OF NATURAL HISTORY OF CANADA 



33 



WHAT OUR SOCIETY HAS DONE 



Our young society, still under organization, has had to act in 

 several emergency cases. In fact it has to its credit practical 

 work that produced good results. 



Here is a short enumeration of what has been done. 



In the spring of 1920, after an entente between the Govern- 

 ments of Canada and the United States, and the adoption of the 

 "Migrator^' Bi ds Act", the hunting of Canada Goose in the spring 

 was prohibited We have sent personal letters to three hundred 

 hunters, explaining there strictions of the law and inducing these 

 people to comply with them. 



In the spring of 1921, we have distributed to the same hunters 

 illustrated leaflets of the Canada goose furnished to us by the 

 Dominion Parks Branch. Moreover a letter was sent to all the 

 cures of the parishes where these birds are hunted, asking them 

 to read and comment publicly on a circular in the same sense as 

 that sent the previous year. 



Although the new regulations have been violated in several 

 parts of the country', we have received reports showing us that 

 the work done has borne good fruits. 



A real war has been perpetrated against the "eider duck" for 

 several years, especially on the islands and rocks of the South 

 Shore of the St. Lawrence, where people have been picking up 

 the eggs by the thousands every spring, taking the surest way to 

 exterminate a most interesting bird. 



After the foundation of our society, three of its members were 

 delegated to make an investigation on the spot with authority to 

 examine the facts and study the best means of improving the 

 present conditions. As a first step to prevent this kind of infrac- 

 tion of the law, we have posted in pubhc places: railway stations, 

 post oflices, church places, etc., public notice reminding^ those 

 interested of the prohibition of the law and its penalties. 



There also we could see clearly the good effects of our work. 

 Moreover a detailed report of that investigation was prepared and 

 a copy was sent to the federal authorities with several suggestions, 

 one of which was the creation of breeding sanctuaries in those 

 places. 



We have also drawn the attention of the provincial authorities 

 on instances of savage slaughter of big game. 



