i 



PROTECTION OF GAME AND WILD LIFE 269 



tion of one that would have affected the vital principle of 

 the proposed treaty, namely, the elimination of spring 

 shooting. Accordingly, a revised draft convention embody- 

 ing the changes which had been made to meet the objec- 

 tions raised by the provincial governments, together with 

 certain other improvements, was prepared and submitted 

 to the Canadian Government in March, 1916. After further 

 consideration of this revised draft by the government an 

 Order in Council was passed on June 29, 1916, stating that 

 "Canada is prepared to agree to the conclusion of the con- 

 vention" conditional to the adoption of certain other amend- 

 ments which had been agreed to as a result of informal 

 negotiations. 



The treaty was signed in Washington on August 16, 1916, 

 by His Majesty's Ambassador, Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, 

 G. C. V. 0., and the Secretary of State of the United States, 

 Mr. Robert Lansing. On the unanimous vote of the Com- 

 mittee on Foreign Relations it was ratified by the Senate 

 of the United States on August 29, 1916. 



The full text of the convention is set forth in the schedule 

 of the Migratory Birds Convention Act. 



In the fulfilment of the agreement made in Article VIII 

 of the convention the Migratory Birds Convention Act was 

 passed at the next session of Parliament following its rati- 

 fication, and was assented to on August 29, 1917. 



It will be seen that the most important provision in the 

 convention is Article II, providing for: (1) a close season 

 on migratory game-birds from March 10 to September 1, 

 with the exception given; (2) an open season of three and 

 one-half months; and (3) a close season throughout the year 

 on insectivorous birds. The open season of three and one- 

 half months may be fixed anywhere between September 1 

 and March 10, to suit the local conditions. The restriction 

 of the open season on wild fowl to three and one-half months 

 will involve in some provinces a shortening of the present 



