AMERICAN WOODCOCK 127 



of the veteran woodcock gunner, — the few 

 stragglers picked up after the flights have gone 

 by, which are mostly old males and extremely 

 small. How they can twist and fly! If the 

 average Woodcock had their ability the future 

 supply of '' Long-bills" would be assured. 



My latest kill on Woodcock was on November 

 25th; but the fault is mine, for I failed to ad- 

 vance this record five days by making a beau- 

 tiful two-cartridge miss on November 30th of 

 last season and for two weeks later there was an 

 occasional bird to be found, although there had 

 been a four-inch snowfall in the meantime. I 

 have known of their staying near an open 

 spring hole even later than this. (Maine rec- 

 ords.) 



One word here on game protection : May the 

 day soon come when all spring shooting shall 

 be stopped: When the sale of game in the 

 markets shall be prohibited: When the law 

 shall everywhere regulate to a reasonable fig- 

 ure the number of birds which a man may take 

 in a day's hunt: These laws to apply every- 

 where that game is hunted. These things must 

 come soon or the question of game protection 

 will be solved for good and all — and not to your 



