THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN SPORTSMEN. 



225 



ANOTHER BLOODLESS VICTORY. 



I am still hunting for violations of the 

 game laws, among hotel and restaurant 

 keepers, and have found another. This time 

 it was the manager of the Hotel Flouret, 

 126., 5th Avenue, New York. I dined there 

 January 22d and saw on the bill of fare 

 " quail on toast." I ordered one, got it, 

 ate half of it and brought the other half 

 away. Then I wrote Mr. Flouret in part as 

 follows: 



The legal season for killing or having in 

 possession quails, grouse or partridges 

 closed December 31st, and you are, there- 

 fore, violating the State law in serving such 

 game at this time. I note the statement on 

 your menu card that this is imported game, 

 but you are laboring under an error. 



I understand certain game dealers are 

 selling birds which they claim are imported, 

 but we are procuring testimony on this 

 point and expect to proceed against them at 

 an early date unless this business is stopped. 

 We have official evidence that no quail, 

 snipe or woodcock are being imported from 

 abroad, and that the game sold and served 

 as such in this country, at this time, is 

 American game. It would be an easy mat- 

 ter to prove, in any Court, that this bird, a 

 portion of which 1 have in my possession, is 

 an American quail. 



I do not suppose for a moment that a 

 prominent house like yours would willfully 

 violate a game law, and should like an as- 

 surance from you, in writing, that you will 

 discontinue its sale at once. If you will 

 write me to this effect I shall take no ac- 

 tion in this case. Otherwise it will be my 

 duty to proceed against you at once. 



I send you herewith certain correspond- 

 ence with Delmonico, on this subject of 

 illegally serving game. You will note he 

 frankly admits his error and promises that 

 hereafter no game shall be served in either 

 of his houses during the closed season. I 

 trust you will take the same business-like 

 view of this matter that he has taken. 



In due time Mr. Flouret replied as fol- 

 lows: 



I have been supplied with certain game 

 birds of late, such as quails, partridges, 

 snipe and woodcock, by dealers who as- 

 sured me such birds were imported; but I 

 have no intention of violating any game 

 law, and I promise you that hereafter no 

 such game shall be served in my house dur- 

 ing the closed season. 



Yours respectfully, 



Leon Flouret. 



Thus 2 of the most prominent caterers 

 in this city have come into line and I hope 

 to induce all the other hotels and restau- 

 rants to do so in time. It is now the duty 

 of the friends of game protection in this 



city to give these houses their trade in pref- 

 erence to others who may still be evad- 

 ing or violating the game laws. — Editor. 



OUR MONTANA WARDEN IS AT WORK. 



Professor M. J. Elrod, Chief Warden of 

 the Montana Division, whose office is at 

 Missoula, has issued a circular letter to the 

 newspapers of that state in which he says: 



Certainly many citizens of Montana who 

 have not understood the work of the 

 League and its plans will join these forces 

 for so worthy an end, and help in the cause 

 of bird, game and fish protection, as also 

 in the more important task of infusing into 

 the minds of the young a love for nature 

 and living things, and a desire to preserve 

 the lives of innocent and useful birds and 

 animals. 



The work of the League is important, 

 yet difficult, and in many respects not very 

 pleasant. Letters already received from 

 members of the League in different parts of 

 the state show that the laws are openly and 

 repeatedly violated. The charge is even 

 made that a majority of the people of the 

 state wink at the crime of shooting out of 

 season, and that very few take any note of 

 the limit in number killed in a day or a 

 season, as prescribed by law. Indeed, the 

 charges made by members of the League in 

 isolated places show an alarming condition 

 of affairs, and one that cannot last long 

 without great loss to the game of the state. 

 There is nothing sentimental about this. 

 There are men in this state who make a 

 living by killing game. There are others 

 who slaughter wantonly. There are many 

 who kill in small quantities, but out of sea- 

 son. There are many complaints in regard 

 to the slaughter by Indians. There are few 

 who have dared to stand out in opposition 

 to this. The League of American Sports- 

 men has 125 men in Montana who come 

 out openly and say this must stop; that the 

 law must be obeyed, and forests, game, and 

 fish must be protected in so far as their in- 

 fluence goes. The list should be much 

 larger. Already Dame Fashion has driven 

 those nightmares of taxidermic art from the 

 hats of our wives and sweethearts, through 

 the influence of the Audubon Society. A 

 good healthy sentiment is what we need. 



The President of the League has ap- 

 pointed a chief warden for the state of Mon- 

 tana. It is not his business to go about 

 over the state seeking offenders. He is the 

 executive officer of the League in the state, 

 and as such works in various ways to ac- 

 complish the ends for which the League 

 was organized. Any one making applica- 

 tion for a constitution or further informa- 

 tion will be cheerfully accommodated. The 

 expenses for membership are trifling — only 

 a dollar a year. The responses to this re- 

 quest should be speedy and numerous. 



