FOREST AND STREAM. 

—-Shat Gun and Rifle. 
GAME IN SEASON FOR SEPTEMBER. 
pen 
Red Deer, Caricus Virginianus.) 
Squirels, Red Black and Gray.) 
Pinnated Grouse, Zetrao Cupido.) 
Curlew, Numenius Arquata.) 
Sandpipers, 77#nugine.) 
Willetss 
2eed or Rice Birds, Dolichonyx oriz- 
ivon. 


Elk or Wapiti, Cervus Canadensis.) 
Rabbits, common Brown‘and Grey.) 
Woodcock, Scolopau rusticola.) 
Rufted Grouse,«Zetrao umbellus,} 
Esquimaux Curlew, Numenius bo- 
realis.) 
Plover, Charadraius.) 
Godwit, Limosine.) 
Rails, Rallus Virginianus.) 
Wild fowl generally after 15th September, and Ruffed Grouse also in 
many States. 
4 ca *: 
(Under the head of “Game, and Fish in Season” we can only specify in 
general terms the several varieties, because the laws of States vary so much 
that were we to attempt to particularize we could do no less than publish 
those entire sections that relate to the kinds of game in question. This 
would require a great amount of aur space. In designating game we are 
guided by the laws of nature, upon which all legislation is founded, and 
our readers would do well to provide themselves with the laws of their re 
spective States for constant reference. Otherwise, our attempts to assist them 
will only creat: confusion. | 
a ees 
September is at hand! Now, gentlemen sportsmen, exam- 
sne the bill of fare that is before you, and the variety of 
vame that rewards your patient waiting through the summer 
months, your scrupulous observance of the close season! 
Isn’t this.a feast ‘*to spread before a king?” Now lay aside 
your trout and salmon rods till the vernal showers and 
genial sun of the coming spring have released the streams 
and rivers from their icy fetters. Take the gun and rifle 
down from their old fashioned pegs and out of their mod- 
ern eases, furbish their mountings till they reflect like mir- 
rors, With blue ointment remove the .slightest taint of rust 
from the barrels inside and out, shake out the last year’s 
feathers that stick to your game-bags, pick the moth 
patches from your velveteen and cords, ‘‘and stand by” as the 
sailors say, to welcome the incoming month. Then on the 
advent of the 1st, go forth, armed and equipped as ey peri- 
ence and common sense direct, and under the brood wgis 
of the indulgent but protective law, acquit yourselves like 
men, Take no mean advantage of the sitting bird; even 
thoueh the cover be thick, you can afford to wait till brown 
October thins and crisps the leaves. ‘‘Jack” no deer, nor 
throw the blinding gleam of the fire:pan or bulls-eye into 
their wonder-stricken eyes. Take no mean advantages! 
“ What! forego the pleasures of the night hunt? Is there 
no skill in approgehing the lily-padded haunts of the deer 
with paddle as noiseless as the ripple that laves the shore? 
Is there no knack or required experience in following the 
vleam that pervades and penetrates the lowering mist until 
it falls in a pale and uncertain halo, out of which shall pres- 
ently flash two orbs that gleam like blazing coals? Does 
it require no skillto shoot a deer under the circumstances? 
Woulds't thou forbid the indulgence of? the delicious sen- 
sation that is born of uncertainty, the indulgence of that 
thrilling moment when the hunter sits almost paralyzed 
with eagerness, with pulse-beat and heart-beat that almost 
: taut, bated breath, and exuding sweat 
pain, nerves drawn 
Ts he not liable to the ‘* buck-fever” 
that scalds the spine’ 
then? 
Stop, good friend! You are all wrong! It has always 
been understood in every congress of sportsmen throughout 
the civilized world, that fire- hunting is unsportsman-like 
andathing forbidden. By the use of the bullseye or calcium 
light in our hunting cap of cork, we deliberately proceed by 
stealth to so paralyze the delicate organism of the deer 
that they become transfixed with fear. We grope our own 
way into their secret chambers and give them chloroform! 
We magnetize the animal first, and take our mean advan- 
tages! We turn upon his wondering gaze all at once the 
full effulgence of a glory that seems to open heaven to him 
and all the reward he finds is death or wounds! Take an 
example in the case of bird shooting—for the same princi- 
ple governs both. Once at Cape Cod, north of Yarmouth, 
several years ago, we have seen two men start out in a boat 
at night with a charcoal fire in the bow, and quietly paddle 
along a sand-bar where the bay snipe were roosting, and by 
their devilish device succeed in wringing the necks of bush- 
els! Is this sportsman-like? Moreover, what is the con- 
sequence? Well—um—pretty much the only variety of 
food the people have now is blue-fish, wild fowl are scarce. 
The ‘Forest AND STREAM” is eminently practical. It 
deals in hard facts, and will not be gingerly in their appli- 
cation. From our experience we gather data; for our 
advice we give our reasons; for our opinions we have natural 
eauses and established rules. There are children in wood- 
craft as well as in orthography, and it shall be our endeavor 
to make our instruction so simple that “he who runs may 
read ” and that he who reads may also run. 
Now as to the use of hounds, to which in some localities 
objection is made, we can only say that the arguments in 
its favor fully balance those against it. For ourselves, we 
should be loth to forego the music of * bell-mouthed hound.” 
It gives life and passion to the chase and a choice compan- 
ionship to the man who loves his dogs and likes to study 
their nature. 
There is very little bird shooting yet to speak of. Some 
gentlemen have had the satisfaction of knocking over an 
occasional godwit or afew bay birds, but the sport is 
slow. Everywhere inthe vicinity of New York our friends 
have tried it for two weeks past-—at Rougher’s Bar and the 
swamps of Carnarsie Bay, at Gravesend, Rockaway, and 
Shinnecook, and at all the favorate resorts of Long Island 
and contiguous New Jersey. The ten days of wet weather 
has been discomfiting to both birds and sportsmen. 
About the middle of August, the Hsquimaux Curlew ar- 
rives on the Labrador coast from its more Northern breed- 



‘bon, upon good authority, asserts to the contrary. 
ing grounds in immense numbers, flying very swiftly in 
flocks of great extent. These immediately break up into 
smaller companies, and proceed at once in search of food- 
They remain but a very short time. As Audubon most cor, 
rectly says, ‘I was notglong in discovering that their stay 
on the coast was occasioned solely by the density of the 
mists, and the heavy gales that already < gave intimation of 
the approaching close of the summer; for whenever the 
weather cleared up a little, thousands of them set off and 
steered in straight course across the broad Gulf of St. Law- 
rence. On the contrary, when the wind was high and 
the fog thick, they flew swiftly and low over the rocky 
surface of, the country, as if bewildered. Whenever 
there was a spot that seemed likely to afford a supply of 
food, there the Curlews abounded and were easily ap- 
proached.” His observations, however, differ much from 
those of the writer in reference to the time of the arrival 
and departure of the birds. He states that they made their 
first appearance on the 29th of July, and had all left by the 
12th of August; whereas, from our experience none came 
until about the latter date, and none were to be seen on the 
first of September. For two or three days before their final 
departure, they began moving directly southward, flying 
very high in the air in loose straggling flocks, with a broad 
extended front. 
The Curlews associate in flocks of every size, from three 
to as many thousands, but they generally fly in so loose 
and straggling a manner, that it is rare to kill more than a 
half a dozen at a shot. When they wheel, however, in 
any of their many beautiful evolutions, they,close together 
in a more compact body, and offer a more favorable oppor- 
tunity for the gunner. Their flight is firm, direct, very 
swift. when necessary much protracted, and is performed 
with rapid regular beats. They never sail except when 
about to alight; then the wings are much incurved down- 
wards, in the manner of most Waders. As their feet 
touch the eround their long, pointed wings are raised over 
the back until the tips almost touch, and then deliberately 
folded, much in the manner of the Solitary Sandpiper, 
Rhyacophilus solitarius. Their note is an oft-repeated, soft, 
mellow, though clear whistle, which may be easily imi- 
tated. By this means they can readily be decoyed within 
shot, if the imitation is good and the gunner is careful to 
keep concealed. The smaller the flock, the more easily 
are they allured, and a single individual rarely fails to turn 
his course toward the spot from whence the sound proceeds. 
When in very extensive flocks they have a note which, 
when uttered by the whole number, we can compare to 
nothing but the chattering of a flock of blackbirds. When 
wounded and taken in hand, they emit a very loud harsh 
scream, like that of a common hen under similar circum- 
stances, which ery they also utter when pursued. 
Their food consists almost entirely of the Crow-berry, 
Empetrum nigrum, which grows on all the hillsides in 
astonishing profusion, It is also called the ‘‘ Bear-berry ” 
and ‘ Curlew-berry.” It is a small berry, of a deep purple 
color, almost black, growing upon a procumbent, running 
kind of heath, the foliage of which has a peculiar moss-like 
appearance. Thisis their principal and favorite f od; and the 
whole intestine, the vent, legs, bill, throat, and even the 
plumage are more or less stained with the deep purple juice. 
They are also very fond of a species of small snail, that 
adheres to the rocks in immense quantities, to procure 
which they frequent the land-washes at low tide. Food be- 
ing so abundant, and so easily obtained, they become ex- 
cessively fat. In this condition they are most delicious 
eating, being tender, juicy, and finely flavored; but as 
might be expected, they prove a very difficult job for the 
taxidermist. 
Although the Curlews were 1 such vast numbers, we 
did not find them so tame as might be expected, and as We 
had been led to suppose by previous representations. We 
were never able to walk openly within shooting distance of 
a flock, though told it was often done. The most success- 
ful method of obtaining them is to take such a position as 
they will probably fly over in passing from one feeding 
ground to another; they may then be shot with ease, as 
they rarely fly high at such times. The pertinacity with 
which they cling to certain feeding grounds, even when 
much molested, we saw strikingly illustrated on one occa- 
sion. The tide was rising and about to flood a muddy flat 
of perbaps an acre in extent, where their favorite snails were 
in vast quantities, Although six or eight gunners were sta- 
tioned on the spot, and kept up a continual round of firing 
upon the poor birds, they continued to fly distractedly about 
over our heads, notwithstanding the numbers that every 
moment fell. They seemed in terror lest they should lose 
their accustomed fare of snails that day. On another occa- 
sion, when the birds had been so harrassed for several hours 
as to déprive them of all opportunity of_feeding, great num- 
bers of them retired to a very small island, or rather a large 
pile of rocks, a few hundred yards from the shore, covered 
with sea weed, and, of course, with snails. Flock after 
flock alighted on it, till it was completely covered with the 
birds, which there, in perfect safety, obtained their morning 
meal. 
We were told that the Curlews were never seen in Labra- 
dor, except for the short period in the autumn. Such, how- 
ever, we do not think te be the case, particularly as Audu- 
It is 
probable that the certainty and silence with which it passes 
northward during the spring migration, causes it to be par- 
tially overlooked. Its migrations are very extensive, but 
performed so quickly and silently that it is rarely seen south 
of the New England States. It is found in Texas; though 



as far as our knowledge extends, it does not breed much 
south of Hudson’s Bay. In Labrador it is known by its 
proper name, which, however, is invariably shortened into 
“lew.” Further south it is called the ‘‘ Dough-bird;” 
but this name is also applied to other birds. In a great 
number of specimens we found considerable difference in 
size, in the color of the under parts, which varies from 
creamy white to deep buff, and in the purity and extent of 
the white patch on the throat. These differences, however, 
were not indicative of sex, nor even of age, so far as we 
could ascertain. 
—The legal sason for shooting rail, and reed birds, and 
pheasanfs in Pennsylvania, will open on the first of Septem- 
ber. Those who kill a pheasant out of season are Nable to 
a fine of $10 and costs for each bird, and $5 and costs for 
each rail and reed bird so shot. 
—There are over ten rifle clubs at present in Connecticut, 
the principal ones being in Hartford, Bridgeport, New Haven, 
Meriden and New Britain, and a general State Association 
has been formed. A grand rifle match will we held this 
fall at Meriden. 
—Squirrel-shooting*%is now at its height in Pennsylvania. 
The young animals are now fat and tender, and the sport of 
hunting them is very exciting. With a good squirrel-dog in 
tall forests where the animals are known to abound, the 
sport is truly enjoyable and not unworthy the attention of 
any one who seeks good hunting and is a good shot, for 
squirreling tries the skill of the sportsman as much as any 
other, Those shot are red nad grey squirrels. 
—On Saturday last, sixty members of the National Rifle 
Association met at Creedmoor. Various sweepstakes were 
shot for. The most notable feature of the shooting was a 
contest between members of fhe 22d and 84th regiments, 
which was won by Mr. Becker, of the 22d, who made the 
remarkably fine score of 16 at 200 yards, and of 18 at 500 
yards. ’ 
—In England the gun club is in a most prosperous condi- 
tlon, having over three hundred members. Among many 
notable matches which have been shot at Trotting Hill 
lately, we notice a contest between Mr. H. S. Jaffray, of 
New York, and Mr- Herbert Wood, at fifty birds each forty 
yards rise, which Mr. Jaffray won by one bird, killing sev- 
enteen, Mr. Wood sixteen. As the usual distance is from 
twenty-one to twenty-five yards, this is very remarkable 
shooting. At Brighton, with five birds, twenty-seven yards 
rise, Mr. A. Patten, with a central fire breech loader, killed 
four birds, and on a tie, won by killing three straight birds. 
American sportsmen should remember that the Bluerock is 
quite a different bird from our pigeon, and is a much swifter 
flyer. We understand that a strenuous effort will be made 
here to introduce this breed of bird. 
—We have received from D. H. Smith, Esq., the Secretary 
of the Rifle Association of St. John, N. B., the following 
letter -— 
Sv. Jonn, New Brunswick, August 18, 1873. 
Eprrork Forest AND S®REAM >— 
T have been trying for some time to ascertain the magnitude and status 
of your rifle associations, and expecially that which has its meetings at 
Creedmoor, L.4. Iam Secretary and Treasurer of our county associa- 
tion, and a member of the Proyincial body, and have often thought that 
while we send our men to Wimbledon it would be advisable to cultivate 
that friendship and fraternity which should exist between the marksmen 
of the United States and Canada. Could you place me in communication 
with the managers in order that some scheme for an international match* 
might be arranged 7 
On referring’ this matter to the American Rifle Club we 
were favored by an immediate reply from the Secretary, J. 
P. Fairbanks, Esq. In his letter, dated August 28d, he 
expresses his desire to communicate with the representa- 
tives of the St. John’s Rifle Club, and he states therein ‘‘It 
is contemplated offering prizes to all comers on October 
8th, and that a most cordial welcome will be extended to 
Canadian riflemen.” This is as it should be, and we are 
only too glad if the services of the Forrest AND STREAM 
may be of avail in bringing on a friendly contest between 
Canada and the United States at Creedmoor. American 
marksmen should remember that’ Canadian riflemen are 
adepts, having already won several prizes at Wimbledon, 
when piited against the strongest English teams, and in a 
contest of this character they are likely to meet foemen 
worthy of their steel. 


In Japan it takes five years for the tea shrub to mature, 
though acrop is made the third year. No tree is allowed 
to reach more than five feet in height, and the older the 
plant the more it is esteemed. Those trees which produce 
the very choicest teas, used only by the Princes, worth five 
dollars a pound, is the product of trees said to be 500 years 
old. 
DB Ns nc 
We all know about the fable of the ant and the cricket, 
and how the ant is supposed to make his granary in summer 
for his winter’s repast. Whether or not the ant has a proy- 
ident instinct seems yet quite undecided, and English and 
Continental savants are fighting over the question. As the 
ant is, according to some of his observers, torpid during the 
winter, what use has he for a winter’s store. Let us imme- 
diately then alter the fable. 
/ ——— 
Shooting swallows with a bullet, from a rifle, or knock 
ing down bumblebees with a pistol. ball are sometimes talked 
about. Robert Houdin the famous French prestidigitateur 
used to do this. This was the way it was managed. The 
pretended bullets were made of hollow wax, covered with 
lead dust, and inside was the shot. Of course there was. 
nothing very difficult in bringing down small game by this 
method. . 
. 

