San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-10-13


distance can get with single
shot enough doves to supply the
table OF large family.
The best way to hunt doves
is to shoot them while flying
or from the trees, as they often
fall or fly into the water when
wounded, when too close to the
waters edge.
All dove species are very palat.
able and generally preferred to
other small wild game of the
feathery tribe, the meat OF the
wild dove being tenderer and
delicious If properly prepared
and cooked.
One may get tired of nearly
all other game such as venison,
partridge, ducks, rabbits, etc., but
a we'll prepared meal of wild
doves will always be found well
come dish at the dinner table.
Then they are more easy to pick
and clean than any other wild
game.
The best way to prepare
them for the table is to cut
the bird up from the back (use
no water for the cleaning as it is
the most clean bird after prepar-
ing). Then spice the bird well
with salt and pepper, etc.,and fry
it with bacon with the addition Of
a small quantity of butter, and
have the frying pan we'll covered
up during the broiling. In this
manner highly delicious and
enjoyable dish will be served.
THE MEXICAN PIGEON.
An interesting sight is afforded
by the large migratory pigeons,
generally called Mexican doves,
which are nearly as large again
as our common wild dove, and
which light in large flocks in our
forests and fields, usually only to
feed for a day or two and then
migrate further. These large
wild pigeons, which are of a
blush gray color with a white
streak on the wing, do a great
deal Of havoc to the fields and
forests where they light.
A number Of years ago l saw
such flock In the neigh borhood
of Greytown, about twenty miles
southeast of San Antonio, COM
ing in great dark flocks like
clouds Of locusts, demolishing the
branches OF the trees by the
weight Of their bodies. In addi-
ton to that, they were so greedy
that on the following day the
great oak trees were literally
shorn OF their foliage and the
ground was covered with the
remnants of acorn bulls and
broken branches. Thousands Of
squirrels could hardly have done
more harm.
Greytown was formerly very
popular hunting place. The sur
rounding country consists of thick
chapparal and sandy soil. A few
miles below Greytown there is
a lagoon several miles long,
grown with tule or reeds, and
surrounded by old oak trees.
Many years ago there were found
here any amount of wild ducks,
geese and turkeys, and in the for
est bottoms of oaks and pecans,
one could notice from early in the
morning to late in the evening,
hundreds Of squirrels climbing
and springing from one tree to an
other.
Through the settling up of this
section aud the many hunting
parties the game has disappeared
more and more so that game has
become very scarce there nova
days.
THE PLOVER.
Beside large quantities OF other
game such as cartridges, snipe,
wild ducks, rabbits, etc, one finds
at certain seasons a variety OF
snipe called in German "Regen
Pfeifer," or in English plover.
The German name Grain Piper" is
very characteristic as these birds
generally give vent to a peculiar
cry or whistle at the approach
Of a rainstorm, or during the
rainy season.
In spring and autumn the new
mown cane fields or swampy re-
gions and prairles are alive with
plover, affording welcoms prey
to the hunter, especially to the
so-called Sunday hunter" as
there is no other wild game that
is easier to hunt than these plov-
err. Whereas one must very
carefully approach other game, the
hunter, especially IL in wagon or
on horseback, can get in very
close shooting range. In this way
one can get very close to them
and they will remain in their
position like soldiers. Often eight
ten or more can be shot before
I IL n