106 
FOREST AND STREAM. 



such impalpable things as words have immense powers of 
resistance, Something like diamonds, far tougher than the 
surrounding drift, they have never been ground to pieces. 
They have kept hard, brilliant and concise, and have come 
down to us from a period so far distant, as to be perhaps 
beyond the ken of man to determine their precise age of 
formation. 
: i 
COOKING GAME. 
————_— 
ENRY WATTERSON, of the Louisville Courrier- 
Journal, has been writing some very clever letters 
from abroad. Among the many good things he says, para- 
phrasing the well-known quotation of ‘‘painting the lily and 
gilding fine gold,” in regard to cooking game he uses this 
terse apotheghm: ‘‘Truffles do not improve woodcocks.” 
Sentence fraught with wisdom, and worthy of a Brillat Sa- 
varran! The Louisville editor does not relish on the whole 
the French cuisine, and takes Edmund Yates as an author- 
ity about our American cookery. Of Yates, he says: ‘‘I 
heard Edmund Yates remark last winter—and whatever 
you may think of Edmund's novels, if you have ever met 
him, you would allow that he has a belly of unqualified 
culture and genius. I heard him say last winter that the 
Breyoort House, meaning, of course, the kitchen, is the best 
hotel in the world.” 
In subtile gastronomic discriminations you can find no 
more able analytical powers than those possessed by liter- 
ary men. That delicate shading between the gourmand and 
the epicure, they fully appreciate. If the immortal Thack- 
eray was illustrious as a novelist, incomparably great was 
hein his table diletantiism. Think of his saying, as he ate 
his first oyster at Fulton Market, in the presence of the late 
departed Dorlon, who, on asking him how he liked them, 
replied, ina Johnsonian way : ‘‘Sir, I feel as if I had swal- 
lowed a baby.” 
What more justthan Mr. Watterson’s remarks on the bad 
taste of eating spoiled game, and we may properly quote 
Churchill, who says that ‘‘ the sooner a bird or fish is eaten 
after it is taken the better.” 
A salmis de becasse, of course, isa thing not to be despised, 
only it is an ingenious method by which a spoiled wood- 
cock may be so disguised by a sauce, that you have no com- 
prehension of the real flavor of the most delicate of birds. 
Tastes are fashions, The gamey twang, or what is called 
in French the phaesandee flavor, only became a la mode when 
it was impossible to bring game rapidly to market, and the 
length of time used in transportation caused absolute de- 
composition. It then became necessary to invent methods 
of making food palatable, which otherwise would have 
been repulsive. Of course the season of the year has much 
to do with this question, but we are still in doubt whether 
a canvass-back duck in dead winter, is not better, when 
cooked a day after it is killed, than when kept frozen for a 
week. 
giews from Abroad. 
OM FRENCH, the famous English jockey, is no more! 
The name of a certain Greek rider, who rode his 
horse to victory, some 2,300 years ago, has come down to 
us. Perhaps the old Greek knew perfectly well how to 
nurse his mount, to follow instructions, and to get the ‘‘last 
ounce” out of his steed, foaled, may be, in 
“Grassy Argos,” 
‘ Famous for its steeds of fire.” 
How the Greek Jock died, however, never will be known. 
Was it of old age ? or did he, on the home stretch, driving 
his chariot. too fine, strike the brazen goal with his whirring 
wheels, and have his neck broken? Certainly the old 
heathen Greek could never have died the death that Tom 
French did. Perhaps they had no post mortems in the he- 
roic age, as they have now in our more prosaie times. The 
cause of this man’s death, Dr, Meade, the physician who at- 
tended him, states, arose ‘‘from that wasting and exposure 
and irregularity of diet, consequent to his profession.” Su- 
perficially read, this may mean but little, but when leading 
English journals declare that French died a victim to the 
ill effects of severe training, necessary to enable him to ride 
at the present state of weights, the matter assumes a much 
gravet appearance. There are two points to be looked at 
in discussing this subject : The question of the man and 
that of the horse. It may seem strange, but the Forxst 
AnD STREAM, contrary to usual sporting precedents, is,in- 
clined to take into consideration the question of that insig- 
nificant creature, the man, first. There is something cruel 
in the idea of training down a man to a mere skeleton—‘“‘a 
ruckle of bones”—in order to fit him to ride up to feather 
weight. It means the destruction of the human being. 
Jockeys are sometimes sweated with their horses, in order 
to reduce them both in flesh. There need be no great out- 
ery made about this up to acertain point, as when a “‘logey” 
or heavy rider must be reduced a few pounds; but when it 
comes to dwarf human beings, when jockeys are required 
at that period of life when the body fills. up, to go on, 
sweating and reducing themselves until they die?from this 
unnatural treatment, then, even in?Christian England, such 
practices should be decried. Now, secondly, about the 
horses: An English journal says, speaking of [the deterio- 
ration of the thorough-breds,and the methods advocated for 
their improvement, that the carrying of weights by racing 
horses ought to be approximated to the weights the horse, 
in ordinary life, is expected to carry. 
Now, the question naturally arises, ‘‘What possible sense 
can there be inraising horses which can only attain speed 
when ridden by human mannikins?” In this era of ad- 




vanced ideas, when we breed finer every day, running 
horses at tender ages, when they should not be worked at | 
all, perhaps we may require not men, nor even boys, but 
monkeys, to land some swift, but fragile racer, to the win- 
ning post. Feather weights in England demand, some- 
times, minimum loads for horses. 
56 pounds, a boy, it is true, won the Chester Cup. 
—If grouse have been scarce, and with a return of better 
judgment their lives have been pretty generally spared for 
another season, partridges have turned out somewhat bet- 
ter, so that sportsmen have received somewhat of acom- 
Just now, however, this gamey bird is in the 
stubble, and it may be some time before he leaves it. | 
pensation. 
Pretty generally, however, partridges seem not to have 
been so plenty, and it is highly probable that the season 
will not be a good one. It is early for partridges just now 
in England, and many sportsmen never draw covers before 
the middle or close of December. 
—Of cricket, many notable matches have just been 
played. The Gloucestershire and Sussex match was a re; 
markable one, in which the two leviathans, the Graces, fig- 
ured. A Mr. Townsend made 163 runs. Of course, the 
side the Messrs. Graces were on won the match, which was 
with the Gloucestershire men, It is calculated that, had 
the score of the full match of the winners been carried out, 
they would have summed up 1,700 runs. The wonderful 
play of certain men at the bat, somewhat inclines one to 
think that the day may not be far distant when certain 
modification, even in the conservative game of cricket, may 
be neceasary even in England. The remedy would be 
found in adding a fourth wicket, and making the stumps 
at least some four inches higher. What is certain is, that 
batting is now beating bowling in England. 
—Weare pleased to cite quite an increase, in fact an 
enormous one, in the grand total of those angling matches, 
which we have noted from time to time. Here is the Grand 
Angling Sweepstakes of Lincolnshire, 600 men, with a 
whole jungle of fishing-rods, and may be a thousand miles 
of line, and a ton of hooks, fishing in a canal. The winner 
caught 11 pounds 11} ounces, beating an e-jually clever ri- 
val by exactly the weight of a minnow scale. Anglers gen- 
erally, in England, are amazed at this startling result, when 
in prior years a gross weight of three pounds four ounces 
secured the prize. 
—English amateur coaching is now almost at its conclu- 
sion, and may be said to have been moderately successful. 
Pleasure seekers at Brighton conclude the season by rat- 
tling up toLondon ina coach and four, driven by a baro- 
net. There may be some particular satisfaction in an Eng- 
lish tradesman, when he is conscious that a nobleman 
coachee handles the lines. One can gather from the notices 
of the coaching horses put at publicsale, the price of these 
animals in England. A good hack fetched £60 to £70, 
and a cab or omnibus horse, £35 to £40. 
Shoat Gun and Rifle. 
GAME IN SEASON FOR SEPTEMBER. 




Caribou, Zarandus Rangifer.) 
Red Deer, Caricus Virginianus.) 
Squirrels, Red Black and Gray.) 
Quail, Optya Virginiana.) 
Pinnated Grouse, Zetrao Cupido.) 
Curlew, Vumenws Arquata.) 
Sandpipers, Zringine@.) 
Willets, 
Reed or Rice Birds, Dolichonyx. oriz- 
won. 
Moose, Alces Maichis.) 
Elk or Wapiti, Cervus Canadensis.) 
Rabbits, common Brown and Grey.) 
Wild Turkey, JJeleagris gakopavo.) 
Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola.) 
Ruffed Grouse, Tetrao umbellus,; 
Esquimaux Curlew, Numenius bo- 
realis.) 
Plover, Charadraius.) 
Godwit, Limosine.) 
Rails, Rallus Virginianus.) 
ER I 
[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 dono less than publish 
those entire sections that relate to the kinds of game in question. T his 
would require a great amount of our 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 larva of their re- 
spective States for constant reference. Otherwise, our attempts to assist them 
will only create confusion. ] 
One of the best localities within a fair distance of New 
York for ruffed grouse shooting is'called the Cannape. It 
isa large extent of wild territory’situated on the north- 
east corner of Ulster county, New York.) Take Hudson 
River railroad for Kingston, which connects with the New 
Rondout railroad to Shokan, which is seventeen miles. 
The distance from Shokan to Watson Hollow is seven 
miles. Stop over night at C. Rockwell's, who willevery give 
information and send a guide or go himself. This country 
is quite unknown to the sportsmen, as we firmly be- 
lieve. There has never been a breech-loader or a setter 
within its limits. The scenery is’ grandin the extreme, 
and the berries which the ruffed grouse feed on, are very 
abundant. This territory isalso noted for its deep mountain 
gorge, at the head of which ‘is a beautiful lake, the head 
waters of the Bushkill creek. It has two outlets, one 
emptying into the Esopus creek, and the other in a directly 
opposite quarter, into the Susquehanna. 
—North Alabama is one of the finest hunting regions in 
the United States. The fields are filled with quail, the 
woods with wild turkeys and deer, and all the streams and 
ponds in winter abound with wild ducks and geese. The 
finest wild-goose shooting in America is to be had every 
winter in the Mussell Shoals in Tennessee River. The wild 
geese congregate there by the thousands, apparently to feed 
onthe periwinkles that abound in the shallows, as well'as 
on the long moss that covers most of the rocks in the river’s 
bottom. The shoals are about five milés ‘wide, ‘and filled 
with small islands, called ‘‘tow-heads.” Most of these tow- 
heads are covered with drift wood, in which the sportsmen 









































We have an example of 
this in Kitchener, who, some twenty years ago, weighing 

conceal themselves, and shoot the geese as they fly over, 
which happens every few minutes, as they are constantly 
being disturbed by one cause or another. Just before night- 
fall the geese leave the river for the fields and ponds, which 
affords the sportsman another good opportunity for rare 
sport. "What is true of the wild geese, is more or less true 
of the wild ducks, with this in addition, that the latter are 
to be found every where, all the winter through, filling 
| every point, ‘‘spring branch,” or creek. Wild turkeys 
abound everywhere, and the red deer almost everywhere. 
The deer are hunted with hounds. 
—Smyth' County, Virginia, on the western slope of the 
‘Alleghanys, is one of the finest game districts easily acces- 
sible to the sportsman. Bear and deer are found there, and 
wild turkeys, grouse, quail, and woodcock are abundant. 
We hear of one bag of seventy-five quails secured in a sin- 
gle day by G. E. Penn, Esq. There is good hunting all 
about the neighborhood of Marion, the county seat, and ac- 
cessible therefrom by good mountain roads. Marion is on 
the Virginia and East Tennessee Railroad. There are three 
good hotels in the town, We shall refer to this district at 
greater length in subsequent numbers. 
—The southern part of Wayne county, Indiana, is another 
good locality for small game, such as squirrels, rabbits, and 
quail. Here are several packs of dogs, and in winter great 
sport is enjoyed in “circling” foxes, and in hunting coons 
at night. As many as seventeen foxes were destroyed by 
the farmers last winter in the course of a single circle. The 
trespass laws are rigidly enforced in this county. Centre- 
ville is the nearest railroad station. Very good hotels in 
Centreville. 
—The Leather Stocking Club, of Oswego county, New 
York, we have every reason to know, does honor to the dis- 
tinguished name it bears. Its officers are : H. C. Tanner, 
President ; M. L. Marshall, Vice-President ; N. W. Nut- 
ting, Treasurer, and J. F. Miller, Secretary. There are 
several well-broken dogs in Oswego county, comprising fine 
breeds of setters, hounds, and pointers. There is fair shoot- 
ing throughout that section, and the game, beside foxes, is 
confined to birds, of which duck, snipe, plover, woodcock, 
partridges and pigeons are the chief. Four railways from 
Oswego traverse this region. 
—On the Montezuma Marshes, in Seneca county, and in 
the adjacent country, there is good woodcock, partridge, 
quail, snipe, and duck shooting ; also coon hunting. These 
grounds are within three to five miles of the nearest railway 
station, and can be reached by way of Waterloo, on the 
New York Central Railroad. 
—Messrs. G. A. Sickells, T. E. Smithson, John Dowel, 
and John Lannon, of Washington, returned last week from 
a three days’ gunning expedition to the Patuxent River 
with 2,162 sora, besides a large number of reed birds and 
some blue wing and summer ducks. 
—We give these bits of information in hope that such of 
our readers as mbiy be able to avail themselves thereof, will 
be induced to render us an equivalent by sending some ac 
count of their experience and their impressions of the locali- 
ties visited. 
—The sora of America do not enjoy the same immunity 
from sportsmen’s attacks as do the birds of Japan, as we 
learn from ‘‘ Sir Rutherford Alcock’s Residence in’ Japan.” 
‘He writes : 
‘On the surface of the pond, are myriads of wildfowl 
‘so conscious of their immunity from gun and dog, under 
imperial decree, that they allow you to approach within a 
few yards—a most aggravating sight toa sportsman, but 
such is the law, and the birds evidently know it. No shot 
at bird or beast may be fired within tenri, or thirty miles, of 
the Tycoon’s residence ; and Yokohama, alas! is only 
seventeen miles distant. To the Japanese probably it is no 
privation ; but to an Englishman, sick of pork and fowls 
all the year round, and eager for open air sport and exer- 
cise, it is very hard ; butethe Japanese officials seem to take 
all the more pleasure in vigorously insisting upon the invio- 
lability of the laws. Their artists equally excel, from long 
and loving study, in’ depicting all kinds of wildfowl. 
Hawking seems the only sport in vogue even among the 
privileged and higher classes, and that in the imperial do- 
main is strictly limited likewise to the Tycoon. No private 
individual, so I am told, may even keep a falcon, of which 
there are some very fine specimens. This is only one of the 
numerous petty restraints and restrictions arising from a to- 
tally different state of society and political organization—of 
amore or less irritating and vexatious character—to, which 
foreigners must, perforce submit who take up their residence 
in Japan. f 
—A number of gentlemen, members of the Brooklyn Gun 
Club, met, at Dexter’s, L. I., last week, to try, for the first 
time, shooting from five traps, five yards apart, use of both 
barrels, English rules, handicapped. The birds were bet- 
ter than the general average, and the shooting, considering 
the long distances, and the first trial of many of the mem- 
bers at five traps, was remarkably accurate. The following 
is the Handicap : 
H.S., 27 yards, shot with Purdy, OC. F,-1 1*1101 1* 10 
W. S.,25 yards, shot with Pape, C.F.—1 1 1*101* 00 
0 0—9. 
Dr. W., 27 yards; shot with Powell, C. F.—1 1* 00 1* 1*00101* 1 
001-8... ; ( 
Dr. A., 27 yards, shot with Scott, C.F—111*1010001* 11*1 
1 1—11. ‘ 
Capt. A., 30 yards, shot with German, M. L—0 00 1* 11001* 1 1* 
0001-8. 
(*) Denotes killing with second barrel. 
—Mr. Harvey H. Brown of Cleveland, Ohio, an amateur 
pigeon shooter, and the winner of the Lorillard badge at 
Saratoga, in aletter to the Herald, after making some 
remarks as regards the conditions of the badge, &c., very 
properly says:— 
| “Ihave no present ' desire or intention to engage in trap 
1 
0; 


