THE CONSERVATION OF BIRDS. 283 



such circumstances always defend themselves on this ground, 

 though it may not be the real cause of their crime. In spite of 

 the fact that it cannot save them from punishment if they are 

 prosecuted, it undoubtedly keeps down the number of com- 

 plaints that reach official ears. Officials themselves are likely 

 to give most of their attention to other parts of the State. 



As an example of non- uniformity take Iowa and her imme- 

 diate neighbors north and south, Minnesota and Missouri. 

 The close season for ducks in Iowa is April 15 to September 

 1 ; in Minnesota it is January 1 to September 1 ; and in Mis- 

 souri April 1 to October 1. Iowa gunners are allowed to kill 

 ducks six weeks longer than Missouri gunners, and thirteen 

 weeks longer than Minnesota gunners. If ducks were perma- 

 nent residents such discrepancy would not matter, but the 

 majority of them are migrants, exposed to fire from each of the 

 three States in succession. The laws relating to other game- 

 birds in these three States are no nearer alike. Neither are 

 game laws of other contiguous States better in this respect. 

 In the statement of close seasons in the different States and 

 territories issued by the Department of Agriculture l there 

 are not three successive States with uniform laws relating to 

 a single game-bird, with the exception of Utah, Idaho, and 

 Washington, which agree in protecting grouse and prairie 

 chickens. This condition of things is manifestly wrong, and 

 so long as it continues the laws in question are certain to be 

 violated. Popular sentiment will not uphold them. It is not 

 practicable to police every bit of woods, every stretch of water, 

 every grain-field. If game laws do not meet the approval and 

 have the hearty support of the masses, they are void. 



The palpable impropriety of prohibiting on one side of a 

 certain line what is openly and legally practised on the other 

 can lead to but one outcome defiance. That the State is the 

 sovereign power, so far as its internal affairs are concerned, 



1 Bulletin No. 14, Division of Biological Survey. 



