99 
They ought, however, to be confined during the breeding 
season of the birds, that they may have no opportunity to 
destroy the eggs or young. 
Posting Land. — Owners of land will accomplish little in 
the way of bird protection by merely posting notices forbid- 
ding trespassing or shooting, for many shooters pay little 
attention to such notices. They are useful, however, where 
there is a man to patrol the land posted, and see that shoot- 
ers keep off, for notices define the limits of the guarded 
land, and serve as a warning to all trespassers. 
The 'prevention of the sale of all game birds taken in the 
State , which is advocated by three persons, is a wise meas- 
ure, and one which must be undertaken sooner or later, 
unless other measures are adopted to save the game. The 
amount of native game marketed here has greatly de- 
creased already. Our marketmen are now obliged to send 
to Europe, the Antilles and other regions to secure a supply 
of game for home consumption. Over forty States and 
Territories already prohibit the sale of either a part of or 
all the game taken within their limits. All the British 
North American Provinces prohibit the sale of certain ani- 
mals or game birds, or both. Massachusetts is behind the 
leaders in this movement. She must eventually stand with 
Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Michigan, Minnesota and 
Texas, which forbid the sale of all, or nearly all, birds 
protected by the laws. Eventually poultry and pigeons, or 
artificially propagated game birds, and waterfowl, raised by 
our farmers and poultrymen, probably will largely take the 
place in our markets so long filled by wild game birds. 
Heavier penalties for infractions of the game laws should 
be provided, and perhaps would cause them to be more gen- 
erally respected. 
A law limiting the number of birds to be taken in a day 
is in force in several States, and may be of some service 
with conscientious sportsmen, but it is difficult of enforce- 
ment. 
To forbid the use of live decoys certainly would help to 
protect the water birds. The arguments for such a law will 
apply with less force to decoys of all kinds; but there are 
