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Based upon that second picture. The lever is about the same lenght as the action. I believe it is not an 1894. I have a 1893 TD with 28" barrel in the locker. The barrel is more liikely a 30" if I compare the lenght of the shotgun barrels to the rifle barrel. Most BP shotguns that I have handled are in the 30" area. I'm still just guessing.
The distance between the trigger loop and the lever stud suggests a 1893 action to me. Long barrels for sure but some of that could be the photo perhaps.
Make? Marlin
Model? 1893
Barrel length? 32 octagonal
Year of Man? 1904
Caliber? 25-36 Marlin
Year photo was taken? 1904
Extra Credit, Photographer's name? My Grandfather
Bird(s)?
My Grandfather moved to Big Falls, MN to work in a hardware store. He had a camera (4X5") and took many photographs around 1904. Somehow a couple dozen negatives survived and this is one of them. The Marlin was purchased at the same time. I still have the Marlin, however it was cut down to a 30" barrel and the magazine was cut in half. Undoubtedly the 32" with a full magazine was not very handy in the woods of northern MN and NW Wisconsin. It also sports a Lyman tang sight and looks like an aftermarket front sight. Perhaps if I post a photo of the front sight someone can identify it. The birds are unknown to me, however I can attach a close-up and being they are from Big Falls area I am sure they would be identifiable. Maybe they are Passenger Pigeons
I can understand cutting down the barrel from 32" but even at 28" that I have, you need a rest to hold the front end up for any time. As for the bird, I am no expert but maybe a wood grouse? Seems to have short wings vs a turkeys wings. Dark legs likely mean something to somebody.
Pierre
PPs were extinct in the wild after 1900, though unofficial sightings came in from time to time. That far north in Minnesota seems very unlikely for the birds as well. The southeastern corner of the state would be more reasonable from a habitat standpoint. Possible - barely but then so are the odds that I'll die rich.