Forest and 
A Weekly Journal of the Rod and Gun. 
Terms. $4 a Year 10 Cts a Copy. 
Sis Month"?, $i. 
NEW YORK, SATURDAY, MARCH 27, 1897 
No. 
VOL. XLVIII.— No 13. 
346 Broadway, New York? 
J^or Pt-ospectus and Advertising Rates see Page iii. 
ON A FOWLER. 
With feeds and birdlime from the desert air 
Eumeltjs gather'd free^ thoog'h scanty, fare. 
No lordly patron^s hand he deignM to kiss ; 
Nor luxury knew, save liberty, nor bliss. 
Thrice thirty years he lived, and to his heirs 
His reeds bequeathed, his birdlime and his snares. 
Isidorus. 
" TEE HALLOCK CODE." 
That is an extremely interesting scheme which has been 
formulated anew by Mr. Cliarles Hallock. It is a code of 
game laws so devised that certain belts of territory, em- 
bracing all States which lie within corresponding isother- 
mal lines, shall be governed by laws prescribing uniform 
open and close seasons. For the purpose of practicable 
grouping Mr. Hallock designates contiguous States in 
what he terms concessions, as follows: 
"northern concession. 
"The following named States comprise the Northern 
Concession, to wit: The six New England States, the Mid- 
dle States, the two Virginias, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, 
Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, 
the two Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming 
and Colorado, to the summit of the Continental Divide. 
"southern concession. 
"The following named States comprise the Southern 
Concession, to wit: North and South Carolina, Georgia, 
Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, 
Florida, Texas, Indian Territory and New Mexico, to the 
crest of the Continental Divide. 
"pacific concession. 
"The following named States constitute the Pacific Coast 
Concession, to wit: Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, 
Nevada, Utah and Arizona." 
We have said that the scheme has been presented anew, 
because it is in general scope by no means novel. The 
plan of uniform game seasons for adjoining States has been 
cherished by Mr. Hallock for almost a quarter of a century^ 
and his sugo'estions to this end were originally promulgated 
in the Forest anp Stream more than twenty years ago. 
In the early 70s he was, in these columns, preaching 
the doctrine of uniform legislation, and was engaged in an 
enterprise of generous scope to give form and force to the 
idea. 
It was about that time that one of the earliest in the 
series of national sportsmen's associations was formed, and 
shortly thereafter came an international association, com- 
prising a membership extending from Newfoundland to 
Texas, and from Vermont to California, and embracing 
not only prominent sportsmen, but many noted naturalists 
and scientists of the United States and Canada. Never 
before had there been collected such a noble array of 
names; never has there been one since; we question if ever 
there will be such again. If the most distinguished list of 
sponsors, if the most advanced scientific attainment, if the 
abundant lore of naturalist and warm enthusiasm of sports- 
man could ever avail for the purposes of the movement, 
one would think that they might have been powerful here. 
Committees were appointed to study the habi s, bre eding 
times, legitimate open seasons, and to supply various other 
data considered essential to the preparation of an adequate 
legislative system of protection. But absolutely nothing 
ever came of it all. This international association was in 
character and extent of membership a giant to the pigmies 
which have succeeded it in the series, down to the gro- 
tesque Kalamazoo, Mich., concern of our own day. But it 
never made any progress beyond the "whereas" and 
"therefore be it resolved" stage; no national sportsmen's 
aesociation ever has done more than this, nor in the very 
nature of things ever can. 
Although the influence of the national association and 
of the international association was decidedly beneficial, 
since it stimulated interest in game protection throughout 
the country and prompted the organization of numerous 
State and local associations to engage in the good work of 
enforcing the laws and awakening public interest in the 
cause, neither of these did anything whatever of a prac- 
tical nature toward patting into eflect a system of uniform 
game laws. 
Many years have passed since that first movement. At 
this time, when Mr. Hallock brings out again his plan of 
uniform legislation, the conditions are far different with 
respect to public appreciation of the merits of game pro. 
tection. We have made prodigious advances since the 
early 70.S, aud it might be thought that we had reached 
a stage where Mr. Hallock's scheme would be given a very 
different reception and when it might possibly be put 
into effect. A study of the conditions as they exist to- 
day, however, we regret to say, will sliow that we are 
as far as ever from the . possibility of a game 
law system providing for uniform seasons through- 
out States included within the same isothermal 
lines. Only in rare instances have advances been made 
from the local and county game protective legislation, 
which obtains in rnany States, to a broader system of a 
uniform code for the entire individual State, Until we 
can agree, as sportsmen of an individual State, cn a law 
which shall give satisfaction throughout the entire borders 
of that State, it is fcolish to talk about adopting a law 
for two or three States or any number of States so con- 
tiguous. In all the larger commonwealths the sportsmen 
are at odds as to what they themselves want in their 
several localities. In New York, for instance, where a uni- 
form game code was adopted in 1892, the Legislature has 
been flooded annually with measures from counties and 
towns asking special exemptions for restricted localities. 
The same principle holds elsewhere. The first step 
toward a realization of Mr. Hallock's scheme would be a 
system of State laws throughout the Union which should 
provide for each individual State uniform seasons through- 
out its own territory. 
There have been various conferences of the fish and 
gatne commissioners of certain groups of States — in Boston^ 
for instance, representing New England, and in Minneapo- 
lis, representing Minnesota and its neighbors — but nothing 
has ever come of these movements. 
AVe have the heartiest sympathy with Mr. Hallock's pro- 
jected system. It is based on sound reason. A law 
which adequately protects quail in their breeding season 
in one State would quite as effectively protect them during 
the same season in a contiguous State. The Hallock code 
is, in its general outline, a code of common sense. We be- 
lieve that in the end it will be adopted, although there is a 
moral certainty that no child born in this year of grace 
will live to see it. 
The lesson for every individual sportsman, every village 
protective club, every county and State association to learn 
is that the present, immediate, most pressing and most ef- 
fective, efficient and valuable work we can put our hands 
to in this field is the enforcement of our own game laws in 
our own town, county and State. The place to begin is at 
home. The work for us now is home work. 
But it is so much more attractive — because so much 
easier — to dream about uniform laws to govern the whole 
blessed Union, and which shall enforce themselves by the 
might of their own perfection. 
NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
The publication of the first annual report of the New 
York Zoological Society marks the end of a year and a 
half of energetic and successful work. 
Briefly, the history of the Society up to the present time 
is this: The act of the New York Legislature incorporating 
the Society became a law April 29, 1895, and an organiza- 
tion was effected during the summer of the same year 
Some time was spent in the consideration of available 
sites, and a committee of three experts was requested to 
come to New Y''ork and report on this subject. In April^ 
1896, Mr. W. T. Hornaday was engaged ks director of the 
proposed zoological park, and after a careful study of all 
the proposed sites, on May 21 application was made to the 
Commissioners of the Sinking Fund of New York city for 
an allotment of land, consisting of 261 acres in South 
Bronx Park, to be used as a public zoological garden. 
This application has been approved by the public press 
and by the New Y''ork Park Commissioners, and it is be- 
lieved will be favorably acted on by the Commissioners of 
the Sinking Fund within a few days. If the grant shall be 
made, the city of New Y^ork wiU have made the first and 
most important step toward setting on foot by far the 
largest zoological garden in the world. 
Up to this time nothing has been done looking toward 
the acquiring of money to carry on such a park, the direc- 
tors very wiselj' believing that until the city, by giving the 
institution a habitation, had done its part, the question 
of funds might be set on one side. So soon as the matter 
of site is settled, the Society will set about the work of 
raising the |250,000 which it needs in order to begin 
operations. 
The objects of the New York Zoological Society as set 
forth in this report are: 
First— The establishment of a free zoological park, con- 
taining collections of North American and exotic animals, 
for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public, the 
zoologist, the sportsman and every lover of nature. 
Second— The systematic encouragement of interest in 
animal life or zoology among all classes of the people, and 
the promotion of zoological science. 
Third — Cooperation with other organizations in the pre- 
servation of the native animals of North America, and en- 
couragement of the growing sentiment against their wan- 
ton destruction. 
Certainly these are objects which will receive the ap' 
proval of all intelligent persons. The executive committee 
rightly places first the establishment of the park, since it 
is only by this means that the great public can receive the 
enjoyment and instruction which it ought to be the main 
object of such a society to furnish. Such a park should 
contain collections kept under conditions as nearly like 
those of their native- homes as possible, with abundant 
room for the animals to roam, yet not so much room as to 
enable them to hide away out of sight of the visitor. The 
purpose then is to make this park stand midway between 
the small zoological parks of Europe, where the animals 
, are confined in small pens, and the great private game 
preserves where they can conceal themselves in the forests 
and can seldom be seen. To such a purpose the site 
chosen by the Society is well adapted, for it is greatly 
diversified in contour, and admirably furnished with trees, 
underbrush, open glades and rocky hillocks. 
It will naturally be the first object of the Society to bring 
together a series of North American types, and of these the 
great game animals will be the first chosen. Buffalo, 
moose, elk, mountain sheep, caribou, antelope, the various 
deer and — if the climate will permit — the white goat will 
be se(!ured. Bears, wolves, foxes and other mammals less 
in size will find their place here. The abundant water 
areas offer every opportunity for the care of wildfowl of 
every description, and in open spaces and closed aviaries 
there will be many sorts of land birds as well. The 
more striking exotic animals, though they will be secondary 
to the native forms, will in time be gathered here. 
It is the purpose of the Society to devote especial atten- 
tion to the matter of labeling the collections, realizing 
that, when this is done as it should be done, the value of 
any collection ,is quadrupled. With the labels will no 
doubt go maps giving the geographical distribution of the 
species. 
The question of the issuing of publications is one which 
is as yet far in the distance for the New York Society, and 
its consideration may be postponed for the present. It 
helieves that its collections ought to be made available to 
all artists and sculptors, and that thus they may have an 
indirect educational influence of very great value. 
By increasing the interest in our different wild animals, 
the establishment of such a park should stimulate the 
forming of new game preserves all over the country. For- 
tunately many such preserves exist to-day, but it is greatly 
to be desired that their number should be increased. It is 
only by the establishment of such preserves that many of 
our wild animals can be preserved from extinction. If an 
adequate system of forest reservations and forest protec- 
tion shall ever be established in this country, this will do 
much to preserve the game, but the adoption of such a 
system does not seem to be imminent. 
The aim of the zoological society is to establish a free 
zoological park in New York for the benefit of the whole 
public. As its collections are to be open to the public 
practically all the time, it can hope to derive no revenue 
from admission fees, but must depend on the public spirit 
of wealthy citizens. It requires $250,000 to put the park 
in shape to receive collections and to purchase its animals. 
It requires also a large membership whose annual fees 
shall meet its current expenses. As yet it has never 
made any effbrt to increase its list of members; but so soon 
as its site shall be allotted, and when its purposes and 
its needs are known, it cannot be doubted that a large 
number of persons interested in science, in sport, and 
especially in that class of our population which is to derive 
the greatest benefit from such a park, will be anxious to 
join the Society and to contribute to its needs. Its objects 
are most praiseworthy, and it is entitled to the cordial sup- 
port of the public. 
