696 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Published Weekly by the 
Forest and Stream Publishing Company 
Chas. A. Hazen, President Charles L. Wise, Treasurer 
W. G. Beecroft, Secretary 
22 Thames Street, New York. 
CORRESPONDENCE:—Forest and Stream is the re¬ 
cognized medium of entertainment, instruction and in¬ 
formation between American sportsmen. The editors 
invite communications on the subjects to which its pages 
are devoted, but, of course, are not responsible for the 
views of correspondents. Anonymous communications 
cannot be regarded. 
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Entered in New York Post Office as Second class matter. 
A MONGOOSE—AND FROM WHERE? 
In the November issue of “Sports Afield,” our 
Chicago contemporary, there appears a very in¬ 
teresting story relative to the habits and char¬ 
acteristics of a mongoose owned by a reader of 
that paper. The story is embellished with sev¬ 
eral illustrations showing the mongoose attack¬ 
ing and killing a snake, and in another portion of 
the paper the editor tells of securing the reptile 
in Chicago for demonstration purposes. It is ap¬ 
parent, therefore, that not only is this particular 
mongoose domiciled in the United States but that 
it was at a recent date very much alive and 
kicking. 
The owner in his story tells of carrying the 
“varmint” around with him on world travels, 
and according to his version the animal is a great 
pet. It would be interesting to know, however, 
how the owner slipped the mongoose into any 
port of the United States, as the importation of 
such specimens is absolutely prohibited. One of 
two things is certain; either the owner was not 
aware of the law or the customs inspectors at 
the port where he landed in the United States 
were caught napping. As it is, the Department 
of Agriculture will probably be stirred to some 
action when it learns that the country harbors 
such a dangerous living specimen. 
The experience of the 'West Indies and other 
sections of the globe which have suffered from 
the effects of this foreign snake-killer need not 
be repeated in this connection. The mongoose if 
once turned loose in the United States would 
probably in time exterminate every ground-nest¬ 
ing bird south of the Mason and Dixon line, in 
addition to doing irreparable harm to other game 
and small domestic animals and birds. We can 
endure the few snakes that are found in the 
United States; these are gradually disappearing 
as it is, but there is no place for the mongoose, 
one of the deadliest and most-to-be-feared pests 
in the world. 
THE SPORTSMAN AND THE GAME LAWS 
Under title “As I Look At It” in another part 
of this issue, appears an article that to us, is full 
of common sense. The correspondent takes up 
a proposition that has been suggested often to 
us. It is that of the relative position of the 
Audubon Society and other protection societies 
to the sportsman. We agree with our corres¬ 
pondent that the protective associations overlook 
the fact that protection comes principally from 
shooters. For instance the American Game Pro¬ 
tective and Propagation Society is supported 
principally by arms and ammunition companies, 
the major portion of the remaining support com¬ 
ing from the shooter. The Audubon societies, 
when all is said and done, comes from the man, 
who from time to time, uses his gun for recre¬ 
ation. Why is it, under these circumstances, that 
these associations antagonize sportsmen? It 
would be much better and more profitable for 
them and for protection should they find a way 
to approach the subject of bird protection in a 
way less argumentative and more placative. We 
all know that a great deal of protection is neces¬ 
sary to keep birds in the covers, but, on the other 
hand we know too, that this protection must 
come through the agency of the men who want 
these birds in cover so that shooting may be bet¬ 
ter at a later time. It would be so easy in lec¬ 
tures and in personal talks to put the sportsman 
first and the protective association afterward, 
giving the shooter credit for his share in the 
work of protection. It is the sportsman’s dollar 
that makes bird protection possible, although 
most of the complaint comes from those who 
put no money into the coffers whence comes the 
fuel to keep up the work of keeping covers filled. 
Our theory that, within a few short years shoot¬ 
ers will be confined to clay birds at the traps 
still holds good, but this time will be a lot sooner 
if the sportsman is not given his share of credit 
for the present protective spirit existant. We 
hope that every sportsman will support the dif¬ 
ferent associations engaged in propagation and 
protection, but we hope the organizations with 
this work in charge will not overlook the man 
behind the coin. 
MORE JERSEY JUSTICE. 
We are mighty glad to see that New Jersey 
game wardens continue on their jobs. If local 
papers are correct, another out of season rabbit 
killer has been caught with the goods on him 
and has had his just deserts handed out by New 
Jersey justice- This time it seems to be only one 
hundred five days, perhaps the offender had more 
coming; may be this will be enough to stop the 
next fellow. It is unfortunate that some other 
states do not deal justice in larger hands. For 
instance New York could take a lesson from the 
state across the river and go after some of the 
Italians that are shooting up the Long Island 
woods. A few good heavy sentences would make 
neutrals of the present belligerents in the illicit 
shooting line. 
MARYLAND GAME LAWS. 
Down in Maryland the theory seems to follow 
out a Grover Clevelandism more or less. In other 
words “what are game laws among natives.” At 
this writing Maryland natives have no way of 
knowing what the game laws are. Ralph Payne 
said, some years ago, concerning Massachusetts 
legislators, “there seem to be no donkeys here 
for the children, we have sent them all to the 
legislature.” Perhaps brother Payne meant 
Maryland in his characterization. A recent visit 
at our office from a Maryland warden makes it 
clear to us that in Harford county, at least, the 
law cannot be enforced for the reason that the 
wardens themselves do not know what the law 
is. According to State game laws the season 
opens anywhere from November first to the tenth 
of the same month. It insists on a license to 
shoot on ones own property—and then again it 
doesn’t. It allows you a certain bag limit—-and 
then again it doesn’t. In other words, in Mary¬ 
land you go out to shoot and—you are arrested— 
and again you are not. In Maryland it is a case 
of ignorance being a safeguard from the law 
and not “ignorance being no excuse for its vio¬ 
lation.” This is quite different from New Jersey. 
THE TENNESSEE SHOOTING LICENSE. 
Down in sunny Tennessee the legislature has 
gone some and put over a resident shooting 
license of three dollars a year—a full year. This 
would startle some of our Northern sportsmen, 
but, when you think that there is something to 
shoot for, most of us willingly would put up a 
three spot to get into real cover. It is hoped 
that this tax will be used to keep the shooting 
good and not allowed to filter into pockets of 
politicians. Tennessee long has been noted for 
its fine bird shooting, and, with a little care, it 
should continue to be the quail center of America. 
MARKET HUNTER HOLDS CALIFORNIA. 
Most regrettable is the fact that, up to this 
writing, Californians appear to have voted to 
support the market hunter. We, like all good 
sportsmen, hope on final counting, to learn that 
true sportsmanship has prevailed in the big 
hearted state of the Pacific. If game is allowed 
to legally be sold in California it must be that 
voters did not properly understand the issue. It 
cannot be that this great state is so lacking in 
intelligence as to allow its covers and waters to 
be shot up by market hunters as to soon put it 
into the states that speak of their game in the 
past tense. However, as has been said, “politics 
make strange bed fellows.” Sometimes it re¬ 
sults in a nightmare—Beware the wild pigeon 
spectre, ye Californians. 
DISAPPOINTED OHIO HUNTERS DE¬ 
MAND MONEY BACK. 
Shortly before noon last Saturday, General 
John C. Speaks, state game warden of Ohio, 
communicated to John B. Miles, clerk of 'the 
courts, the order of the state agricultural com¬ 
mission against hunting during the present 
“hoof and mouth disease” epidemic. Clerk Miles 
immediately directed his deputies to cease issu¬ 
ing licenses. At 'the time the order was made 
there were several score in the office awaiting 
their turn at the license counter, and several 
hundred had been granted licenses earlier in the 
morning. The day was an especially busy one 
from the fact that the “rabbit hunting season” 
opened the following Monday morning. 
Altogether there will be about 2,900 men in 
Franklin county who have secured licenses in 
anticipation of the “rabbit” hunting season that 
will not be able to use them. Several demanded 
the return of their money when the order was 
made Saturday morning, but Clerk Miles was 
unable to give it to them as he is without author¬ 
ity from the state in that respect. 
