Occasional Notes. 127 



to hoar that Ducks were protected in the Transvaal, as they 

 are so numerous here. In the Australian Colonies, I believe, 

 Duck shooting is carried on during- the whole year, and, as 

 they breed very quickly, little harm is done. Why not 

 remove Ducks from the protected list ? — I am, etc., 



" Sport." 



" WiLn Duck Shooting. 

 " To the. Editor of the Leader. 



" Sir, — I see in this morning's ' Leader ' a letter by 

 ' Sport ' re Wild Duck shooting : allow me, through your 

 columns, to add a few remarks. In my opinion there should 

 be no close time for W^ild Duck, as about here in the open 

 season you hardly see any, only in such places as ' Sport ' 

 mentions. Only once during last shooting season did I see 

 any Duck in this district — I think it was in June, — when I 

 came across about six old ones and about sixteen small ; 

 some of them could not even fly : I could have secured the 

 lot. Can you, Sir, or any member of the Transvaal Game 

 Society inform me in what month Wild Duck breed? I 

 have been here twelve years, and have seen young Duck 

 in nearly every month of the year. — I am, etc., 



" Springs, " Harry H. Smith.^' 



" 28th September, 1906," 



" Wild Duck Shooting. — The Close Season. 

 " To the Editor of the Leader. 



" Sir, — I was much interested to observe the letters of 

 ' Sport ' anfl Mr. Harry H. Smith which recently appeared 

 in your columns upon this question. It may not perhaps be 

 uninteresting to state that the propriety of the present close 

 season for Duck shooting is and has been for some time past 

 engaging the close attention of the Transvaal Game Pro- 

 tection Association, which has been endeavourino- to collect 

 reliable data as to the breeding-seasons and places of the 

 different members of the Duck family which frequent the 

 Transvaal. As far as I am aware, the present position taken 



