70 First Annual Report of the 



ably), one of them, the lagopus lagopus, is identical with our 

 American Willow ptarmigan, while the other is indistinguishable 

 from our Rock ptarmigan in its winter plumage and closely resem- 

 bles it at other seasons. These species are not only found in Nor- 

 way but in other countries of Northern Europe, and are excluded 

 no matter from what country they come, simply because of their 

 similarity to our native species. 



" If there be any discrimination against the game of Norway as 

 a matter of fact, by reason of the principles underlying our State 

 Game Law, it is due to the geographical position of Norway, and 

 applies equally to all countries lying in the same latitude. Many 

 of the birds of Northern regions are the same in the Eastern and 

 Western hemispheres. The greater the distance from the Arctic 

 regions the more difference is there between the species of the two 

 Continents. The ptarmigan, for instance, is a bird of far North- 

 ern distribution. Hence the close similarity between the ptar- 

 migan of America and those of Europe. On the other hand, the 

 pheasants, the red legged partridges and the Egyptian quail belong 

 to groups of more Southern distribution and are wholly different 

 from any American species, and belong to different families from 

 birds of similar names found in this State. 



" It will therefore be seen from this specific discussion of the 

 classification mentioned in section 96b of the State Game Law that 

 there is no intention of violating the favored nation clause in the 

 treaty between the United States and Norway or other countries, 

 and that there actually has been no violation of the terms of those 

 treaties, " 



DEER. 



The game protectors stationed in the Adirondack region report 

 that as a whole the deer are more plentiful this year than ever be- 

 fore, but in some parts of the Adirondack regions, particularly in 

 the vicinity of Long Lake West, the deer are not as plentiful as 

 formerly, as there were a great many of them winter-killed during 

 the past winter. To meet this situation an appropriation was 

 made during the last session of the Legislature which is to be used 

 for the purpose of preserving the deer from starvation. For pur- 

 poses of experiment hay was cut from the different beaver mead- 



