272 THE IMPOETANCE OF BIRD LIFE 



twenty-five States. All States south of this line 

 make what is known as the wintering zone. New 

 York falls within the northerly zone; therefore 

 its open seasons on migratory game-birds come 

 within the earlier months prescribed by federal 

 law, a law which also governs the bag-limits. 



But, instead of permitting the Federal Govern- 

 ment to enforce its own laws by itself, New York 

 — as do aU other States — cooperates with the 

 Government. She has incorporated the migra- 

 tory law as her own, and her own officers and 

 wardens enforce the law. Thus any person who 

 violates the federal law is also guilty of an of- 

 fense against the State of New York. 



For the enforcement of game-laws, New York 

 maintains a body of nearly a hundred game pro- 

 tectors whose sole duty is to ferret out and prose- 

 cute all violations of what is known as the Conserf- 

 vation Law. Working in conjunction with the 

 game protectors are the state constabulary, who 

 are invested with full power to act. As a result, 

 from three to four thousand violations are prose- 

 cuted every year with a return in fines to the 

 State of approximately twenty dollars for every 

 conviction. In 1919 about $65,000 was thus 

 brought into the State exchequer, to be used for 

 the further protection of game. 



