266 CONSERVATION OF CANADIAN WILD LIFE 
aged many Canadians, who naturally asked why they should 
protect their wild fowl for the market gunners of the south. 
The existence of such market gunners, who annually killed 
enormous quantities of Canadian-bred ducks and geese for 
the markets of the big cities in the United States, consti- 
tuted one of the greatest causes of reduction and one of the 
chief obstacles to any rational attempt to prevent such 
reduction and to maintain our stock of wild fowl. Not 
only were game-birds affected, but insectivorous birds were 
likewise killed by thousands during their winter sojourn in 
the south; this destruction has been particularly serious in 
the case of the robin, one of our important cutworm de- 
stroyers. 
As a result of the efforts of sportsmen, game-protective 
associations and other organizations interested in the con- 
servation of the wild fowl and other migratory birds in the 
United States, the Federal Migratory Bird Law was enacted 
in 1913 for the purpose of securing more adequate protec- 
tion for migratory birds which, by reason of their migra- 
tory habits, could not be successfully protected by the efforts 
of individual States so long as other States were derelict in 
the matter. The objects of the Federal regulations were to 
reduce the open seasons, which varied greatly in different 
States; to secure a more uniform open season, not exceed- 
ing three and one-half months, fixed in accordance with 
local conditions, so that the sportsmen would have shoot- 
ing at the best time of the year; and to prevent the shoot- 
ing of migratory birds in the spring. A close season for a 
period of years was given to certain birds, particularly 
shore-birds, and the shooting of insectivorous birds was en- 
tirely forbidden. The majority of the States amended their 
laws to conform with the Federal regulations, and, although 
certain States, in which the influence of the market hunter 
and gunners with no thought of the future appeared to pre- 
dominate, objected to Federal interference, the outcome of 
