444 With Rod and Gun in New England 



s 



September 15 to April 1 — but this was for the "Mashpee river" and the 

 "District of Mashpee" only. In lsG6, a closed season throughout the 

 State, from September 20 to March 20, was established, with a penalty of 

 one dollar for each trout unlawfully taken. This law was somewhat 

 " amended and enlarged " in 18G9, the same closed time being continued. 

 The efforts made by the young society in 1874 resulted in incorporating 

 in the law a prohibition of the sale, a?id tke having in possession , of "trout, 

 landlocked salmon, or lake trout, within the limits of this Commonwealth," 

 during the closed season. This, unfortunately, was qualified by the phrase 

 " taken within said limits," which rendered the probability of securing a 

 conviction under it somewhat remote. 



The penalty was fixed at " a sum not less than five, nor more than 

 twenty dollars." The practical working of this enactment being found 

 unsatisfactory, the association, aided by Hon. George D. Robinson (after- 

 wards governor), then a senator from the second Hampden district, suc- 

 ceeded in securing an important change in the law. 



The objectionable phrase, " taken within said limits," was stricken 

 out, and it was further provided that " in all prosecutions under this act, 

 the possession of any trout," etc., " shall be prima facie evidence to convict 

 under this act." Another section was added, making it the duty of select- 

 men, police officers and constables to cause the "provisions of this act to 

 be enforced in their respective cities and towns." 



Sufficient has been said to show that the early legislative enactments 

 for the protection of smelts and of trout were, in a great degree, experi- 

 mental, and it was only by the most persistent efforts on the part of the 

 association that changes were effected to remedy the defects, after they 

 had been discovered, by attempts to secure convictions under the various 

 laws. 



In regard to the laws for the protection of lobsters and of birds, I will 

 simply say, without going into details, that there was the same process of 

 development in the framing of them as has been shown in the case of those 

 for the preservation of smelts and of trout. 



Early in 1877, the officers of several sportsmen's clubs in suburban 

 towns expressed a desire to identify themselves with the Anglers' Associa- 

 tion, and this resulted, after several conferences, in a change in the name 

 to that of the Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Association, an act 

 being passed by the legislature of that year, granting this change of title. 

 From this time the labors of the association were of wider scope, embrac- 

 ing the care of game as well as fish. 



An account of our work, as outlined by President G. W. Wiggin in his 

 Annual Address, Dec. 9, 1892, will be perused with interest: 



"The Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Association was incorpo- 

 rated, as set forth in its charter, for the purpose of securing and enforcing 



