Aug. 5, 1911.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
237 
through this space, until it slows down. This causes 
it to discharge into the atmosphere gradually. This 
absolutely prevents report noise, and also reduces recoil 
over two-thirds. As the hole in the silencer is much 
larger than the bullet, the latter does not touch any¬ 
thing in passing through and consequently accuracy of 
flight is just the same, whether the silencer is off or on. 
SPARROW CLUBS. 
A long and almost unbroken spell of mild 
weather during' the first two months of the year 
tempted the sparrow to embark upon its domes¬ 
tic labors somewhat earlier than usual, so that 
by the first week in March there were plenty of 
nests with eggs in them, some of those taken 
about that time showing that incubation was al¬ 
ready far advanced. Consequently, although the 
hand" of man is pretty busy against the sparrow 
at the first opportunity every year, there is no 
doubt the bird has in many cases stolen a march 
on its persecutors on this occasion, and one is 
probably not far wrong in suggesting that this 
season will be a very favorable one from the 
sparrow’s point of view, and a very tiresome one 
in the opinion of the farmer and the gardener. 
The case against the sparrow is too strong, and 
experiments conducted with a view to ascertain¬ 
ing its true character too convincing for any 
serious objection to be raised against the several 
methods now employed in the hope of keeping 
the pest within bounds. Further, it may be 
stated for the comfort of those extreme humani¬ 
tarians who believe that even the sparrow is a 
misjudged creature that whatever measures may 
be taken to control the numbers of this most 
mischievous of birds, there will always be enough 
sparrows and to spare in every part of the king¬ 
dom to carry on their doubtful mission in life. 
It is, therefore, with every justification that 
one may urge here the most strenuous measures 
against that creature which Mr. Tegetmeier once 
so aptly dubbed “the avian rat,” and the present 
is a most opportune time for bringing forward 
once again a matter that is of national import¬ 
ance. In dealing with an enemy whose forces 
are to be numbered by millions, and who is ever 
adding recruits to its ranks, an organized attack 
is the only one likely to make any impression,, 
and such lines have been adopted in the case 
of the sparrow ever since the sparrow club be¬ 
came an institution in so many parts of the 
country. So long as it confines itself to its 
legitimate business of destroying sparrows, the 
sparrow club is an excellent thing, but when it 
degenerates into an organ for the indiscriminate 
killing of all small birds (and some large ones), 
it lays itself open to charges of mischievous in¬ 
terference. On that score we need say no more, 
but it may be pointed out that while the mem¬ 
bers of many a sparrow club are apt to display 
too much zeal in the direction indicated, they 
often let slip many an excellent opportunity of 
dealing a crushing blow against their proper 
enemy. 
Members of sparrow clubs are remunerated 
of course according to the number of their vic^ 
tims’ heads forthcoming at a given date, and 
the principle up to a certain point is a good one; 
indeed, one cannot think of any other method 
that would be possible. At the same time 
one cannot help feeling that there is in 
this custom of giving “head money” a 
direct encouragement to the members to 
allow the enemy to increase at certain periods 
of the year in order that there may be a sufficient 
number of birds available for destruction later 
on. In their desire to gain a per capita reward, 
sparrow club members are apt to forget that the 
whole object of the club is to reduce the number 
of sparrows, and not simply to find so much a 
head for every sparrow that can be produced. 
The success of a club is not, therefore, to be 
judged solely by the number of slain to its credit 
every winter when the annual meeting takes place 
for the counting of the slain and the payment of 
the most zealous members. Judging, however, by 
the boastful reports that appear periodically in 
I the local papers, one might suppose that the club 
which had paid out the most “head money” to 
its members was doing the most good work for 
the community. What a big sum of money paid 
out in rewards may mean, however, is that the 
members have done little or nothing to prevent 
the sparrows from increasing at their usual rate 
H 
4 
U. S. Way. Note the Large Flash Passage and One-Piece Brass Head 
The Other Way. With Battery Cup and Small Flash Passage. 
The Difference Between 
THE BLACK SHELLS 
and others is partly shown in these pictures. 
Here are shells built to help you to a better score and a 
bigger bag. Their points of superiority are as plain to see as 
they are easy to prove. 
THE BLACK SHELLS have a solid, one-piece brass 
head, doing away with a separate Battery Cup with its crevices 
for leakage of explosion-gases. Solid strength and absence of 
cracks are good things just behind a nitro-powder explosion. 
Note our FLASH PASSAGE (the hole in the brass head 
through which the flame of the primer passes to the powder). 
It is 100% larger than in other shells, and it insures quick, 
certain ignition. This feature does away with hang fire and 
miss fire. 
Unload one each of the shells you use, saw them through 
the base as shown in the cuts, and you will appreciate some 
of the Modernisms of THE BLACK SHELLS. 
Later we will tell more about our wonderful N ON- 
MERCURIC PRIMER. 
US.CARTRIDGE. CO. 
LOWELL, MASS., U. S. A. 
AMERICAN BIG-GAME HUNTING 
BOONE AND CROCKETT CLUB SERIES 
Edited by George Bird Grinnell and Theodore Roosevelt 
A thoroughly stimulating book dealing with American big-game hunting, East, 
West and under the Arctic circle, including every phase of sport with the rifle. 
“American Big-Game Hunting” is a compilation of the experiences of some of the 
most widely known sportsmen in America. Among the sketches are: The Story 
of the Buffalo, Capt. Geo. S. Anderson; The White Goat and His Country, Owen 
Wister; Old Times in the Black Hills, Gen. Roger D. Williams; Coursing the 
Pronghorn, Theodore Roosevelt; After Wapiti in Wyoming, F. C. Crocker; In 
Buffalo Days, George Bird Grinnell; Blacktails in the Bad Lands, B. Rumsey. 
Forest Preserves and Game Refuges are also considered. Aside from the sur¬ 
passing interest of the narratives, the book is invaluable for referenc. Cloth, 
heavy paper, library edition, richly illustrated. 
Postpaid, $2.50 
FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO., 127 Franklin Street, NEW YORK CITY 
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