128 FEATHERED GAME 



wish and pleasure either, my brother sports- 

 man. I am glad to say that much of this has 

 been accomplished in my own State, and noth- 

 ing that has been done before has been of so 

 great benefit to the cause of game protection 

 and propagation. The good results of closing 

 the markets have already been proven in the 

 marked increase of the ruffed grouse in our 

 covers. Though but a few years' time has 

 elapsed the advantages have been conclusively 

 shown and the future promises even better 

 things. 



But big bags of Woodcocks are growing more 

 and more uncommon. Even in -covers once 

 rated as "sure finds" and held good for fair 

 shooting under any and all conditions the 

 ''blank day" is not the uncommon thing it once 

 was. If any of our game birds should be pro- 

 tected, and of course they should, surely the 

 Woodcock's need is greatest of all. The family 

 raised each season is very small — rarely are 

 there more than four in the brood — and it is 

 no wonder that the species is growing yearly 

 less numerous when we remember how persist- 

 ently they are hunted from the British Pro- 

 vinces to the Gulf, having no peace in any part 



