194 Conservation Reader 



he kill chickens. The judge added that these poor animals 

 had too often been condemned offhand. Although they 

 occasionally ate chickens, no one had tried to find out the 

 good which they did. 



To hear the complaints against the great California sea 

 Hon, the court adjourned to the seashore. The fishermen 

 declared that the sea Hon ate the fish upon which their 

 liveHhood depended, and also broke their nets. They de- 

 manded that all the sea Hons be killed. Careful search in 

 the stomachs of some of them that had been taken foi; that 

 purpose made it very clear that the fishermen were wrong. 

 The sea Hons ate almost no fish, but Hved upon squid and 

 other sea animals not valuable to the fishermen. As a re- 

 sult, these interesting animals were given full protection. 



The oyster farmers complained most indignantly to the 

 court about the conduct of the wild ducks. They said 

 that the ducks ate a large part of the young oysters on their 

 oyster farms. They wanted the ducks shot without delay, 

 for their business was almost ruined. This matter was 

 carefully looked into, and it was proved that the ducks 

 reaUy ate very few oysters. 



The judge remarked as he adjourned court that if all the 

 accusations were true, hardly a wild creature would be left. 

 He said furtl^er that each one was entitled to fair treatment 

 at the hands of men unless it was wholly bad. 



