298 Bird -Lore 



in Massachusetts, X'crmont and New Hampshire, giv'ing the Governor the righi 

 to issue proclamations to stop all shooting and declare a close season, when 

 hunters in the woods are likel\' to cause f(;rest fires during dry weather. 



Bills establishing a system of registialii n for resident hunters were enacted 

 in Rhode Island, New Hamjjshire and \'erm(int, and attemi)ts to repeal or nuUifv 

 such laws were defeated in Massachusetts. 



Bills forbidding the s|)ring sh(>(.ting cf wild-fowl and shore-birds were enacted 

 in Massachusetts, and a strc ng attempt to repeal a similar law in Connecticut 

 was defeated. All the states of Xew England, e.\cej)t Rhode Island, now pro- 

 liibit the spring shooting of wild-fowl, but there are one or two unimportant 

 exceptions made to this rule in Maine and Xew Hampshire. This year the Maine 

 Legislature passed an act establishing an open season on the " Golden-eye or 

 Whistler" in Hancock county frcjm November i to A]jril i. All such e.xceptions 

 to the general laws abolishing s])ring sh(;oting should be and must be re])ealed. 

 Spring shooting in New iMigland is now very nearly abolished, so far as legislative 

 enactments can prevent it. Il must be the task of the future to close the gaps in 

 this legislation as fast as possible, and to intluence public .sentiment in favor 

 of the enfoi cement (»f these laws. 



The laws that have been enacted for the prohibition of spring shooting and 

 for the registration of hunters could not have succeeded without the cooperation 

 of the best sportsmen of New England, who have worked unsparingly for the 

 passage of these bills. 



There have Ijeen the usual efforts to abolish or change the game commissions 

 in the New England states, but none of these attemjjts have been successful. 



The increase of deer throughout New I'jiglund is a matter for serious con- 

 sideration. In many localities the}- are regarded as a nuisance by the farmers. 

 The rapid multiplication of these animals shows the possibilities of protection 

 by statute. Most of the natural enemies of the deer having been killed, they have 

 increased tremendously in those New Ijigland states where they have been pro- 

 tected at all times, and even a .short (.])en season, such as is allowed now in \'er- 

 mont and New Hampshire, has not greatly decreased iheir numbers; while in 

 Maine, with a longer open season and much hunting, they are holding their own 

 very well. 



Acts prohibiliiig hunting from power-boats, such a-- one passed in Connecticut 

 this year, are now in force in most of the New England slates. Shooting wild-fowl 

 from sail-boats, which is prohibited in some states, should be forbidden in all. 



Certain acts that were introduced for the puri)ose of securing statistics of 

 the amount of game taken were defeated, as were also most of the bills limiting 

 the number of birds to be taken in a day. Many sportsmen still opi)ose such 

 legislation. 



There seems to be no dis])osition now in New I'jiglantl to repeal the laws for 

 the i)r()lection t)f song and insectivorous birds, hut in some states the laws regard- 

 ing (he use of birds fi>r milliiicrv ornanuiits need strengthening. 



