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agree, knowing as I do the wiles of the pot-hunter. You are well aware that, speak- 

 ing of bird life, there is a peculiar instinct connected with that life which induces 

 them to migrate in the spring to the north, returning southward in the fall. We live 

 in Ontario with extensive territory extending to the Hudson Bay on the north and 

 we receive a great portion of the bird life which spends its winters in the south. We 

 not only receive them, but we take care of them during seven or eight months of 

 the year. We furnish them with their breeding homes and we therefore have a 

 claim upon them. We think that they are, to all intents, native-bred Canadians. 

 It is true it would be a good thing if we could prevent that exodus after raising 

 their broods here, but like many of our Canadians they are inclined, many of them 

 to go south, some to stay, some to return again. Our Dominion Government pro- 

 posed the national policy to stop this human emigration, and it might be as effi- 

 cacious to prevent the emigration of bird life as human life, personally I have 

 just that faith in it. Well, though we cannot do that, we feel like asking 

 our American cousins to take care of the birds better than they do while they 

 are not with us. We expect them to get a warm reception, and that they will 

 be well peppered while there, but when these birds start for their homes again 

 I think it is a scandalous thing that they should be shot at from every nook and 

 comer on their way to the breeding grounds after they have mated. I, therefore^ 

 think of this objection to this codification — that it allows spring shooting. Snipe 

 and other game birds are shot in April, while they are going through their little 

 courting scenes, thus destroying the whole brood. We cannot artitically breed our 

 native Ipirds, but the sooner we take steps to shorten the shooting season, the 

 sooner we will be in a position to preserve these birds. I think that our report 

 will be that the shooting season in the fall should open on the loth of September, 

 and I notice in the copy sent me of your codification that that date was first 

 written in, and afterwards crossed out and the 1st of September written. I think 

 that was a great mistake. We knew it would restrict our season to some extent 

 in regard to woodcock and other birds, but these birds are become somewhat ex- 

 tinct, and the reason of the change was that anyone going out for these birds 

 would be tempted to shoot other game. We do not want to destroy the little 

 sport that still remains. We want to give our children opportunities of tak- 

 ing vigorous exercise by preserving our game fish and birds. There are no more 

 invigorating or heart-stirring days than those we have spent, when taking the 

 rod and gun, we have gone in search of speckled beauties, or bagged our quail or 

 partridge in the course of a long day's tramp. Hares are allowed to be shot in 

 February. Now, if a man goes out for them and comes on a bevy of quail he 

 blazes away into them, and they are pot-hunted. Ducks are allowed on the other 

 side to be shot up to the 1st of May, but that, I think, is all wrong. If our Amer- 

 ican friends would memorialize the government to prohibit spring shooting, I 

 '^h'ink it would meet with the general wishes of the whole country. I would sug- 

 gest that from the loth of September to the 15th of December should lie adopted. 

 I think that is all I have to suggest just now, and I would like to hear from the 

 other gentlemen what their opinions are on the subject. 



Mr. Skinner : I am sorry that some of the other members of the Codifica- 

 tion Committee are not here to speak on the subject. This subject of spring 

 shooting was brought up, and immense pressure was brought to bear on the Com- 

 mission by interested parties on Long Island, New York State, to leave this 

 spring shooting open. I think it is a very wrong thing, and a great mistake. 



Mr. Amsden : This matter of spring shooting was desired by the Long Island 

 shooters, though it was against the judgment of the better class of sportsmen and 

 conservative men, who are in favour of doing away with it. I am not surprised to 



