128 FEATHERED GAME 
wish and pleasure either, my brother sports- 
man. I am glad to say that much of this has 
been accomplished in my own State, and noth- 
ing that has been done before has been of so 
great benefit to the cause of game protection 
and propagation. The good results of closing 
the markets have already been proven in the 
marked increase of the ruffed grouse in our 
covers. Though but a few years’ time has 
elapsed the advantages have been conclusively 
shown and the future promises even better 
things. 
But big bags of Woodcocks are growing more 
and more uncommon. Even in covers once 
rated as ‘‘sure finds’’ and held good for fair 
shooting under- any and all conditions the 
‘blank day’’ is not the uncommon thing it once 
was. If any of our game birds should be pro- 
tected, and of course they should, surely the 
Woodeock’s need is greatest of all. The family 
raised each season is very small—rarely are 
there more than four in the brood—and it is 
no wonder that the species is growing yearly 
less numerous when we remember how persist- 
ently they are hunted from the British Pro- 
vinces to the Gulf, having no peace in any part 
