FANCIERS’ 
red ribbons upon the right leg. Telegrams were immedi- 
ately sent to James Bond, the farmer at Rivercliff (Mr. 
Hubbell being at his business establishment in Philadelphia), 
announcing the despatch of the birds, and requesting in- 
formation immediately upon their arrival. Accordingly, 
shortly before five o’clock, the following telegram was re- 
ceived : 
RIVERCLIFF, August 16th, 1873. 
Ariel and No. 6 arrived at four. The other two birds 
-came shortly afterwards. James Bonn. 
It will thus be seen that Ariel performed the journey of 
sixty-four miles in the remarkable time of thirty minutes. 
‘No. 6”) is not inferior ; and, indeed, when we consider the 
unavoidable delay caused by his first scrutiny of the ground, 
it appears very much as if Ariel would have to look sharp 
after his laurels.—Graphic, Aug. 18th. 


DECREASE OF DUCKS ON THE CHESAPEAKE. 
A BELAIR paper, in speaking of the gradual thinning out 
of the wild ducks on the Chesapeake, gives some hints for 
the preservation of the game. The writer says: 
“The present season thus far has not been remarkably 
successful for the duckers, many of whom make the better 
part of their living by shooting ducks on the Susquehanna 
flats. It is a disputed question among sportsmen whether 
the sink-boat gunning on the flats is not gradually driving 
the ducks away from their accustomed feeding grounds, to 
seek more secure locations. The sink-box men contend that 
of the millions of ducks which visit the Chesapeake and its 
tributaries in their migratory excursions, the few hundreds 
or thousands which are killed qn the flats are not missed, 
and that the loss by the guns of the sportsmen is many times 
made up by the natural increase of the birds in their North- 
ern breeding grounds. 
“On the other hand, those opposed to the sink-box shoot- 
ing contend that any wild animal which is persistently dis- 
turbed and killed on its feeding grounds, will most assuredly 
desert their old haunts and seek other quarters where they 
will be less exposed to danger and steady annoyance, and 
although the actual killing of the birds may not be sufficient 
to diminish their numbers, the constant warfare kept up on 
them will tend to induce them to seek new and safer routes 
‘and resting places in their periodical pilgrimages north and 
south. The theory of the latter party seems the more plau- 
sible, and the fact of the gradual diminution of the ducks 
goes very far toward substantiating it. 
“The arrangement entered into by the Havre de Grace 
duckers to shoot every other day, and which has been em- 
bodied into a law regulating the duck shooting on the flats, 
is intended as a protection, which, by giving the birds a 
short respite from danger, it is hoped they will be encour- 
aged to continue to visit their favorite grounds in the same 
countless myriads as in former years. But the complaints 
that they leave the flats and take up their course for regions 
- further south after a much shorter sojourn than formerly, 
seems to indicate that these old haunts on the Susquehanna 
flats are getting too warm for the canvas-back. In respect 
to three days’ shooting and four days’ respite, Seth Green, 
who is astandard authority on all subjects connected with 
sporting, suggests that the three days’ shooting should be 
consecutive in place of alternate, leaving the birds four days 
of quiet in which to feed and recover from the fright of being 
JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 

59 
shot at whenever they attempted to alight. This plan seems 
to be an improvement on the one adopted by our duckers. 
The probability is, if the ducking business is pursued in its 
present mode for a few years more, that the game killed will 
not justify the outfit necessary to engage in the business sut- 
cessfully. Ifthe gunning days were reduced to two in the 
week, and those two succeeding days, considerable protec- 
tion would be afforded the ducks, while under the present 
law there is next thing to no protection.”’ 
Domestic Department. 


HOUSEHOLD RECIPES. 
Beef.—A good and cheap beef stew can be made from the 
second or third cut of neck piece, which wash and divide 
into small pieces and cover with hot water, cooking slowly 
and steadily three hours, or until very tender, adding water 
and skimming when necessary ; salt to taste during the last 
hour of cooking. When nearly done, and the water reduced 
to a sufficient quantity for thin gravy, I sprinkle over it black 
pepper to taste, and sometimes cover with a crust, made as 
for short biscuit, rolled to about half an inch in thickness, 
and call it a ‘‘pot-pie,’’ which we relish with any sort of 
vegetables, in winter or summer. 
Mashed potatoes can always be warmed over by browning 
in a hot oven, or on a griddle, and will be equal to those 
newly cooked for breakfast, or a hurried meal. 
A quick dish for breakfast.—Pare, over night, a sufficient 
quantity of apples and cover with cold water. In the morn- 
ing quarter them, and fill the pan or kettle two-thirds full, 
to which add half a cup of warm water, a large pinch of salt, 
nutmeg, sugar to taste, and spread over them a soft dough, 
mix the same as for biscuits, but rather thinner, cover 
lightly. 
Should there be any dough left, add a little flour and bake 
as biscuits; which to be eaten warm should be made with 
one quart flour, two teaspoonsful cream of tartar sifted with 
it, one level teaspoonful salt, one tablespoonful of butter (or 
warm suet well worked in), mix with milk and water, in 
which a teaspoonful of soda is dissolved. 
Cold Beefsteak can be transformed into an economical and ° 
palatable dish, by chopping it finely and adding a pint or so 
of water and cooking until reduced to the consistency of 
hash; to which add butter or cream and a little milk, salt, 
pepper, and boil up once and serve with baked potatoes and 
buckwheat cakes. 
Cold steak has generally been regarded as a doubtful con- 
sideration, while waiting for disposal, and Rover generally 
gets the benefit of the doubt. 
Ginger Crackers.—One pint of molasses, one cup of sugar, 
quarter pound butter, one tablespoonful ginger, flour enough 
to roll out and cut. To make soft gingerbread, vary the above 
by adding a cup of hot or cold water, a teaspoonful of soda, 
and two eggs. 
A quick and rich Toast is madé by soaking slices of stale 
bread in milk, to which has been added a well-beaten egg 
and a small pinch of salt; fry to a rich brown, in butter. 
Another way for stale bread: soak the crumbs in milk, when 
soft add one teaspoonful soda, salt, flour, for a good batter, 
and a well-beaten egg; fry as griddle cakes, 
