592 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



wild-fowl and shore birds indefinitely. The sanctuary has 

 succeeded in Europe, and it is no new idea here. Already in 

 Massachusetts we have been experimenting with it in a small 

 way. One modification of the plan is to forbid the taking or 

 killing of all wild animals or all birds within certain limits, 

 after the plan adopted on Cape Ann in 1897 and in the town 

 of Essex in 1899. In these cases a time limit of five years was 

 set; but such an act might be made perpetual. Park com- 

 missioners are given police powers, and can prevent shooting 

 within the limits of their reservations, as the Metropolitan 

 Park Commission and many city park commissioners now do. 

 In 1899, three thousand acres of land were set aside on Wachu- 

 sett Mountain as a State reservation, and the commissioners 

 in charge were given police powers; this should ensure a per- 

 manent game sanctuary for Worcester County. The enact- 

 ment in 1907, by which the Commissioners on Fisheries and 

 Game were empowered to take one thousand acres of land on 

 Martha's Vineyard as a reservation for the protection of the 

 Heath Hen and other birds, is an example of direct legislation 

 for this purpose, more of which will, sooner or later, become 

 necessary. 



"The many bird reservations now established in this 

 country by the United States government and by the National 

 Association of Audubon Societies have been so successful as 

 to demonstrate the fact that public reservations would solve 

 the problem of game preservation if we could have enough of 

 them. Failing in this, we must depend largely on private 

 enterprise." 



A Brief Summary of Needed Reforms for Game 



Protection. 



If we are to increase the supplj^ of game birds all or most 

 of the following steps must be taken: — 



Establish bird reserva.tions for game birds, wild-fowl and 

 shore birds. 



Legalize the propagation and sale of such game as can be 

 reared on game farms. 



