6 



GAME, AQUATIC, AND KAPACIOUS BIKDS. 



far greater abundance. It has been reduced principally by hunters, 

 as have so many of our finest species of birds. Many sportsmen 

 declare allegiance to the highest principles of game preservation yet 

 fail to practice these principles. Our present game laws, even 

 though efficiently administered, will save no species of birds, as the 



rapid growth of the 

 army of sportsmen 

 and ' pot hunters 

 more than coun- 

 terbalances the 

 effect of the short- 

 ening of open sea- 

 sons and reduction 

 of bag limits. 

 Moreover, game 

 laws, as a general 

 rule , are not 

 strictly obeyed. 

 In southern Wis- 

 consin, where there 

 was a closed season 

 on prairie chickens 

 for a term of years, 

 to the writers' 

 knowledge these 

 birds were killed at 

 every opportunity. 

 The customary ex- 

 cuse was: "They 

 are so scarce they 

 won't breed up 

 again anyway." 

 Aside from show- 

 ing culpable will- 

 ingness to assist 

 in the birds' ex- 

 termination, this 

 remark is untrue. 



FIG. 1. Prairie chicken. Like all birds of 



its family the prairie chicken is very prolific, and if adequately 

 protected would soon become numerous in its old haunts. The bird 

 is easily domesticated, hence is eminently suited for propagation on 

 preserves. . As the increase of game in this manner is the only way to 

 preserve it indefinitely and at the same time allow hunting, the plan 



497 



