Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-14

belonging to Mr. Mills that were mur-
dered by Gen Harrison Gray Otis on his
strayed while on shooting trip? Ken
mel and Field. Nfr. Hoffar may recall
stated that the two puppies bought by
Messrs. Drinkard and Weeks were thought
brought to washington-not that they
were the first pedigreed setters-neither
Vic nor the Count Noble-Spark dog
owned by Mr.. Burchc came under the
Llevellin classification. Come again. Mr..
Hoffar. Corrections, criticisms. sugges-
lions and, above all, the memories Of 'auld
lang syne" that your letter recalls are
always welcome.
The brand Of weather that we are now
having is terribly hard on birds. A snow.
a sleet and then another snow is the very
worst thing that could happen for them,
and unless a thaw comes soon thousands
will die As long as quail can scratch
they are all right. even though 1t be in
the snow, but a frozen surface is too
much for them.
In number Of states shooting quail
when snow is on the ground is prohibited.
Articles have appeared from time to time
in which 1t Is made to appear that in
some parts of the south negroes Slaughter
the birds when the ground is snow-cover-
ed. Forget it. Sarnbo is not that fond Of
quail meat. and nothing less than a pos
sum will draw him away from the fire.
On one occasion in the west the writer
tried to hunt quail in the snow, but 1t
was a signal failure The dogs flushed
a couple of coveys. but they flew farther
and faster than quail ever did before, and
the dogs only chance of pointing was
when the birds lit in tree It may be-
and probably is. true that after the birds
become very hungry they are easily trap
ped, but as far shooting them over
a dog goes the birds have far the best
of ii.
Baltimore and Washington are such
close neiehbors that sporting victory
of one city is always a source Of salts
faction to the other. Last summer John
Dunn, the owner of the Baltimore base
ball club. purchased in Oklahoma tine
setter dog Benstone, by Count White
stone ex Mayme Gilchrist. In the Vir-
ginia-North Carolina trials Benstone won
first in both the members all-age and
the open all-age stakes. At Letohatchie,
Ala. he ran we'll enough to be carried to
the second series. Last week. at Canton.
Miss, he won first in the Subscription
stake. MomoneE and Mobile being sec
ond and third. and the dog that can beat
them is a great one. Many give him
first-class chance to win the champion
ship this week al Grand Junction. Dunn
paid only $500 for Benstone and recently
refused S1,GC0.
He Sal1IOTnld game commissioner mas,
according to reports, contracted for 5000
dozen Mexican quails. to be placed on
the state game propagating farm and
liberated, in the hope that they will mix
with the native quail. If by native" is
meant the blue mountain bird. so plenti-
full in California. the result will be watch
ed with much interest and more doubt
No birds belonging to the same family
Gf they do) could be more dissimilar
than the Bob White and the Califor-
mia quail The writer has always be-
lieved that the latter are more like
guinea fowls than quail in their habits.
They prefer running Ito flying and when
running often make noise that is very
close to that of the guinea fowl. Whether
the two varieties will cross successfully
is not known. They have certainly al
ways 'fOcked together wherever the
writer has seen them.
Field and Kennel has been the recipient
Of very attractive calendar in colors
showing an English, Gordon and an
Irish setter on point in stubble field.
each stanchly backing the other. II
never looks at it without wondering if
any sportsman ever witnessed such a
combination in actual work. Or, for
that matter. did any one ever see an
Englishman, Scotchman and an Irish
man working harmoniously side by side?