216 
J'al'T' 3 
' 4.^ '"Kt '‘flT IrS^J ''^■K-®«'.S^ '‘^ 4 ^’ h S- Ss!I~. • 
Wilbur F. Parker, - - Editor and Proprietor. 
TUB OIJXT JOUSNAL PUBLISHED IN THB UNITED STATES 
DeTOted ExclusiTcly to 
fHOOTING, FISHING, NATURAL HISTORY, FISH CIXTURK, 
AND THE PROTECTION OF FISH AND GAME. 
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Persons sending money to this office, by means of Money Orders 
should Invariably make the same pataele to The Rod axd 
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AU communications must be accompanied by the full name §/■ the 
writer and addressed to 
THE ROD AND THE GUN. 
West Meriden, Conn. 
We earnestly request all our contributors to adopt the plan in 
regard to the use of scientific names which some of them have 
already adopted, viz; to PRINT all such names legibly in the manu- 
script, as this will prevent error by giring the compositor plain copy 
to follow. Above all things we say, do not venture upon the use 
of scientific names at all unless certain of their accuracy. 
SATURDAY JULY 3, 1875, 
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. 
Page. Page 
The Sparrow Dawk or Amcri- Library Table 215 
can Kestril . 2^10 Victory 21fi 
Polar Explorations 210 Targets 216 
Reminiscences 211 In Union There is Strength.. 216 
The Rifle 212 Tbe Mineola Bench Show.. . 216 
A Fisherman's Fall 214 Letters from Sportsmen.... 218 
Mahseer Fishing in India 214 Tn*es and Tree-Planting.... 219 
On the Kankakee * 214 >almon Fishing in Labrador. 219 
Seth Green 213 Pigeon Matches 22j 
t^ueries and Answers 215 
VRTORV. 
The result of the Irish- American contest has taken 
many of us hy surprise. “With the fullest confidence 
in the personal and collective merits of the Ameri- 
can team, everj^ one who examined the chances of 
the contest with an impartial ej-e to circum- 
stances was hound to believe that tbe Americans fouiht 
at 8 disadvantage. Away from home, after a long 
voyage, change of climate, the temptations to indul- 
gence, and sense of the enormous resjjonsiliilit}', proved 
an array of hostile condilious that might well c;'.use tlic 
scale to turn against them from tlie very beginning, "i'o 
learn, therefoie, that iu spile of all obstacles and liiu- 
tli auces they' have advanced steadily and firmly from 
one point to anotlicr, until .it last they have won the 
crown, is a source of unbounded satisfaction to all of 
us. As the result is a surprise so is it a more intense 
pleasure. Had they lost, even as the Irishmen have 
lost, it would still have been an honorable issue, hut as 
they win, words are wanting to express the admiration 
and gratification felt by' all of us who have waited rfo 
this glorious issue. 
In thus proclaiming our profound conviction of the 
American Team’s splendid merits, we think something 
is also due to the arm with which they' did the work. 
The Americans all shot breech-loaders, the Irish used 
muzzle-loaders. Experts and critics are for the most 
part compelled to give iu their adhesion to the excel- 
lence of the breech-loader. But they do it grudgingly; 
the verdict of superiority is painfully extorted hy the 
irrefutable logic of facts to which the public submit 
with unwillingness, wishing all the while that it were 
only' otherwise. The hre, eh loader is convenient; yes, 
but— it is easy to handle; yes, but— it is safe; yes, bui- 
lt shoots sure — ah, there now, it is agaiust common 
sense to believe a breech-loader is us sure as a muzzle- 
loader; it will take facts to make me believe that. 
Just .so. Xow we have facts and figures. 'J'he Dolly- 
mount victory settles the point. 
THE T.IREETS. 
TVe had made preparations for giving the full patterns 
to our readers. But on comparing the markings and 
scores given hy the Associated Press and in the leading 
journals, we find such diilereuces that we prefer to 
wait until we receive the actual diagrams from our 
special. The differences are doubtless owing to the 
rapidity with which the scores were made, and the dif- 
ficulty of communicating an accurate pattern hy tele- 
gram. Some of the patterns do not even agree with the 
scores in number or position. 
The Rod AND Grs being scrupulously reliable in all 
its details, prefers to wait rather than have an unreliable 
record. 
IT IM0.\ THERE IS STREXRTII. 
When over a year ago the INational Association, for 
which we have so earnestly labored, was launched into 
existence, not few were the predictions that no good 
would result from such an organization. Our own con- 
temporaries claimed that it was too unwieldy, and that 
as it could only work through its branches, tbe individual 
State Associations, these alone weresuflicient for all pur- 
poses, and so urged the formation of Slate bodies and 
the abandonment of tbe general scheme. Anothei 
journal would fain centralize all power in Xew York, 
and labored with all its influence to establish an asso- 
ciation there, having only in part the same objects we 
proposed for the grand national hcniy. Single-handed 
we urged our plan till popular attention was aroused, 
and a popular verdict iu favor of the experiment was 
given. This experiment was tried, and the late con- 
vention at Cleveland showed how just had been our ap- 
preciation of the needs of American sportsmen. In one 
short y’ear this National Association has sprung up 
from a mere conception into a powerful body, whose 
influence is recognized all over the country. From 
New England on the East to Texas on the West came 
delegates, and eighteen Sti.tes, half the L'nion, gathered 
in council, lent the wisdom of tlieir picked representa- 
tis'cs to the consideration of measures hy which sports- 
men can be improved through their sports, and the 
gifts of bountiful nature be preserved from waste and 
utter destruction at the hands of ignorant and lawless 
men. 
AVe rejoice heartily and sincerely at this grand success 
of the National Association, not from selfish motives, 
but because it has proved a real benefit to tlie friends 
whose interests wc have made our own for the last four 
years. Yet in the midst of our rejoicing we recognize 
the fact that fresh encouragement and fresh strength 
must be added, if we would not see tbe hands that 
labor grow weary and nervele>s in the great task that is 
accomplished. Eighteen Elates were in council, hut 
where was the the rest of the Union? There is not a 
single State which has not a kindred interest with all 
the rest; not one wlif)..c game does not need protection, 
and whose siiorlsmeii cannot lie iiniimvcd or do some- 
thing for the ini|)iovemeiil uf olliers. As there is no 
power to enact one universal game law foi the entile 
union, and a-s such a law would any way be m.mtfeslly 
unjust to those States where birds can he found only at 
time when they have left oiber sections, equitable and 
sensible leafislation can only he obtained by mutual 
agreement, and a common understanding airived at in 
a grand council, where the wants and peculiar features 
of eacti section are fairh- represented and di^ussed. To 
absent itself from the grand convention is for a Stale to 
not only neglect its own inii-rcsts, hut also to paralyze 
the efforts of otliers, by wiiliholding ihai co-operation 
which can alone produce efiicient action. 
It is difficult to fix a degree of usefulness to which the 
National Association cannot reach. It is not limited to 
a beneficial revision of the game laws, nor to the promo- 
tion of friendly, social intercourse in a large and culti- 
vated class of our citizens. These objects alone should 
commend it to the consideration of ail, hut it goes far 
be 3 'ond them. One of il.s juirposcs is to aid .science in 
eslahlishing a correct nomeiicl.itiire for our fauna, tlius 
helping to do aw:i\' with what ha-x long Lecii recognized 
as a serious evil h^’ all inlell’gi'iil classes. The article 
mi this subject read hefiU'e the late convculion i.s the 
first of a series t f ste|)S ou the path whieli s.ivans and 
sportsmen will hereafter tread togetli.’r, luutiiallv re- 
specting and assisting each oilier. 
AYe trust that the report of the late coiiveiiiioii .'-jiread 
broadcast all over the land, will dispel ^the last lin- 
gering doubt of the practical working of the association, 
and awaken the remaining States to the benefits they 
will derive from the formation of State organizations as 
branches of the National Association. The unhappj’ 
differences which ruptured the bonds of fraternal union 
are passing awaj- before the advance of a liberal policy, 
and soon geographical lines will cease to make discord- 
ant feelings. North and Sou ‘h. East and AVestwill 
meet upon equal footing and with perfect unanimity of 
purpose. That such concord is earnestly desired by all 
parties there can be no doubt, and it is equally c'r'ain 
that nothing will so tend to promote this as a yearly 
meeting of a great bod\' made up of the representatives 
of all portions of our country, for the purpose of 
mutual improvement, pleasure and practical benefit. 
During the year that now opens we trust these sugges- 
tions will be taken to heart, and that when the next 
convention assembles in Chicago we may find new dele- 
gates seeking admission, and new accessions to that 
strength which ii found ever most potint in a firmly 
united body. 
THE MIXEOLA BEXCH SHOW. 
On AA'edncsda 5 ' and Thuridac’last the Queens County 
L. I. Agricultural Societj' held their second annual 
bench show of dogs in connection with their horticul- 
tural exhibition, on their fair grounds at Alineola. It 
was expected that this would b ; the largest exhibition 
of dogs }'et held, in consequence of its close proximity 
to, and easy access from. New York, Brooklyn a'nd 
New Jersey, as also from Philadelphia, the southern 
counties of New York State, and portions of Connecti- 
cut and Massachusetts. But the number was anything 
but what it should have been, and is but another in- 
stance of the apathy 3 'et existing among many of our 
sportsmen on this subject. Though, besides dogs used 
for field sports, mastiffs, Newfoundlands, St. Bernards, 
gre 3 ’hounds, both large and small, shepherd dogs, spitz, 
terriers of a'l descriptions, and bull-dogs were included 
in the list of those for which premiums were offered, 
3 'et the number, all told, on exhibition, did not reach 
(60) sixt 3 '. AA'hy so few is difficult of explanation on 
au 3 ' other theor 3 ' except that AVednesday morning, with 
the dawn of day, the rain came dow'n in torrents, not 
an ordinary rain, but so drenching as to make one im- 
agine that the flood-gates of the heavens had been 
opened. It is not unreasonable therefore to suppose 
that occurring at the very time when most of those in- 
tending to take their dogs would be leaving home, and 
continuing up to late in the afternoon, its was the 
cause of the absence of several of the kennels which 
were expected to be there. 
As will be seen from the appended list of entries, the 
majority of the dogs are owned in the immediate vicin- 
ity, on Long Island. Air. Raymond did not have any 
of his' Laveracks there, since they are now' shed- 
ding their coals, and° were thcreforejnot considered by 
him fit for exhibition. Dr. Slrachan and Air. Salt- 
ers were also absent with their kennels. Air. Jenkins 
of Baltimore, who deserves much credit for his pluck 
and energ 3 ' in going the distance he does to exhibit for 
the sake of encouraging the growth of bench shows, 
was on hand w'ith his prett 3 ' Alice, his handsome San- 
cho, and his unsurpassable Ranger, a new importation 
from Idslone, in the opinion of the writer the darkest 
colored and finest i 3 'pe of the Red Irish Setter he has 
ever seen, Arnold Burges’ Rufus included, over which 
he lays as much as Rufus did before Ranger’s arrival, 
over the others of the same strain. Burges will have 
to haul his colors down if they ever meet at a bench 
show and are judged by men who are conversant with 
the characteristic good points of the breeds. But he 
will be able to console himself with second, which he 
doubtless will get. Ranger is said also to be as good 
and fast in the field as he is handsome. Air. Jenkins 
does not intend putting him in ifie public stud. 
The arrangements for the dogs were good, and cer- 
_tainly the association deserved better support from the 
owners of dogs than they received. 
Tlie number of visitors to the fair Thursday was very 
large, being some 16,000 drawn there by the various at- 
tractions offered; as besides the fioral and vegetable ex- 
hibition there was a plowing match in which there were 
prizes, ranging from $100 to $5, a sales fair for the sale 
of all kinds of stock, and a base hall tournament and a 
trotting match. A band of musicians were on hand 
each da 3 ' and enlivened the scene with dulcet strains. 
The dogs attracted their full share of alleutiou. Ever 3 '- 
body went to look at them, no matter what else they 
failed to see. 
The following is the list of entries and awards: Class 
1 st, which was for Laveracks cxclusivel 3 ', did not fill. 
Class 3. Red Irish ScllcLs. 1 . Ranger, imported; B. 
AV. Jenkins, Baltimore, Aid, 2. Tom, Hooker-Juno; 
K. G. AT'hite, College Poiitt, L. 1. 3. Lady, grouse-ta«x; 
H. P ■f’ai’ke, Bay Side, L. t .4- Belle, D'ck-Bf^a) 
