1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 87 



the streams. West Virginia DOW has an excellent game and fish law, in fact, 

 the best the state has ever had. It is not only a good law, but by the present 

 system it is being better observed and better enforced than ever before. Some 

 provisions of that law, doubtless, could be strengthened to the advantage to 

 the people of the state in the better protection and preservaion of the game 

 and fish, but never should it be weakened in any of its provisions. The longer 

 this law is in force the more it should gain in the favor of the citizens of the 

 state. 



In conclusion, a bright future may be predicted for the sportsmen, and the 

 people of West Virginia in general, who are interested in game animals, birds, 

 and fishes. The problems are numerous and difficult, but they will be solved. 

 The interests of the lumberman, the miner, and the tanner and the sportsmen 

 will alike be protected by wise legislation on the part of the State Legislature. 

 There is every reason to believe that this good work now begun will be con- 

 tinued with success. 



GAME BIRDS OF WEST VIRGINIA 



No better article has ever been written on the game birds of West Vir- 

 ginia than that by Rev. Earl A. Brooks, which was read at the Charleston meet- 

 ing of the West Virginia Fish and Game Protective Association, in the year 

 of 1909. 



Rev. Brcoks has made the subject of birds and their habits a life study, 

 and is, without doubt, the best informed man in the country on this subject. 



The article referred to is as follows: 



''In our most recent law for the protection of birds, which was passed 

 by the Legislature in 1907, it is said, 'For the purpose of this act the 

 following only shall be considered game birds; the Anatidee, commonly 

 known as swans, geese, brant, and river and sea ducks; the Rallidae, 

 commonly known as rails, coots, mud-hens and gallinules; the Limicolae, 

 commonly known as shore birds, plovers, surf birds, snipe, wood-cocks, 

 sandpipers, tatlers and curlews; the Gallinae, commonly known as wild turkeys, 

 grouse, prairie chickens, pheasants, partridges and quails.' 



"Technically speaking, therefore, and from the standpoint of our law, the 

 games birds of West Virginia are all included in the two large families and 

 the two great orders of birds mentioned above. It is the purpose of tEis paper 

 to speak in some detail of these orders and families mentioning many of the 

 species, and dwelling at some length on the gallinaceous birds, which to most 

 of us, are the game birds par excellence. While it is true that in some parts 

 of the State, especially in the migration seasons, some water birds and shore 

 birds are found, and a few of our sportsmen are interested in duck shooting 

 and snipe shooting, by far the greater number are interested in Ruffed Grouse 

 and the Bob-white, for these are the birds that abound in all the great hill and 

 forest- region of West Virginia. These are the game. birds in which most of UB 

 find greatest delight, whether we pursue them with intent to kill, or whether 

 we follow them that we may know more of their life history as they spend 

 their few imperiled days in field or in forest, searching for food and reproduc- 



