MICHIGAN AUDUBON SOCIETY. 
79 
place in ^Michigan every spring are anything but edifying, 
and should be forbidden, as such contests properly come 
under the head of cruelty. Men come from all parts of the 
country to take part in this butchery, from states where it is 
prohibited, and because of this Michigan is known as a 
backward state. 
Quail should be protected absolutely in this state for. at 
least two years. Properly speaking, they should be protected 
until such time as they may become a nuisance, if such time 
should ever arise, for the reason that the United States Bio- 
logical Survey say that is one of the most valuable pest de- 
stroyers our country possesses, and each bird is valued as 
worth twenty dollars yearly to the state. 
Kansas not only protected the quail by law, but it also 
enforced the law through its officials with the result that 
Kansas has quail to sell to the other states where they were 
destroyed. 
The majority of our states as well as Canada has abol- 
ished spring shooting, for the reason that that is the season 
for breeding. It is reasonable to say that every game bird 
in the spring is equal to taking three or four in the autumn. 
The Canadian sportsmen say that if Michigan persists in 
spring shooting they will insist on spring shooting in their 
own country. Michigan cannot suffer by abolishing spring 
shooting for, say, four years, as an experiment. If Canada 
and the surrounding states allow an open spring season there 
will be little of either spring or fall shooting in four years. 
There are always a few fishermen who would like to see 
the kingfish destroyed. The fact is that this bird is not 
common enough to materially damage the fishing in even a 
small stream. The last legislature refused to consider the 
advisability of destroying this bird, and we have every rea- 
son to believe that the present legislature will refuse to con- 
sider any such proposal if such is made. 
Lastly, the game warden is entitled to a larger sum for 
the protection of game. He has been hampered for funds 
to carry on the work properly, and though his report for 1906 
shows a surplus, yet this is because the work has been only 
half done. His office should receive all license fees collected 
for hunting, now paid to the various counties. This is only 
