life. So, all statements to the contrary notwithstanding, 

 do not try to excuse your own present sporting propensity, 

 on the ground that it is a portion of the inheritance be- 

 queathed you by an ancestor, who armed with a flint- 

 tipped spear followed the pre-historic mammals. 



Our wild life of the present day is in numbers but a 

 fragment of what our country contained a quarter-century 

 ago. That vandal, commercialism, the destroyer of our 

 natural resources, played havoc, not only with our game 

 birds and quadrupeds, but also with our birds that con- 

 tribute so largely to the welfare of the country in an eco- 

 nomic way. Now that the market-hunter and the pur- 

 veyor of plumages of wild birds are no longer allowed to 

 ply their nefarious trade, our wild life may hope to estab- 

 lish itself in its former abundance, but we must all "put 

 our shoulders to the wheel," and help repair "the years 

 that the locusts have eaten." 



By the establishing of refuges the birdlover and the 

 sportsman may meet on common ground and be of mu- 

 tual benefit. In every city and town there should be 

 established a permanent sanctuary, the most successful 

 method of perpetuating our useful and interesting forms 

 of wild life. In conserving our game birds and quadrupeds 

 by means of protected areas, we at the same time aid in 

 increasing the numbers of insectivorous birds, so that those 

 who establish refuges primarily for game, become indi- 

 rectly public benefactors. 



Artificial propagation of certain species of our native 

 game birds is yet in its infancy, is doubtful of success, and 

 too costly in operation to be attempted by those possessing 



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