20 BOBWHITE AND OTHER QUAILS OF UNITED STATES. 



Southern birds can not stand the present continuous fusillade of 

 from four to seven months, and the open season in the South should 

 be limited to two or, at most, three months. 



The slaughter of the bobwhite by sportsmen who hunt for pleasure 

 is insignificant in comparison with that by professional market 

 hunters. At the present time (1904), in about 25 States, the law 

 takes cognizance of this fact by prohibiting the sale of birds killed 

 within the State or imported from other States, and the general 

 tendency altogether to prohibit the sale is growing each year. Every 

 State except Mississippi forbids the sending of certain game outside 

 the State — a restriction on the sportsman as well as the market 

 hunter, although the privilege of carrying home a limited amount 

 of game is often granted under a nonresident license. Fourteen 

 States have laws, also affecting both classes, limiting a day's bag to 

 from 5 to 50 birds. Many sportsmen and farmers would be glad if 

 the limit were set at 12. LaAvs discriminating against nonresidents 

 protect the game and benefit the landowner, provided visiting sports- 

 men are not barred altogether by unreasonable fees. Thirty-one 

 States and Territories require nonresident licenses. In addition to 

 State game laws there are certain Federal laws, the most important 

 of which is the Lacey Act, which provides, among other things, 

 through the Department of Agriculture, for the preservation, distri- 

 bution, introduction, and restoration of game birds, and also under- 

 takes to bring to justice persons who transport from one State to 

 another game killed in violation of local laws. The latter clause 

 proves effective in restricting such illegal shipments and in suppress- 

 ing professional dealers that kill out of season in one State and 

 attempt to sell in another where the season is still open. A law to 

 prevent keeping birds in cold storage from one season to another 

 would stop certain loopholes in the present laws and greatly aid in 

 preserving game. An effective system of State game officials where 

 it is lacking would aid in enforcing game laws. A number of States 

 depend solely on county officers ; but experience has shown that with- 

 out a central State organization and special game wardens the law to 

 a great extent becomes a dead letter. 



MEASURES FOE PRESERVATION AND PROPAGATION. 



Stringent laws against trapping the bobwhite have been enacted, 

 but such legislation should permit legitimate trapping for purposes 

 of propagation. One of the most important problems before game 

 commissioners is the restocking of depleted covers. If, however, the 

 bobwhite can be reared successfully in captivity, all trapping may 

 be-prohibited. The sporting magazines ('Forest and Stream' and 

 'American Field ') mention cases of the bird's laying in captivity 



