PROTECTION OF GAME AND WILD LIFE 269 
tion of one that would have affected the vital principle of 
the proposed treaty, namely, the elimination of spring 
shooting. Accordingly, a revised draft convention embody- 
ing the changes which had been made to meet the objec- 
tions raised by the provincial governments, together with 
certain other improvements, was prepared and submitted 
to the Canadian Government in March, 1916. After further 
consideration of this revised draft by the government an 
Order in Council was passed on June 29, 1916, stating that 
“Canada is prepared to agree to the conclusion of the con- 
vention”’ conditional to the adoption of certain other amend- 
ments which had been agreed to as a result of informal 
negotiations. 
The treaty was signed in Washington on August 16, 1916, 
by His Majesty’s Ambassador, Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, 
G. C. V. O., and the Secretary of State of the United States, 
Mr. Robert Lansing. On the unanimous vote of the Com- 
mittee on Foreign Relations it was ratified by the Senate 
of the United States on August 29, 1916. 
The full text of the convention is set forth in the schedule 
of the Migratory Birds Convention Act. 
In the fulfilment of the agreement made in Article VIII 
of the convention the Migratory Birds Convention Act was 
passed at the next session of Parliament following its rati- 
fication, and was assented to on August 29, 1917. 
It will be seen that the most important provision in the 
convention is Article II, providing for: (1) a close season 
on migratory game-birds from March 10 to September 1, 
with the exception given; (2) an open season of three and 
one-half months; and (3) a close season throughout the year 
on insectivorous birds. The open season of three and one- 
half months may be fixed anywhere between September 1 
and March 10, to suit the local conditions. The restriction 
of the open season on wild fowl to three and one-half months 
will involve in some provinces a shortening of the present 
