266 
July 31, 1875. 
LETTERS F ROM SPORTSMEfi. 
Plnnket. 
Xew York, July IT. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
Your welcomed paper was duly received. In look- 
ing over the same I noticed the arrival in this county of 
the Irish setter, “ Plunket,” having been purchased by 
your able correspondent, Dr. Goldsmith, whose interest- 
ing letters have so often appeared in the columns of the 
Rod and Gcx. Upon comparing the pedigree with the 
one in my possession, received from the Rev. I. C. 
JIacdona shortly after he had disposed of him to Mr. 
Llewellin, and also to the Kennel Club Stud Book, I 
find it is in some respects entirely different. Evidently 
there is a mistake somewhere. Perhaps j'our compositor 
has got the pedigree of some of the others of the Doctor’s 
importations mixed up with that of Piunket. 
Warwick. 
Note. — A pedigree is inclosed with which we are 
already familiar. We had noted some discrepancies 
between the pedigree as furnished by Dr. Goldsmith and 
another pedigree in our possession. But we take it 
Dr. Goldsmith is good authoritj', and so we “ followed 
copy ” rather than make any change on our own respon- 
sibility. — Ed. R. & G. 
California Sports. 
SACR.ViIESTO, C.\L., July 21. 
Editor Rod and Gun : 
I have just spent a couple of hours in the pleasant 
occupation of reading last week’s issue, which came 
“ the plains across” to this stepping-off place of civiliza- 
tion, and this morning smiles pleasantly at all wh ■ hap- 
pen before the counter of our leading news-dealer. 
Here in the Sacramento Valley we are just now in the 
midst of our heated term, the mercury getting up in the 
neighborhood of 86 and 90“ in the middle of the day 
(tailing in the evening to about 60). Well,- it is pretty 
hot to-day, but after getting my regular Sunday morn- 
ing shave, I could not turn homeward without going 
clear down town for my paper, which I knew had ar- 
rived by this morning’s train from the East. 
I find it one of the best numbers that has come to 
hand, and had its arrival been delayed I should have had 
a fit of the blues the rest of the day. As it is, my ardor 
for the field has been considerably stirred up, and I feel 
as if I shall have to shoulder my breech-loader to-mor- 
row and give the doves (our only small game at this 
season) a trial. Since I first subscribed for the Rod and 
Gcn, and handed it around to my friends, it has grown 
into favor here, and I notice that several copies are now 
taken in this city. 
After the 1.5th of September ’our quail and duck- 
shooting will commence, and judging from the number 
of breech-loaders that are finding their way lo this vicin- 
ity, a more vigorous war than ever before will be made 
upon the feathered tribe. Our valleys and foothills 
swarm with quail and rabbits, and higher up, along the 
Central Pacific Railroad, grouse and the larger “ mou n- 
tain quail” are plenty. But the vast tule beds, or 
swamps, which exist in all our valleys, are the points of 
greatest interest usually, being both the breeding and 
feeding-places for all kinds of ducks and water-fowl, 
ilany an afternoon during each winter or rainy season, 
(for it is not winter, really) have I started with a party 
of two or three good fellows for the ponds nearest the 
city, to have an evening’s sport. Here we can drive for 
five miles over one of the loveliest suburban roads that 
any city can boast of, put up at a tavern, and take our 
stands a few hundred yards distant on the duck passes. 
Mallard, canvas-back, pin-tail, teal, etc., abound in 
about equal numbers, and the sport can be varied in the 
spring by hunting snipe over the same ground, while 
waiting for the evening flight of ducks. I wish more 
of our Eastern friends would pay this coast a visit dur- 
ing the hunting season, for I am sure they would be de- 
lighted with it. 
Now, I am going to ask you a question or two. Is 
the Hegeman portable boat considered a success in the 
East? If so, it is just what is needed out here for win- 
ter sport. How do sportsmen and dog-breeders look 
upon a cross between the red Irish and Gordon black- 
and-tan setters? I have a bitch of the latter strain (per- 
haps not quite pure, but still beautifully marked, with 
coat as black as night, and glossy, white breast and 
toes, and perfect tan marks\ which I have bred to a 
dark-red dog of the Irish species— a good one — the 
issue of which was a litter of seven puppies — 
five of them red, one black and white, and one 
black, white and tan. I have kept one hand- 
some fellow (now two months old), which is of a 
light red, with star in forehead, white breast and toes, 
head broad and high, and long silky ears. He is strong, 
heavily coated, and appears to be remarkably intelli- 
gent. Even now he will retrieve anything that he can 
master, even to a basket as big as himself. Although an 
ardent lover of fleld sports and the sportsman’s best 
friend, the dog, I am not an expert, and would like to 
have you tell me, if you can, about what should be ex- 
pected of this youthful canine I have described. The 
sire, I am told by good authority, comes of first-class 
stock, and my bitch does, I know, on the side of her 
dam, and is without doubt of the Gordon class. 
What is the best and most lasting remedy for fleas on 
dogs? And in case of distemper, the best thing to ad- 
minister? Occident. 
Those Sparrows. 
Cleveland, July 2-L 
Editor Rod and Gln : 
This spring a pair of robins commenced a nest in an 
elm tree near my window; when nearly completed the 
foreign sparrows not only drove them away but destroy- 
ed the nest, using the most of the material for their 
own household work. The robins moved north across 
the street and commenced a nest eighty feet above the 
street, in a cotton-wood tree. In a few days this pes- 
tiferous bird drove the robins from their new house, 
and destroyed again their nest. 
A pair of orioles commenced their family work about 
the same time, on an elm tree adjoining. From morning 
until evening the chirrup chorus were teazing them. The 
orioles left in disgust, and what is left of their nest from 
the ravages of the sparrows, can now be seen — a few 
shreds of the abandoned home. 
We have in the vicinity of Cleveland the best of 
farmers from England and Ireland; their general re- 
mark is, “ We regret the introduction of this bird into 
this country.” E. Sterling, M. D. 
California. 
Iowa City, July 17. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
I have had a big tear in “California.” Four of us 
purchased a team and outfit for five weeks’ hunting and 
fishing. You may talk about your Long Branch, Sara- 
toga and a tour to Europe ! It faUs into insignificance 
before a trip of this kind, over those mountains, pulling 
out those fine trout; and then in the plains, after those 
Jack rabbits. Four of us knocked over twenty in less 
than an hour; and those beautiful top-knot quails, sage 
hens, interspersed occasionally with some fine duck- 
shooting. It is certainly the Paradise for sportsmen in 
the winter season. If some four good men would like 
to spend two or three months in the winter, I will be 
one of the party. Not knowing whether my K and G. 
has run out, 1 enclose ^2. Date me ahead. J. W. 
GUXS-BOKES— SHOOTING. 
BY J. W. LONG. 
It has become a very prevalent notion amongst sports- 
men of the present day, to consider that gun the best 
shooter and most desirable, which will, at a given dis- 
tance, deliver its load into the smallest area of surface — 
the force with which such load is delivered being a 
matter rarely questioned, or, at most, considered- as of 
secondary importance. On the opinion being expressed 
that it might be possible for a gun to shoot too “ close,” 
the common conceited remark is, “Well, you may 
think so, but I never yet found a gun that shot too 
close to suit me;” and this remark generally puts an end 
to further controversy. 
No trivial amount of bother is occasioned to gun- 
makers by many entertaining this notion, who, if they 
chance to find a gun which shoots closer than their own, 
usually send theirs to be “re-bored” to beat a stated, 
and perhaps almost impossible, pattern; for upon the 
form and character of the bore of a gun its shooting 
powers are mainly dependent; and ever since guns 
were first invented, numberless experiments have been 
and are now continually being made to determine just 
what the form of bore should be to produce the desired 
results. Only a few years ago, the most common 
method (which was discovered and generally adopted 
long before flint guns went out of date) was to “ relieve ” 
the bore; that is, enlarge it gradually toward the muzzle 
from a distance of five to fifteen inches from that end, 
varying in length and amount of relief in proportion to 
the length and calibre of the barrel. The theory of this* 
method, borne out, too, in practice, was that by easing 
the friction upon the shot as they passed out of the gun, 
the tendency existing in their passage from a plain 
cylinder to scatter irregularly was somewhat lessened. 
But nowadays, instead of relieving the muzzle to secure 
closeness of shooting, a directly opposite course, called 
“ choking,” is pursued — the muzzle being contracted 
and made smaller, or, a more common way, left its 
original size, and the barrel behind it enlarged by cutting 
away. This system has been found to insure closer 
shooting than can be obtained by any other method, 
but just who is rightfully entitled to the credit of 
originating it will probably never be determined. In 
England a great fuss has been made over it lately, 
several different gunmakers claiming the honor of its 
invention, but none being able to establish their claims 
in a rhanner at all satisfactory. The truth is, they are 
‘‘ way behind the times.” It is an American invention, 
and had been in use here years before it was introduced 
into England. I have positive proof that choke 
boring was practiced in the State of Rhode Island over 
thirty years ago. Twenty-five years ago a man named 
Haynes, of Waltham, Massachusetts, bored guns on this 
principle, and made them shoot equal to any bored at 
the present day. His first method was to bore out a 
shallow recess at the muzzle, and, after soldering a 
nicely fitting ring of similar metal therein, again re-bore 
this ring from the muzzle to the choke desired — this, 
because he had at that time no suitable tools for boring 
from the breech end; but he afterward procured a 
proper bit and bored his guns in the usual manner now 
employed. Ten years ago I, myself, choked a musket- 
barrel by heating the muzzle red hot, and afterward 
driving a tight-fitting ferrule upon it; this shot verj- 
close, but was rarely used, being an experiment. 
The oldest target records for choke bores in my pos- 
session are dated July 4, 1870. On that day I shot a 
single-barrel pigeon gun, 10-gauge, 9 lbs weight, made 
by J. Tonks, of Boston, and bored by him over two 
years before especially for a pigeon match in which the 
charge of shot was limited to one half ounce. -\t a dis- 
tance of 40 yards, measured, with a charge of 4 drs. 
powder (Dupont’s Duck Eagle No. 2), and 1 oz. Tat- 
ham’s No. 4 shot (then 151 pellets to oz.), 73 pellets at first 
shot and 68 at second, struck a target one foot square, 
with BB shot, 50 in charge, powder and distance the 
same; 29 pellets struck same sized target. The gun, I 
omitted to mention, was a muzzle-loader, which the 
editor of the London Field says “ choke-boring is not 
applicable to.” On August 6, same year, with breech- 
loader, made by Tonks, same charge as above, 60 pel- 
lets No. 4, at 40 yards, and 40 pellets same size at 50 
yards, struck target one foot square. June 24, 1871, 
with a second pigeon gun, muzzle-loader, same maker, 
at 40 yards, with 4 drs. FG Oriental powder, 1 oz. No. 
4 shot, put 73, 76, 55 and .54 pellets into foot-square, at 
successive discharges; also 27 BBs in same target, same 
conditions. This gun, as well as the first mentioned, I 
sent to F. Kimble, of Peoria, 111. At this time choke- 
boring was comparatively unknown in the Western sec- 
tion of this country, and ihese guns, I am satisfied, were 
largely instrumental in introducing a general knowledge 
of its principles there; for, during the excitement, the 
extraordinary shooting powers of these guns occasioned 
in that section, a fellow, whose name now escapes me, 
at Young America (where Kemble was then stopping), 
took out a patent for a cutting bit, and learning from 
Kimble the principles upon which the guns were bored, 
he went about the country selling his bit, and teaching 
gunmakers how to use it, meeting with such good suc- 
cess that now hardly a gunshop about the upper valley 
of the Mississippi can be found without one. .As to the 
merits of the bit I shall say nothing, except that, had 
gunmakers thereabouts knowji of the free-for-all bit 
in use here very few would have cared to pay him the 
fifteen dollars charged. 
I have often regretted that I did not secure records of 
these guns at 30-inch targets, as then I could more read- 
ily show their superiority over the best guns yet exhib- 
ited in any of the great public gun trials; for superior 
they were to a certainty, a two-foot circle being very 
often suflicient to contain almost the entire pattern at 
40 yards. I have, however, within a month seen Green- 
er’s best public targets beaten by a 12-gauge, 7-pound 
gun, made and bored by W. R. Schafer, of Boston, last 
year. Only two eltoU were fired, the right barrel target- 
ing 218, and the left 247, No. 6 Newcastle chilled shot 
in 30-inch circle, at 40 yards. In the thickest place on 
these targets,81 pellets were contained in one foot square; 
