FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 363 



otherwise perish of starvation. This work, however, is only in its infancy, 

 and an appropriation should be made for this specific purpose. 



Partridge have been increasing in the State, and the situation is much 

 more hopeful than it has been at any time within the past two years. In 

 localities where the breeding stock was not shot off last year, there has been 

 good bird shooting during the fall of 1909. Woodcock have been fairly 

 abundant, and it is to be hoped now that the south has adopted stricter 

 game laws, and New York and other adjoining States have shortened the 

 season, that a continued improvement will be noted in the future. Imported 

 pheasants are increasing in numbers in many parts of the State. I am 

 inclined to believe that a short open season for the entire State would be to 

 the interest of the sportsmen. At the present time there are eight counties 

 in the State where pheasants may be killed during a short open seson. 

 As far as I can learn, the birds are not decreasing in these counties, despite 

 the fact that numbers of sportsmen from adjoining counties come in during 

 the open season to secure the birds which the law permits them to kill. If 

 there was an open season in the entire State, more interest would be dis- 

 played in propagating the birds in counties where there are now very few. 

 The sportsmen would hunt nearer at home, which would be for the benefit 

 of the counties now having an open season. There would also be less 

 convictions of sportsmen who kill birds in a county where the season 

 is open, and take them home to a county where the season is closed. As 

 the law stands at present pheasants killed legally in a county where 

 the season is open cannot be possessed elsewhere in the State where 

 the season is closed (except in Greater New York). 



The work of the game protectors is greatly hampered in the enforce- 

 ment of the wild fowl law, particularly on Long Island, by the provision per- 

 mitting the possession of ducks for two months after the season for killing 

 them has passed. Those familiar with the workings of the game law under- 

 stand that the largest percentage of convictions are secured under the clause 

 making the possession of game illegal, rather than upon the prohibition as 

 to the taking of the game. It is much more difficult to prove the killing of 

 game out of season than to prove its possession, and for this reason a law 

 which permits the possession of any variety for any considerable period 

 after the open season has expired, is impractical of enforcement. The 



