope our AVestern sportsmen will some day, 
not far distant, find by trying them, how far superior 
they are for water-fowl shooting, to all other dogs. 
Their courage and endurance are wonderful, and their 
intelligence unsurpassed. Tliey will remain the whole 
day in the water and never seem to mind it more than if 
it were their native element. I regret not forming the 
acquaintance of your Alessrs. Parker and Banks as they 
passed through here. Mr. Dorman, of Hannibal, was 
with them here for a day. 
I BY OUR OWN COKIlESPONnENTS ] 
Chicago— Why we can’t have some law in this Stale to protect 
our fish from wholesale destruction during spawning time, is one ot 
those things “ what no lellah can’t find out.” Yet it is a fact that 
unless some protection is ofi'ered them, it will, before half a dozen 
years, be good bye lo all of them, except perhaps, in lake Michigan. 
The past winter caused ice to form deeper than for years before, 
and judging from the immense number of bass, pickerel, perch, etc., 
killed by it, a large portion of the inhabitants of Fox, Calumet, 
Wolf and Kankakee rivers must have departed this life some time 
between December and March Isi. Well, no sooner was the ice ont 
than nets of all kinds, shapes and forms Nvere run out and fish 
going to spawn, caught by the boat-load, seines drawn and the fish 
loaded with eggs, in company with myriads of small bass and pick- 
erel, too little for use, drawn ashore, those large enough for eating, 
to be shipped to market, and the small ones, to be left to die and 
decay. (1 have seen barrels-full in a single place, that in a year or 
two would have been of good size if allowed to live,) and men called 
sportsmen joined in the wholesale destruction by taking a hand in 
“fisu-shooting” as the pickerel came to spawn, and they have shot 
the past spring more pickerel twice over than will be taken with 
book and line for the next six months. One Nvho shall be nameless 
glories in having killed some '250 pounds. Another, in a single hour 
shot over twenty fish, the smallest of which would wei;,h over three 
pounds, and the largest ten, and so on almost ivfinih/m. Every 
fish being full of spawn, and every one thus taken hivolving the 
OSS of hundreds to the inhabitants of our lakes and streams. 
Verily our game laws arc a marvel. Ducks and snipe piotected be- 
fore they arrive, and fish which are Ns'ith ue all the year, allowed to 
be slaughtered just at the time when any one but a pot-hunter or 
fisher, would spare them, and our poor State Association seems 
utterly unable to help the matter any There is no local news, ex- 
cept that the regular monthly shoot of the Gun-club takes place on 
Thursday next, and they have 1,000 wild pigeons en-route for the 
occasion. There has been no trap-shooting during the puet week 
and all the field shooting ha^* been done in Iowa, where some very 
good bags uf snipe have been m^de* 
