no WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



the birds which are valuable to the farmer because 

 they eat the insects and grubs which destroy the 

 crops. It's a question of playing the game fair 

 and square and the sportsman backs the govern- 

 ment. Where do you stand?" 



The pot-hunter glowered at his guest from under 

 drooped eyebrows. 



''An' if I do shoot a bird out o' season, now an' 

 again, what then 1 ' ' 



''Then you're disobeying the law and ought to 

 be punished for it," answered the official promptly, 

 "just the same as if you broke any other law. 

 Of course, if you could prove that you were com- 

 pelled to shoot the bird because of hunger, that 

 would put an entirely ditferent face on the matter. 



"In Alaska, for example, the laws provide that 

 game animals and birds may be killed at any time 

 for food and clothing by native Indians, and by 

 Eskimos, or by prospectors and explorers in need 

 of food. Canada has the same rule in the Yukon. 



"I can remember a case in which a lighthouse 

 keeper wrote and asked the department if it were 

 permissible for him to shoot birds out of season, 

 when his food supply was running short, and, by 

 reason of stormy weather, his relief ship did not 

 arrive. Of course I had to write and tell him that 



