THE CONSERVATION OF BIRDS. 287 



and golden plovers, jacksnipe, woodcock and the greater and 

 lesser yellowlegs ; a five-year closed season for woodduck in 

 the Northern States from Maine to Minnesota and Kansas and 

 in the three Pacific States ; for rails in Vermont and Califor- 

 nia, and for woodcock in Illinois and Missouri. The Miss- 

 issippi River, between Minneapolis and Memphis, and the 

 Missouri River, between Bismark and Nebraska City, were 

 closed to all hunting indefinitely. As these rivers are main 

 thoroughfares for migrants, the sections thus set apart are of 

 great importance as refuges as well as breeding grounds. By 

 the provisions of this act the United States was divided, as 

 a basis for uniformity, into a northern or breeding zone and a 

 southern or wintering zone, somewhat after the plan sug- 

 gested by Mr. Hallock (see pages 272 and 281). All spring 

 shooting became illegal and open seasons were limited to from 

 two to three and a half months. For rails, coots, gallinules 

 and the five kinds of shorebirds remaining on the game list, 

 the open season was from September 1 to December 16 in 

 both zones ; for waterfowl it was from September 1 to De- 

 cember 16 in the northern zone, and October 1 to January 

 16 in the southern ; for woodcock it was from October 1 to 

 December 1 in the northern zone, and November 1 to January 

 1 in the southern. Exceptions to each of these regulations 

 were made for a few States, as may be seen in the digest of 

 this act in Appendix II. There is a diversity of opinion 

 regarding the constitutionality of this act but there can be no 

 question as to its beneficial effect if rigidly enforced. 



Besides the protection afforded by game laws, there is the 

 method of establishing preserves where birds are either given 

 complete immunity from slaughter or are carefully guarded 

 from excessive depletion. The associations of wealthy sports- 

 men that exist in various parts of the country, where they 

 control much land, look after their game very carefully, as 

 has already been stated. Such preserves are maintained at 

 so large an expense that they can never become numerous 

 enough to be of appreciable assistance in repopulating the 



