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FOREST AND STREAM 
June 28, 1913 
. Published Weekly by the 
Forest and Stream Publishing Company, 
Charles Otis, President. 
W. G. Beecroft, Secretary. W. .T. Gallagher, Treasurer. 
127 Franklin Street, New York. 
CORRESPONDKNCE — Forest and Stream is the 
recognized medium of entertainment, instruction and in¬ 
formation between American sportsmen. The editors 
invite communications on the subjects to which its pages 
are devoted, but, of course, are not responsible for the 
views of correspondents. Anonymous communications 
cannot be regarded. 
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THE OBJECT OF THIS JOURNAL 
will be to studiously promote a healthful in¬ 
terest in outdoor recreation, and to cultivate 
a refined taste for natural objects. 
—Forest and Stream, Aug. 14, 1873. 
FEDERAL SHOOTING REGULATIONS. 
The regulations called for by the Agricul¬ 
tural Appropriation Bill, placing all migratory 
birds under the care o’f the Department of Agri¬ 
culture, have been issued. They constitute a 
document of extraordinary interest to all who 
use the shotgun. 
As will be remembered, the bill provides 
that these regulations shall be made public, and 
that a period of three months shall be allowed 
during which said regulations may be examined 
and considered before their final adoption. Pub¬ 
lic hearings on the regulations may be held when 
deemed proper, and after their final adoption 
the regulations shall be approved by the Presi¬ 
dent of the United States. 
In drawing up these regulations the Depart¬ 
ment has had in mind certain important princi¬ 
ples. Its purpose has been to prevent Spring 
shooting; to protect migratory birds between 
sunset and sunrise; to provide protected flight 
lines along at least three great navigable rivers; 
to make seasons approximately equal in dif¬ 
ferent parts of the country; to limit the shoot¬ 
ing season to a maximum of three or three and 
one-half months; to regulate these seasons so 
that there may be a reasonable opportunity for 
having thirty days’ shooting of any species at 
any given place; to provide separate seasons for 
waterfowl, rail, shore birds and woodcock, and 
to utilize all the protection now extended by 
close seasons under State laws. 
The various groups of birds are defined by 
the common names adopted by the American 
Ornithologists’ Union. Night shooting is forbid¬ 
den everywhere, as already it is forbidden in 
about one-fourth of the States. .411 insectivor¬ 
ous birds are protected. On certain species— 
most shore birds, cranes, and in some States on 
rails, woodcock and some other birds—a five 
years’ close season is established. 
The country is divided into two zones—one 
known as the breeding zone lying north of lati¬ 
tude 40 degrees and the Ohio River; the other 
the wintering zone, comprising the territory lying 
wholly, or in part, south of latitude 40 degrees 
and the Ohio River. For these certain seasons 
are established, but as will be seen in another 
column, there are some exceptions to the sea¬ 
sons established. 
In forming these regulations, the effort has 
been to work for the greatest good of the great¬ 
est number, and so, in certain localities where 
peculiar conditions exist, the regulations may 
not be wholly satisfactory. At any hearings 
which may take place in the next three months, 
the conditions which cover each species of birds 
through its harangue should be considered rather 
than those of any particular territory. The 
regulations will go into effect Oct. i, 1913. 
Sportsmen will do well to study Carefully 
the regulations as printed elsewhere. 
CALIFORNI4 VICTORIES. 
The fight in behalf of wild life in California 
which has been going on for the past six or 
eight months seems to have resulted in the 
triumph of the right, and this in the face of 
a number of handicaps. A great change seems 
to have come over jHiblic sentiment in Califor¬ 
nia, and while that State for many years has 
been more or less inert and careless about the 
protection of game, the present Legislature has 
passed a number of e.xcellent amendments which 
are now in the Governor’s hands, and two or 
three of them, it is understood, have been 
favorably acted on. 
The change began in November last, when 
at a meeting held in San Francisco, at the rooms 
of the Sierra Club, the California Associated 
Societies for the Conservation of Wild Lif'e was 
suggested. Headquarters were established at 
the California Museum of “Vertebrate Zoology, 
and about 10,000 people brought together with 
a view to educating the public and stimulating 
legislation in behalf of this great natural asset. 
Money was raised, publications issued, and the 
work energetically carried on. There was 
plenty of opposition, notably from the Hotel 
Men’s Association of California, and from cer¬ 
tain newspapers. 
Spurred on by this organization, a variety 
of important bills were passed by the Legisla¬ 
ture as follows: (i) Sale of band-tailed pigeons 
and wild ducks forbidden, but ducks may be 
sold during November; (2) shipment of pro¬ 
tected wild game forbidden; (3) civil service 
for fish and game wardens; (4) propagation of 
wild game in captivity provided for; (5) use 
as food of birds shot destroying crops pro¬ 
hibited ; (6) possession of plumage of wild 
birds prohibited; (7 and 8) bag limit on ducks 
and quail fifteen a day and thirty a week; (9) 
license to hunt or fish; (10 and ii) fish and 
game commission may carry on educational work 
or scientific investigation as necessary, and ap¬ 
propriation of $5,000 for this purpose; (12) 
aliens prohibited from hunting and bearing fire 
arms; (13) absolute protection to all rails, shore 
birds, except Wilson snipe, hand-tailed pigeon, 
woodduck, ibis, sea otter. 
The Governor is reported to have signed 
the no sale, no shipment bills. 
V^arious efforts were made to open a season 
on certain song and “fish-eating birds,’’ but these 
all failed. On the whole, therefore, California 
is to be congratulated on having won real vic¬ 
tories. An interesting feature of these victories 
appears to be that they have been won largely 
through the efforts of the scientific men of the 
State. 
This is a point with regard to the conserva¬ 
tion of wild life which we are seeing every¬ 
where now. Scientific men, having at last awak¬ 
ened to the danger which threatens so many 
species, are earnestly at work in its behalf, and 
the union of science and sport is effective. 
If all hands who desire the conservation 
of natural things will work together in harmony, 
they can accomplish almost anything. But if 
the different bodies are jealous of each other, 
eager for their own self-advertising and credit 
rather than for triumph of the cause, success 
will come very slowly. 
All Californians are to be congratulated on 
what has been accomplished during the last ses¬ 
sion of the Legislature. All honor to the men 
who did the work. 
FLORIDA PROTECTIVE LAW. 
Sportsmen and those interested in the con¬ 
servation of wild life generally will be interested 
to know that the Florida Legislature has passed 
an up-to-date protective law. Information to 
this effect has reached the American Game Pro¬ 
tective and Propagation Association of New 
York city, which w'as instrumental in promoting 
this legislation. Colonel John H. Wallace, Jr., 
game commissioner of Alabama, who interested 
himself largely in this matter, has wired the 
association that the Governor’s approval of the 
bill is confidently expected. 
The importance of Florida as a breeding 
ground, and the fact that the State has been 
a slaughter place for all sorts, of wild life for 
years jiast, make the news of the present legis¬ 
lation unusually welcome to those who are 
working for adequate conservation of these 
important resources of the nation. The bill 
that passed is modeled on the excellent Alabama 
law, modifications having been made in certain 
instances to meet local conditions. Protection 
is provided under the new law for song, in¬ 
sectivorous and plumage birds. 
A Spring Tonic. 
BY JAMES A. CLARY. 
It’s mighty hard to hang around 
And work from mom till night. 
When days are warm and sultry. 
And the fish begin to bite; 
When every pool and riffle 
Contains a trout or two 
That just seem really anxious 
To make a meal for you. 
’Tis then that nature calls you 
To get your rod and hook. 
And sneak among the willows 
Of some well favored brook. 
Your hook just touches water 
When, like the lightning’s flash, 
A beauty darts from cover— 
Yoti see the water splash; 
You feel the tug of conflict. 
And all vour pulses thrill. 
Until you land the beauty 
With rare and rapid skill. 
If you are tired and dopey. 
Don’t lie around ind pout. 
But hike into the country. 
And fish for speckled trout. 
