CONSERVATION OF GAME BIRDS. 59! 



one State, through which it passes in migration, may have no 

 protection at ah in the next. Thus the State that desires to 

 protect any bird effectively can do no less than protect it at 

 all times, and even then its efforts for conservation may be 

 neutralized by its neighbors. Even the majority of States 

 working together for uniform protection will be unable to 

 accomplish what all might attain under uniform regulations. 

 What success could this country expect in repelling a foreign 

 invader were the conduct of the war left to individual States, 

 and were each State allowed to defend the government or 

 not, as it might see fit.'^ It is folly to imagine that the con- 

 servation of migratory animals can attain that success under 

 the uncertain, ill-advised and constantly changing regulations 

 of the individual States that it might attain under control or 

 regulation by the federal government. 



It is argued that such control is unconstitutional, but 

 whenever the American people are satisfied that it is necessary 

 and imperative, a way will be found to bring it about, and 

 migratory birds will be protected uniformly. (See Appendix B.) 



Nevertheless, no protective efforts in any State should be 

 relaxed in anticipation of federal regulation until such regu- 

 lation has become an accomplished and permanent fact. 



Public Game and Bird Reservations. 



The quotation which follows is taken from my paper 

 entitled Statutory Bird Protection in Massachusetts, which 

 was published in 1907 in the annual report of the Massachu- 

 setts State Board of Agriculture : — - 



"Where all other measures promise only failure there is 

 still one resource left, and that is the setting aside of tracts of 

 reservations of woodland, lake, river or shore, within the 

 limits of which all killing of birds by man may be prohibited, 

 under heavy penalties. In such tracts or reservations the 

 resident game and birds may breed unmolested, and thus 

 replenish the surrounding country. Here migrants may find 

 safety to stop and rest from their long journeys. 



"A chain of such sanctuaries established along the Atlantic 

 coast of North America probably would preserve our stock of 



