351 



animals articles of commerce has the greatest effect in causing their destruction. 

 If idle men and boys could not make money by killing game, one-half at least of 

 the cause of its slaughter would be stopped at once, Again, if foreigners were 

 not allowed to over-run our province at all times and seasons in quest of game 

 without any restriction whatever, another great cause of destruction would be 

 removed. The close seasons in the adjoining States are not the same, and large 

 numbers of so called sportsmen visit our Province during the spring when shoot- 

 ing is allowed in their own country, and destroy large numbers of birds during 

 the close season here. Another cause is the granting of permits promiscuously for 

 the purpose ot collecting birds and eggs for so called scientific purposes. This 

 privilege is abused in almost every instance, and the skins and eggs become 

 articles of merchandise. Exchanging eggs and skins as well as selling them to 

 regular dealers in the Province and neighbouring States, has of late years been 

 carried on quite largely under the permit system. One collector was heard of 

 who boasted of having made fifty thousand skins. The Commissioners are 

 strongly of the opinion that great care and discrimination should be exercised in 

 the granting of these permits and that the number granted each year should be 

 very much curtailed, that not more than five or ten should be granted during 

 any one year, and those only to persons who are engaged in the study of natural 

 history and who do not use the skins or eggs for barter. For a great number of 

 years it has been felt that the existing game laws did not apply properly to all 

 sections of the Province, with its varying climate and temperature, that in some 

 instances the close season ended too soon and in others too late, that is in some 

 the shooting was allowed before the birds were fully fledged, and in others the 

 season did not begin until the birds had commenced their fall flight. It was 

 therefore proposed by one of the Commissioners that with the view of suiting all 

 sections as nearly as mny be, the loth day of September be the opening day for 

 the shooting of all game in Ontario except quail, deer, elk, moose and caribou. 

 The suggestion was at once adopted by the Commission and it was remarkable 

 how unanimously in favour of the plan were all the witnesses who gave evidence 

 before the Commission. In that case the Commissioners strongly recommended 

 that the close season for all game birds and animals, except quail, deer, elk, moose 

 and caribou, begin on December loth and end on September loth. The object being 

 the further protection of the game, and because the law will then be applicable to 

 the whole of Ontario, and thus save the misunderstanding which might occur 

 from dividing the Province into sections or districts with a game law for each. 

 Even with this wise suggestion there will be a few sections where the law will 

 not suit exactly, but so nearly so that all sportsmen for the sake of the general 

 welfare of the game, should acquiesce without murmur. An example may be 

 given for instance in the most eastern part of the Province, woodduck and wood- 

 cock both migrate from these localities about September 15th, therefore sportsmen 



