392 
Sept. 25, 1875. 
(Latk the AMERICAN SPORTSMAN), 
Published by the Rod and the Gun Association. 
WILLIAM HUMPHREYS Editor. 
T. C. BAXKS, Business Manages. 
S. H. TURUILL, Chicago Manages. 
THE OXLT JOURNAL IX THE EXITED STATES 
DETOTBD EXCLU8TTFLT TO 
SHOOTIXG. FISHIXG. XATI'RAL HISTORY. FISH CULTTRE 
AXD THE PROTECTIOX OF FISH AXD GAME. 
TEBilS liF SUBSCElPriO.\: $4.00 A rE\R IX APVAXCE. 
The Rod and the Gcn can be obtained from all Xews Dealers, 
Persons sending inonei to this office, by means of Money Orders 
sbODld In^'arlably make the same payable to Tax Hod and Gun, 
Xew York P. O. 
Parties r* qninng back ntunbere will please forward the price. 
All commonlcailons mast be accompanied by the fall name of the 
writer, and address to 
THE ROD AXD GUX, 
SS Pass Row. Xew Yosk. 
We eamestlv request all onr contributors to adopt the plan In 
regard to the use of scientific names which some of them have already 
aaodpted, viz. : toPRlXTall such names legibly In the m.mascrlpt, 
as this win pre> ent error by giving the compositor pb'.ln copy to fol- 
low. Above all things, we say, do not venture upon the use of scien- 
tific names at all unless certain of their accuracy. 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1875. 
COT^TE^exs. 
Pa®e. 
Pave. 
Tent). State Sportsmen’s As- 
Brishton Aquarium— Cont'd. 
290 
Boc aii«n 
385 
IdnDchester Dog show 
391 
Emm ng Turtle in Eskuma 
Ediioriale: Ten esseeSporia- 
S und 
385 
mtn'e Association — Anoual 
Letters from Sportsmen 
c86 
Pigenn Meeis, Creedmoor. 
392 
Ride 
388 
Lihrarv Table 
3911 
Pigeon Matches 
389 
Fish and tithing 
■,94 
Mr. S. H. Tcrrill, 43 South Clark street, Chicago, 
will be glad to receive calls from all friends going West. 
Notice. — We have received several subscriptions this 
week— mis-sent to old address and kindly forwarded to 
us. Will our friends please note that we are to be found 
at 33 Park Row, N. T. 
COMPLAINTS. 
We esteem ourselves happy in that we get very little 
fault-finding with Rod ajtd Got; contrariwise, very 
much approval and many kind words; but we do get 
complaints of non-receipt of the paper by subscribeis; 
sometimes few, sometimes many. This week we have 
had a fuil dose. It is no fault of ours. We have no 
wish to worry the Post Office people, for, with our en- 
oimous newspaper mails, the wonder is that the service 
should be so good and with so few blunders. All the 
same, however, we repeat, the fault is not ours; the 
papers are directed, wrapped and mailed. There is no 
reason why Mr. Black or Mr. White should be passed 
over, and Mr. Brown get his paper all right all the 
time. Even our Chicago manager’s bundle failed alto- 
gether this last week, while others were correctly deliv- 
ered in the same city. Two of our Massachusetts sub- 
scribers have been missed for two weeks, and so forth. 
In these cases, it is more than probable that the papers 
have gone elsewhere, and got into wrong hands. For 
ourselves, we would put it to our subscribers that when 
we have mailed the paper, our duty is done; and that 
we cannot be expected to furnish missing copies gratis. 
We accept the compliment of our readers’ anxiety about 
their favorite paper. But we suggest’ that we should 
be asked to share the loss, not bear it all. 
THE BENXETT-LITINGSTON PIGEON MATCH. 
Arrangements have been made for a pigeon match for 
$10,000, between Mr. A. H. Bogardus and Mr. James 
Gordon Bennett against Mr. Carroll Livingston and Ira 
A. Paine. The conditions are for each to shoot at fifty 
single birds from five traps placed five yards apart, thir- 
ty yards rise, eighty yards boundary, with ounce of 
shot, for $5,000 a side. Messrs. Bennett and Livingston 
put up the stakes, and each take the champion and ex- 
champion as partners. The match is to lake place at 
Newport, R. I., on Oct. 6. Tbe match is for the largest 
stake ever shot for in this country. The contest is look- 
ed forward to with eager interest, and already large 
sums have been slaked on the result. Before Mr. Ben- 
nett went to Europe be was matched to shoot !Mr. Liv- 
ingston ftr $7,000, and paid forfeit. In tbe coming con- 
test each has to shoot at fifty birds, and the side that 
kills the most will win the stakes. In the betting 
Bogardus and Bennett are the favotites. 
THE CHAMPIONS CHALLENGED. 
In another column we publish a challenge from Mc- 
Donald, President of the American Off-Hand Rifle 
Club, to Major Fulton, President of the Amateur Rifle 
Club of this city. The champions are thereby chal- 
lenged to shoot “ 200 yards off-hand, any riffe," for such 
a wager as may be mutually agreed upon. The long- 
rangi-rs will now have a chance for showing that they 
are not only preeminent after careful drill and practice 
as a team, but that they are quick and deadly in action. 
We have faith in the team, and dcubt not that the same 
personal qualities which combined have made them 
victoiious heretofore wi 1 again enable them to prove 
their mastery of tbe arm with which they have won 
their well deserved honors. 
There is a large class of riffemen in the country who 
maintain that long-range shooting is not really as useful, 
nor is it as good a test of nerve and skill as short-range 
shooting, off-hand and in a standing position, moreovef 
I hat its practical use is to test the quality of the guns. 
Of this latter point we do not think a great deal. 
The best gun will do best with the best shot whether ai 
one range or another. 
The off-hand short-range shooters comprise about nine- 
tepths of American riffemen, and it is natural that the 
opinion favorable to their favorite style of shooting 
should get a majority of votes. The Off-Hand Club 
has, so far as we know, the best off hand shots in the 
country among its members. They are not opposed to 
long-range, they simply think that their own style of 
work is preferable in point of utility for 
active service in field or fight. The general 
public, on the other hand, favor long-range. 
To make a bulls-eye at 1,000 or 1,100 yards seems, as it 
really is, a splendid achievement. Before such tele- 
scopic distance and accuracy a shot at a couple of 
hundred yards seems a small thing to perform. But the 
conditions will scarcely bear comparison. The one is 
steady, deliberate calculation, with elaborate position; 
the other is impromptu, rapid, just as the word aptly 
expresses it off-hand. A man may become a fair long 
range thousand-yard shot, and still be of comparatively 
little use off tbe shoulder; on the other hand, it may be 
urged, though it does not necessarily follow, that a good 
off-hand shot will easily acquire the art of long-range 
firing. 
We hope that this challenge will be taken up by the 
champions, and that we may have a series of matches 
that will bring all our best men to the front. The 
presidents of the two clubs are in their peculiar walks 
both famous, their record is high, and probably no two 
men could be selected who would combine more rifle 
shooting qualities than Mr. McDonald and Major Fulton. 
We have no doubt the Amateurs will respond to a chal- 
lenge from their brothers with as much zeal as to that 
of their cousins. 
TENN. STATE SPORTSMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
We trust that the sportsmen of the North, East and 
West will not forget the annual meeting of the Tennessee 
State Sportsmen’s Association, opening on the 25th of 
October next, at which the Bench Show and Field Trial 
for dogs will form an important feature, and ought to 
be the most magnificent affair of the kind ever held in 
this country if the programme advertised is carried out, 
as it undoubtedly will be. The gentlemen in charge are 
wide awake, and besides using their money liberally in 
offering great inducemennts for competition in shooting 
as well as for the exhibition of dogs, are making exten. 
sive preparations for the reception and comfort of their 
friends during the exhibition. The unbounded hospi- 
tality of Southern Sportsmen is a characteristic trait, 
and when they welcome a friend it is a welcome from 
the heart. We have taken some interest in this matter, 
and upon inquiry are informed that reduced rates of 
fare can be obtained to Memphis and return, providing 
a sufficient number from the East can be induced 
to attend the great field trial, to make it an object to the 
railroad companies. The larger the party the less it 
will Cost to each individual, and dogs will be cared for 
very reasonably. If all who intend going will send us 
their names we will lose no lime in getting a bottom 
figure for transportation, and give full information by 
mail at an early day. 
JIated, at Fox Farm, Morris Plains, N. J., on Mon- 
day, the 20th inst., Mr. Raymond’s imported Laverack 
setter Pride of the Border with “Mohawk’s ” imported 
field trial setter bitch Kirby. Slant in litort puppet. 
THIRD ANNUAL PRIZE MEETING N. R. A. 
Before our next issue the range at Creedmoor will be 
the scene of a large gathering in the many matches con- 
nected with the third annual prize meeting of the 
National Rifle Association. Every indication pioints to 
a most successful g^ihering. There will be good shoot- 
ing, the practice and progress in all directions having 
been most gratifying. The directors have made many 
provisions for the better accommodation of the com- 
petitors, adopting many of the suggestions put forth in 
our columns a week or more since. All that is now 
wanted is a streak of good clear weather; not warm 
pic-nicy weather, but shooting skies, leaden and un- 
ruffied by any breezes. There are many new points 
worthy of notice in this years’ programme. In all 
fifteen comi>etitions are laid out, of these six are “all 
comers” matches, five are open to New York State 
National Guardsmen only, a couple are for all military 
organization teams, and one or two are specially open 
only to a limited circle of contestants. On the opening 
day, the 28th, the short ranges only will be fired over. 
These will all be concluded in one day if nothing un- 
toward happens. The first two or three days will dis- 
pose of the team-shooting, and leave the range clear for 
the finer work of the long-range expert on tbe latter 
days of the week. 
Following the precedent of the two former meetings 
the “field” matches will open the work. This is a 200 
yards shoot for military crews only, and has generally 
been more remarkable for the large number of entries 
than for any extra fine shooting accomplished in it. 
Last year 23 in the possible 28 was the top score, but we 
look to something better at the coming trial. A win- 
ning score with an outer does not spteak well for the 
skill of the men. 
The second match is a team entry for cavalrymen 
only. This was instituted last year and should be sus- 
tained, with r supplementary match in which cavalry 
other than those of the New York State National Guard 
should be permitted to enter, l^ast year nine teams 
fought; 30 to tbe possible 40 being the leading score. ! 
A short-range match, open to all comers with any 
rifles, is next, at 200 yards. Off-hand and standing, it 
will afford an opportunity to tbe “off-hand” club, and 
show their talent, if they can find members capable of 
using the 3-lb trigger-pull prescribed by the N. R. A. , 
after injuring their tnethod by the use of the unsports- 
manlike and antiquated Swiss hair-trigger rifles. Last 
year 27 to the possible 28 was tbe best man’s score; bet- 
ter than that can hardly be expected this year, though 
tbe changing of tbe tarket from the old to tbe new sys- 
tems entirely precludes any direct comparisons. 
Following these come the military matches at 200 and 
500 yards: one open for first division men, another for 
second division men, and a third for either or from any 
division in the State. In all these tbe Remington Slate 
arms are used, and they are valuable only for the local 
rivalry they create and the means they afford of guag- 
ing the skill of our citizen soldiers. 
At this point the Press match is sandwiched in. It 
may fairly be called an all-comers competition, since 
any one who may at any time have written a communi- 
cation or less to a journal is eligible to a place in it. In 
it there are $37 in cash prizes and a few trinkets of sil- 
ver. The match is peculiar in having no entrance fee 
imposed. Why this is thus is difficult to say. It is at 
best anything but a compliment to those who partici- 
pate in it. and it is worthy of notice that the Creedmoor 
reporters-=-the working journalists in the rifle line — leave 
the match in contemptuous loneliness. Bona-fide news- 
papermen are not beggers, and if the directors wish to 
do honor to the press, in place of a pauper press match 
let them afford facilities for the reporters who do duty 
at Creedmoor and elsewhere on rifle matters. 
The Inter-State Military Match is a new move of the 
Association, one in the right direction, that of making 
the body national in action and scope as in name. In it 
States are to be represented by teams taken from their 
National Guard, using tbe regulation arm, whatever it 
may be. A fairly good prize list is offered, and if Con- 
necticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, 
Pennsylvania and the other Slates adjacentto New York 
City do not participate the blame will rest on their 
shoulders alone. 
The Galling and Army tmd Navy Matches follow, 
each at 100 yards, for teams, the first for State Troops 
only, with State arms, and the second with any military 
rifle, from any organization. 
The Mid-Range Match is another novelty, though in 
place of the handicapping system there used, that of 
