196 Third Annual Report of the 



Feeding of Wild Game 



In addition to cutting and stacking hay in the beaver meadows 

 for the feeding of deer during the more severe winter period, 

 the Commission fed a large number of wild ducks in different 

 parts of the State, particularly, in the vicinity of Sodus bay. I 

 believe I could not convey in a more intelligent manner the 

 splendid work this Commission is doing than to quote the follow- 

 ing letter from one of our State game protectors who was in- 

 structed to take charge of the feeding: 



"A number of pictures of ducks wintering in this vicinity have 

 been taken. People in these parts never saw such a sight in years. 

 I really believe the department by feeding the birds have saved 

 thousands of ducks up to this time. I have found fourteen dead 

 ducks, including one canvas-back, two redheads and eleven blue- 

 bills. I never saw ducks so poor in all my life as they were. 

 There is one hole out in the bay which I have to walk to which is 

 inhabited by from 600 to 700 wild ducks. At first they were 

 wild when I attempted to approach them, but they have become 

 accustomed to me and know me as a friend, because I bring them 

 much needed food. Xow they follow the pails which they see me 

 carrying all around the hole and swim after me wherever I go 

 and wait for me to put out the food for them. In this particular 

 place the water is quite deep, and I at first made them dive for it. 

 But I thought I would try placing the grain on the edge of the ice 

 and the plan worked fine. Now I can feed entirely in this way. 

 After placing the food on the ice you can see now from 300 to 400 

 ducks out on the ice at one time feeding like flocks of domestic 

 ducks, and they don't have to use up their strength trying to get 

 their food. This flock is composed of canvas-backs, redheads and 

 blue-bills. I tried feeding cracked corn, but gave it up as wheat 

 proved more satisfactory." 



The Federal Migratory Bird Law 



Resolutions endorsing the McLean bill for Federal protection 

 of migratory game and insectivorous birds in the L T nited States 

 were adopted by the Conservation Commission. 



The preamble recites that in order to conserve game this State 

 spends almost $300,000 annually, twice as much as any other 



