36 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXIII. 



BIRD PROTECTION IN CANADA. 



Canadian conservationists are to be congratulated 

 upon the success so far achieved in bird protection 

 in the Dominion. Probably the most important 

 step ever taken in any country in this direction is 

 the ratification of the International Migratory Bird 

 Convention with the United States whereby the two 

 great North American powers are bound to co- 

 operate in the protection of migratory game and 

 other birds. This is now the law of the land and 

 founded upon international treaty. 



In addition to a number of bird reservations 

 created in the west we have lately achieved the 

 following in the east: Point Pelee, Ontario, on Lake 

 Erie, established as a wild life sanctuary; its unique 

 bird life will be permanently retained in coming 

 Canadian generations and a place reserved for them 

 where they may see and hear the Mocking Bird, 

 Cardinal, Carolina Wren and other southern birds 

 of song and story within our own borders. 



Lately, a bill has passed the Quebec Parliament 

 preserving Perce Rock, the bird ledges of Bona- 

 venture Island, and Bird Rock, all in the Gulf 

 Coast, as permanent bird havens, and the threatened 

 destruction of some of our national wonders is 

 prevented. 



The next serious protection problem is the con- 

 dition of bird life on the north shore of the Gulf 

 of St. Lawrence, the "Canadian Labrador." To- 

 day we have every reason for serious effort in this 

 direction, economic, that a necessary food supply 

 shall not be lost to the inhabitants of this bleak and 

 desolate coast; sentimental, that no form of innocent 

 life perish from the face of the earth; and moral, 

 that we live up to the conditions and responsibilities 

 imposed upon us and agreed to by us in the solemn 

 treaty we have entered into. The following corre- 

 spondence from those who speak from first hand 

 observation on the Labrador coast, will indicate how 

 critical this question is and how necessary it is that 

 all join together in assisting and supporting Dom- 

 inion officials in this direction. 



Boston, Mass., Dedember 11, 1918. 

 To the Editor of The Ottawa Naturalist: 



The following note received by me from Dr. 

 Robert T. Morris, of New York, which he has al- 

 lowed me to use in any way that will do good, is 

 deserving of the widest publicity. 



The chapter he refers to in my book was pub- 

 lished in advance in 1916 in the seventh annual 

 report of the Commission of Conservation of Can- 

 ada, and describes in detail the terrible destruction 

 of bird life on the coast of the Labrador Peninsula. 

 The subject is so important, if the bird life of this 

 region is to be saved, that I have taken the lib- 



erty of quoting from this chapter some suggestions 

 wh'ch I believe to be of vital importance. 



"What then is to be done? Is there no hope for 

 the birds and for the people to whom the birds are 

 such a valuable asset? I think there is. I believe 

 that the whole problem can be solved most rationally 

 and satisfactorily for all concerned by the immediate 

 establishment of bird reservations. These should be 

 islands or groups of islands or suitable portions of 

 the main coast that can be watched by guardians. 

 Here the birds should be undisturbed and allowed 

 to rest, feed and breed in peace. The people should 

 be made to understand that these reservations are 

 not established to cut down their hunting, and 

 thereby invite poaching and violation of the laws, 

 but for the purpose of preserving and increasing the 

 birds so that there shall be better shooting for every- 

 body on the coast. 



' A campaign of education is necessary, there- 

 fore, and I believe that the bird reservation will do 

 more good in making the people understand, not only 

 the need of bird conservation, but its advantages. The 

 game wardens will be looked upon, not as enemies 

 to be avoided and cheated, but as friends who are 

 working for the people's good. If the matter is well 

 managed, the people will regard their reservation 

 with pride, and public opinion will keep the birds 

 there inviolate. The wasted regions near fishing 

 villages now devoid of all sea-bird life on the one 

 hand and the crowded bird reservations on the 

 other will be powerful object lessons in this process 

 of education. I would suggest the placing of a 

 brief notice on each reservation, printed in English, 

 as well as in French, Montagnais or Eskimo, where 

 these languages are used, worded somewhat as 

 follows: 



"bird reservation 

 "The purpose of this reservation is to preserve the 

 birds from destruction and to increase their num- 

 bers, so that there will be better shooting on the 

 coast. The people are asked not to disturb the 

 birds or their eggs on this reservation and to avoid 

 the use of guns in its neighborhood." 



Charles W. Townsend. 



616 Madison Ave., 

 New York City, November 15, 1918. 

 To Dr. Charles Wendell Townsend, 

 98 Pinckney St., 



Boston, Massachusetts. 

 Your treatment of the subject of conservation in 

 Labrador in the book, "In Audubon's Labrador", 

 which I have read with great interest, meets with my 

 approval or more than that. On my trips to the 

 Gulf Coast of Labrador and on the eastern coast 



