PROTECTION OF GAME AND WILD LIFE 265 



in Canada due to the depredations of insect pests is, on a 

 conservative estimate, not less than $125,000,000. And, 

 with the development of the country, the damage caused 

 by insect pests is increasing, while the numbers of insec- 

 tivorous birds have been decreasing. 



The chief causes of this decrease in the nmnbers of our 

 migratory birds are as follows: Canada constitutes the chief 

 breeding-place for the greater number of these birds. With 

 the settlement of the country the breeding-places of many 

 species have been destroyed. The clearing of the land has 

 involved the clearing of the nesting-sites of insectivorous 

 birds; the draining of marshy areas and the settlement of 

 the prairies have driven wild fowl from their former breed- 

 ing and feeding places. Such causes are, therefore, unavoid- 

 able to a large extent. On the other hand, while many of 

 the provinces have excellent laws governing the protection 

 of game, non-game, and insectivorous birds, it has not always 

 been possible to give these birds adequate protection. The 

 increase in the number of persons who carry guns, and the 

 improvement of modern sporting-guns have had their effect 

 on the abundance of wild fowl. 



Even with the strictest enforcement of protective laws 

 Canadians would have been unable to prevent the con- 

 tinued decrease of migratory birds unless the requisite pro- 

 tection were given to such birds during the time that they 

 are in United States territory. In other words, our migra- 

 tory birds cannot be adequately protected from continued 

 decrease without co-operative protection in Canada and the 

 United States. 



It is a well-known fact that while some of the States of the 

 Union had excellent laws, which they enforced, others failed 

 to protect their birds. In some States the shooting of wild 

 fowl in the spring was permitted; this involved the killing 

 of birds, usually mated at that time of the year, on their 

 way to their breeding-grounds in the north. This discour- 



