TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT 71 



lows; and all persons interested in the big game of the world 

 may well remember with gratitude these names : 



Mrs. Frederick Ferris Thompson, 

 Mrs, Russell Sage, 

 Mr. John D. Archbold, 

 Mr. Jacob H. Schiff, 

 Mr. George F. Baker, 

 Mrs. Louise W. Carnegie, 

 Mr. Andrew Carnegie, 

 Mr. Edmund C. Converse, 

 A Friend in Canandaigua, 

 In Memory of Samuel Thorne, 

 by his family. 



Mr. Henry D. Whitfield was selected by the Executive Com- 

 mittee as the architect for the building, and work on the plans 

 promptly began. Barring accidents and calamities, the building 

 will be erected in the working season of 1917, the collection will 

 be installed during the winter of 1917-18, and the building will 

 be opened to the public on Member's Bay, in the spring of 1918. 



WILD LIFE PROTECTION. 



As previously remarked, our tour last year through the 

 western half of the United States revealed situations more seri- 

 ous and alarming than we had realized as existing. The disap- 

 pearance of all killable large game west of the Mississippi River, 

 through a wanton excess of privilege in hunting, and through 

 ten times too many hunters for the game available, presages the 

 early extinction of all the big game of the West outside the state 

 and national game sanctuaries, and their environs. In those 

 same western states, eighteen in all, the upland game birds are 

 absolutely certain to be exterminated in a few short years unless 

 existing conditions are immediately and radically changed by 

 the giving of long close seasons and in every other way protect- 

 ing the remnants of birds. This affects the sage grouse, western 

 pinnated grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, Frankhn, willow, and dusky 

 grouse, ptarmigan and quail. 



Inasmuch as no one else, either east or west, seemed to 

 be taking the slightest interest in either of the above matters, 

 it seemed to be our duty to take up both those burdens, and en- 

 deavor to bring about some sweeping reforms. 



