44 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



ZOOLOGICAL 

 SOCIETY BULLETIN 



Eiiitcd by the Directoy. 



Published at the Office of the Society, n Wall St., New York City. 



Copyright, iQOi, by the Ne-w York Zoological Society. 



Subscriptic 



1 price, 50 cents fur four nuinbe 



Single numbers, 15 cents. 



Mailed free to Members. 



SEPTEMBER. 1902. 



"iJBoatb of .ilUanagcc0 : 



EX-OFFICIO. 

 The Mayor of I he City o/ .W-m fori, Hon. Seih 1.o«.? 

 The rresideiit oj the De/.-! of Parks, Hon. W^im.iam R. Willoox. 



ClaiSS of 1902. ClajSJJ of 1903. "fflaSS of 1904. 



lU 



1 p. Mo 



nesi! 



p. Auyii 



\ Schei 



Madison Grant, 

 WilH.™ White Nil 

 Samuel Thome. 

 Henry A. C. Taylo 

 Hugh J. Chisholin. 



ivbold Mo 

 Cliarlcs li. Whitehead 

 Percy R. Pyne, 

 George B. lirinnell. 

 lacol) H. SchilT, 

 Hdward I. Berwind. 

 William C. Whitney. 

 George C. Clark. 

 Cleveland H. Dodge, 

 C. Ledyard Blair, 



NEW GAME PROTECTION. 



It is to be remembered that one of the 

 avowed purposes of the New York Zoological 

 Society is " the preservation of our native 

 animals." 



During the past winter the Society has been 

 very active, and also successful, in urging the 

 passage of game laws. In Newfoundland, 

 one of the best examples of game legislation 

 ever enacted has become a law. It completely 

 recasts the game laws, increases the license 

 for non-residents to $ioo, and limits the kill- 

 ing of caribou under such licen.se to two stags 

 and one doe, instead of five stags and two 

 does, as was formerlv permitted. Water kill- 

 ing is entirely prohibited. This method of 

 hunting is particularly objectionable to sports- 

 men, but unfortunately was much practiced 

 in Newfoundland at certain seasons of the 

 year, when the deer were migrating across 

 the lakes. In order to protect the deer dur- 

 ing migration, the entire month of October is 

 made a closed season. During the last few 

 years, since the completion of a' railroad across 

 the Island, there was almost a continuous line 

 of camps and hunters lying in wait for the 



animals when they crossed the track on the 

 southward migration. One of the wisest pro- 

 visions of the new law is that which cuts out 

 a strip ten miles wide, with the railroad in 

 the centre, and prohibits all shooting within 

 those limits. 



Provision is also made for organizing the 

 guides, and making them share the responsi- 

 bility for the enforcement of the law. 



If the new law is enforced against the na- 

 tives, as well as against visiting sportsmen, 

 it will undoubtedly prove to be very effective 

 in protecting the large game in one of the 

 finest hunting countries in North America. 



Acting through its secretary, the New York 

 Zoological Society has been largely instru- 

 mental in formulating an acceptable law for 

 the protection of wild life in Alaska, a dis- 

 trict heretofore entirely without protection 

 for its animals, other than the fur seal and 

 sea otter. The bill was introduced by Hon. 

 John F. Lacey, to whom all animal lovers 

 owe a debt of gratitude. It received quick and 

 cordial endorsement from the press through- 

 out the L^nited States generally, was passed 

 by both houses of Congress, and by the sign;i- 

 ture of the President became a law on Jtme 

 7th. 



Tlie passage of the Alaskan game Isill was 

 a great triumph for the cause of game pro- 

 tection, and the prompt manner of it is a 

 cause for profound satisfaction. There is 

 hope for some of our large mammals, after 

 all ! The Lacev law prohibits the exportation 

 of wild meat, hides and antlers, except when 

 accompanied bv the owner ; it limits the num- 

 ber of specimens to be taken by each hunter : 

 it establishes closed seasons, and, most im- 

 portant of all, provides that when any species 

 is threatened with extermination, the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture may impose further lim- 

 itations and restrictions on their killing, even 

 so far as to prohibit the killing of such species 

 entirely for five 3'ears in the district affected. 

 Provisions are also made for the enforcement 

 of the law, but eventuallv Congress should 

 provide annuallv not less than $2"; ,000 for the 

 pav of an Alaskan Game Commissioner, and 

 a force of carefully selected wardens. 



Alaska is a country of such vast extent, 

 and conditions vary so greatly within its lim- 

 its, that the new law will require amendment 

 from time to time, as conditions become bet- 

 ter known. The question of the enforcement 

 of the law is, and ever will be, a serious one : 

 but if no other immediate result is achieved 

 than stopping tlic wholesale exnortation of 

 gigantic moose antlers from the Kenai Penin- 

 sula, and the slaughter of game animals for 

 their hides, the law will be abundantly jus- 

 tified. 



