The Creating of Game Refuges 



square; if slightly larger, so much the better. 

 Should, therefore, these be of about four town- 

 ships each, the best results would be obtained. 

 The bill for the creation of Game Refuges after it 

 had passed the Senate, and as amended by the 

 Committee on Public Lands of the House of 

 Representatives, in the spring of 1903, read: 



"The President of the United States is hereby 

 authorized to designate such areas in the public 

 Forest Reserves, not exceeding one in each State 

 or Territory, as should, in his opinion, be set 

 aside for the protection of game animals, birds, 

 and fish, and be recognized as a breeding place 

 therefor." 



If this bill were to become law in its present 

 form, the object for which it was created would be 

 largely defeated. One may easily overlook the 

 fact that an area corresponding to that of Cali- 

 fornia would, on the Atlantic Coast, extend from 

 Newport, R. I., to Charleston, S. C. It embraces 

 communities and interests in many respects as 

 widely separated as those of New England and 

 the Atlantic Southern States. Were one Game 

 Refuge only to be created in the State of Cali- 

 fornia, unless it included practically the whole of 

 the reserves south of Tehachapi, protection would 



not be afforded to the different species of large 



429 



