LEGISLATION OF 1901. 17 



from gaining a foothold. New York has made provision for restocking 

 the Adirondack region with moose, and has appropriated the sum of 

 $5,000 for this purpose. Connecticut, in an 'Act concerning the estab- 

 lishment of State game preserves,'^ has authorized the commissioners 

 of fisheries and game, upon petition of five resident landowners of any 

 town, to lease tracts of woodland suitable for propagation of game, 

 for terms of twenty-five or fifty years, at an annual rental not to 

 exceed $5 for each preserve.^ 



Washington has followed the initiative taken by Colorado in cooper- 

 ating with the Federal authorities to secure better enforcement of the 

 game laws on the forest reserves by making all forest rangers ex officio 

 game wardens. Forest rangers in Colorado have been invested with 

 the same authority as deputy wardens for two years, but this was done 

 by a regulation of the State game commissioner ^ and not by a pro- 

 vision in the game law, as is the case in Washington. South Dakota 

 has adopted a provision allowing only deputy game wardens to serve 

 as guides. 



Among the numerous changes it is but natural to find some examples 

 of retrograde legislation, but these are partly due to errors of omis- 

 sion in the new laws, by which certain birds are deprived of the pro- 

 tection they formerly enjoyed. Arizona has failed to provide a season 

 for killing doves, but has, however, prohibited their sale. Connecticut 

 has extended the open season for rail from January 1 to April 1, 

 apparently for the sake of conformity with the newly established season 

 for plover and snipe, thus permitting sale, if not shooting, in the spring. 

 Illinois, through an unfortunate omission, failed to provide any close 

 season for quail, woodcock, or rail, but the sale of quail is still pro- 

 hibited under the old law. Indiana and Kansas, which formerly pro- 

 tected doves at all times, have established open seasons from August 15 

 to Januar}^ 1, and from July 15 to September 15, respectively. New 

 Jersey has omitted deer,* and Oregon, snipe from the new laws. Rhode 

 Island, in amending the duck season, has removed protection entirely 

 from rail, snipe, plover, geese, and certain ducks, and has lengthened 

 the open season for other ducks to April 1, thus permitting spring 

 shooting. 



On the whole, the legislation of 1901 is a distinct advance over that of 

 any previous year, but much still remains to be done in the way of 



1 PubHc Acts 1901, chap. 65, pp. 1215-1217. 



■''A somewhat similar provision has been in force for several years in Ontario, by 

 which the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council is authorized to designate certain counties 

 or portions of counties in which it is unlawful to hunt or kill deer at any time, thus 

 in effect establishing deer preserves. 



^ Eegulation No. 9, May 1, 1899. Division A, sec. 7, of the game law of 1899 pro- 

 vides that the commissioner shall have power to prescribe such regulations as may 

 be required to carry out the true intent of the act. 



*See footnote, p. 12. 



