rhoto from Wells \V. Cooke 



CANADA WILD GOOSR SITTING ON NEST AT THE BREEDING FARM OF J. M. WHEALTON : 



CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VIRGINIA 



This goose and her mate are over 50 years of age, and have come back to this nest vohni- 

 tarily, spring after spring, for nearly half a century 



This is easily the most important piece 

 of game legislation that has ever been 

 enacted. As the law does not go into 

 effect until the first of July, the depart- 

 ment has not yet promulgated its rules 

 and regulations ; but the curtailment of 

 slaughter that is sure to follow this na- 

 tion-wide attempt at game conservation 

 cannot fail to have a marked effect in 

 preserving and ultimately increasing the 

 present remnants of the waterfowl. 



It is exceedingly fortunate that this 



protective legislation has been taken in 

 hand, for the ]\IcLean law will save our 

 ducks and geese from the fate which has 

 so unfortunately overtaken the passenger 

 pigeon, which formerly existed in enor- 

 mous numbers all over the country. To- 

 day this bird is entirely extinct, the last 

 survivor dying in the Zoo at Cincinnati 

 a few days ago. 



J. J. Audubon, in his great work. "The 

 Birds of America," in Vol. \'. page 26, 

 writes : 



379 



