law, but the gunners and farmers think they are 
a nuisance—damage their crops and fight our 
native game birds from their covers. 
I think all our trout have been killed by 
brooks drying up. The state gave us a lot but 
nature killed them. Politics knocked our game 
laws all askew, but our one and only Commis¬ 
sioner did the best he could with the laws he 
had to contend with. This winter the table has 
turned and we expect some radical changes for 
the better. The sportsmen have had some big 
meetings, and they all voiced to a man that the 
Fish and Game Department should have all of 
the money collected from the hunters’ licenses 
to be used in the cause for which it was intended. 
Right up here in old New Hampshire the poli¬ 
ticians have come to realize that the sportsmen 
are some strong and the candidates of both 
parties announced, in their appeal for election, 
their desire to see that the sportsmen have all 
of the license money to be used in their cause. 
Now Massachusetts has a bill in the legislature 
to the same effect. 
We have a foot of snow which will favor the 
deer hunters during the open season, first 15 days 
in December. JOHN W. BABBITT. 
ADVOCATE FISH PRESERVE ON SAN¬ 
GAMON. 
Decatur, Ill., Nov. 21—The Sangamon river 
is to become a state fish preserve or base. That 
is the opinion of A. J. Tabaka of Ivesdale, depu¬ 
ty fish and game warden for Champaign and 
Piatt counties. He says : 
“It is thought that the Sangamon river will 
be one of the best hook and line streams in 
the state,” says Mr. Tabaka, “if it is made a 
fish preserve and protected against seines, traps 
and dynamiting.” 
A hearing on the matter will probably be held 
within a short time by the state game and fish 
.conservation commission. This hearing will be 
held at Decatur. At that time the matter will 
be definitely settled. 
Several months ago M. E. Wise of Cerro 
Gordo took steps to try and get the Sangamon 
river to be a fish preserve, and got the citizens 
all along the river very much interested in his 
plan. The forepart of October, District Warden 
Isaac S. Storm of Shel'byville was at Champaign, 
and while there several citizens from the Sanga¬ 
mon river district asked him how to proceed 
to get the river petitioned. 
All necessary arrangements were made and 
he sent to Deputy Game and Fish Warden A. 
J. Tabaka of Ivesdale four petition forms head¬ 
ed expressly for the purpose, and Warden Taba¬ 
ka distributed them to M. E. Wise, Cerro Gor¬ 
do; Milton Mitchell, Monticello; Fred Barber, 
Mahomet, and one was given to Carl N. Weilepp, 
Decatur. 
COVER FOUR COUNTIES. 
These four petitions covered Ma'con, Cham¬ 
paign and Piatt counties. In a few days the 
petitions were filled with signatures, 400 in all 
and others wanted to sign it, but there was no 
more room. Those petitions were returned to 
Warden A. J. Tabaka as per instructions from 
the district warden. A . J. Tabaka sent them 
to Warden Isaac S. Storm November 10, and 
received an answer stating that those petitions 
had been forwarded to the commission with 
a request for the setting of an early date for a 
hearing, which probably will be held soon. 
FOREST AND STREAM 
MISERY LOVES COMPANY. 
Jackson, Mich., Nov. 21.—H. H. Thompson, 
manager of the west prison farm, was arrested 
here on a charge of violating the game and fish 
laws by allowing trusty convicts to capture and 
pen up several skunks, otherwise known as pole¬ 
cats, contrary to law. 
The convicts discovered a den of skunks on 
the prison farm a short time ago and during a 
rainy day, they dug the animals out and penned 
them up, intending to keep them in captivity 
until their pelts became valuable. 
The game warden’s department claims this act 
is a violation of the law and got busy on the 
case. On orders said to have emanated from 
the Attorney General’s office a warrant was asked 
for and the farm manager was arrested on 
the charge of violating the game law. He is con¬ 
sidered as the guardian of the convicts and hence 
is held responsible. 
KILL 2,099 LIONS IN SEVEN YEARS. 
Report of Fish and Game Commission Shows 
State Has Paid $41,980 in Bounties. 
Sacramento, Cal., Nov. 21.—Two thousand and 
ninety-nine mountain lions have been killed in 
California since 1907, according to a statement 
by the State Fish and Game Commission. Of 
this number 118 have been killed in the state 
for the six months ending June 30. The state 
pays a bounty of $20 for each lion killed. The 
total cost of killing lions has been $41,980. 
Humboldt is the banner county for this year, 
and for every year. In the six months ending 
with June Mendosino, Trinity and Siskiyou are 
next in order named. Los Angeles county 
claimed bounty on 15 lions in seven years. 
HERD OF CARIBOU SEEN IN MAINE. 
Foxcroft, Me., Nov. 21.—The first herd of 
caribou to be seen in Maine for over 25 years 
was reported here to-day by John J. Newbegin 
and S. Phillips Wilson, Philadelphia sportsmen, 
who saw 12 of the animals, seven cows and 
four bulls, on Mit. Katahdin last Tuesday morn¬ 
ing. The animals trotted off into the woods 
without appearing greatly alarmed. 
ASKS WOMEN TO SAVE BIRDS. 
Chicago, Nov. 22.—Mrs. John Dickinson Sher¬ 
man, chairman of the conservation 'department 
of the General Federation of Women's Clubs has 
issued an appeal to the members urging them 
to help enforce the Federal migratory law. 
“Watch local conditions and uphold the law ac¬ 
cording to your opportunities,” she writes. 
“Do your share in forcing Congress, through 
pressure on your Senators and Representatives, 
to make adequate appropriations for the enforce¬ 
ment of the law. 
“Use your influence to secure the completion 
of the pending treaty with Canada for migratory 
bird protection. 
“Fight for the strict enforcement of the provi¬ 
sion against spring shooting. It is criminal folly 
to kill mating birds about to nest. 
“Protest against the sale of game birds for 
food. Destroy the market for game birds and 
you stop the market hunter.” 
NUTS, FIGS AND WEEDS POINT TO HARD 
WINTER. 
Reading, Pa., Nov. 23.—The annual meeting of 
the weather “prophets” of Berks county was 
723 
held at Monocacy, near here, to j day, when more 
than forty men from all sections of the county 
gathered in the Grange Hall and compared their 
predictions for the coming winter. Some ora- 
clesque predictions were: 
“The early fall indicates an early spring.” 
“The leaves of the trees did not turn red 
early this year, therefore there will be no long 
winter, but it will be severe.” 
“The heavy crop of nuts and persimmons this 
year indicates a long, severe winter.” 
“The hogs have long bristles, and other ani¬ 
mals have shaggy hair, which indicates a long 
winter.” 
“The hull on shellbarks and walnuts was thick 
this year, and the winter will be severe.” 
“The husk on the corn was very loose this 
year, therefore the winter will be short but se¬ 
vere.” 
“The weeds were plentiful and tall this year, 
so there will be lots of snow and ice.” 
H. J. Grisman ventured the assertion that the 
winter will be a long one. He said: “I ob¬ 
tained a breast bone from a goose several days 
ago and I read the markings. The bone is al¬ 
most black, which indicates a hard winter.” 
Enoch Glassmoyer said: “I observed in 
ploughing last week, for several days before the 
present cold spell that it was impossible to dig 
up beetles, ground worms or toads, and I am 
satisfied that they have gone deep in order to 
escape a hard winter.” 
OLD VOLUMES OF FOREST AND STREAM. 
Bristol, R. I., Nov. 24, 1914. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Noticing your note for bound volumes of 
Forest and Stream, I beg to state that as a very 
old subscriber I have bound volumes in perfect 
condition, from Volumes 31 to 42, inclusive, but 
for Auld Lang Syne's sake I hate to part with 
them, some articles of mine being in them. 
However, how valuable are they to anyone 
wishing same? I am willing to donate them to 
others in my will, but I reckon they may have 
to wait, as I still refer to them myself. 
LAWRENCE M. KORTRIGHT. 
Lockport, N. Y., Nov. 27, 1914. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Please call off the “still hunt” for the missing 
bound volume of Forest and Stream. 
I spent Thanksgiving with my son in his new 
home two miles east of Buffalo, and while show¬ 
ing me through the house and in the attic he 
showed me a box containing about five years of 
Forest and Stream, and asked if there were any 
numbers that I wanted. 
I told him the only number that I wanted was 
No. 10, March 7, 1896, he borrowed of me 12 
or 15 years ago, and which I had been asking 
him for for 5 or 6 years, and he reported he 
could not find. 
I told him that I would look them over, and 
might find some that I would like to see. I 
found a number of illustrated supplements (his 
drawing) which I laid aside, and when I had 
nearly finished, I found the missing No. 10, 
March 7, 1896. 
And now I shall not want the bound volume, 
unless you have already sent it when you receive 
this. 
Are there any numbers between 1899 and 1905 
that you need? J. L. DAVISON. 
