266 CONSERVATION OF CANADIAN WILD LIFE 



aged many Canadians, who naturally asked why they should 

 protect their wild fowl for the market gunners of the south. 

 The existence of such market gunners, who annually killed 

 enormous quantities of Canadian-bred ducks and geese for 

 the markets of the big cities in the United States, consti- 

 tuted one of the greatest causes of reduction and one of the 

 chief obstacles to any rational attempt to prevent such 

 reduction and to maintain our stock of wild fowl. Not 

 only were game-birds affected, but insectivorous birds were 

 likewise killed by thousands during their winter sojourn in 

 the south; this destruction has been particularly serious in 

 the case of the robin, one of our important cutworm de- 

 stroyers. 



As a result of the efforts of sportsmen, game-protective 

 associations and other organizations interested in the con- 

 servation of the wild fowl and other migratory birds in the 

 United States, the Federal Migratory Bird Law was enacted 

 in 1913 for the purpose of securing more adequate protec- 

 tion for migratory birds which, by reason of their migra- 

 tory habits, could not be successfully protected by the efforts 

 of individual States so long as other States were derelict in 

 the matter. The objects of the Federal regulations were to 

 reduce the open seasons, which varied greatly in different 

 States; to secure a more uniform open season, not exceed- 

 ing three and one-half months, fixed in accordance with 

 local conditions, so that the sportsmen would have shoot- 

 ing at the best time of the year; and to prevent the shoot- 

 ing of migratory birds in the spring. A close season for a 

 period of years was given to certain birds, particularly 

 shore-birds, and the shooting of insectivorous birds was en- 

 tirely forbidden. The majority of the States amended their 

 laws to conform with the Federal regulations, and, although 

 certain States, in which the influence of the market hunter 

 and gunners with no thought of the future appeared to pre- 

 dominate, objected to Federal interference, the outcome of 



