338 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[March 4, 1911. 
of elk. It is hoped their sufferings are now to 
end, for Uncle Sam will spread his mantle of 
protection over them and insure their preserva¬ 
tion and care. It is proposed to begin their 
removal as soon as the weather will permit to 
the Big Horn Mountains or to several of the 
national forest reservations, employing a troop 
or more of cavalry in addition to enlisting the 
aid of stockmen. It is intended that the com¬ 
plete removal and herding will continue until 
the entire number of elk are provided for, which 
will probably not be entirely completed until fall. 
The Federal Government should wake up to 
the importance of preserving the native big game 
of this country, and one of the principal reasons 
for this awakening is the agitation of the ques¬ 
tion by the sportsmen of the country who have 
been for years trying to enlist the Federal Gov¬ 
ernment in caring for, protecting and preserv¬ 
ing the game and fish supply. The large num¬ 
ber of forest reservations with an army of forest 
rangers affords an opportunity for the care and 
preservation of these creatures, and it should 
now be a comparatively easy matter for the Gov¬ 
ernment to care for and protect the big game 
with little or no additional expense by the mere 
act of placing the animals on the forest reser¬ 
vations. 
In this connection there is an item in the 
agricultural appropriation bill providing the sum 
of $S,ooo for the purchase, capture and trans¬ 
portation of game for national reservations. In 
the course of a decade it is very probable that 
the big game of the country will have reached 
such numbers that a fixed per cent, of the yearly 
increase may be allowed to the public either for 
stocking private preserves or for other purposes. 
It has been a source of gratification to many 
lovers of our native game animals to see the 
growing interest among all classes in the preser¬ 
vation and care of these animals. 
On Feb. 16, Congress passed and President 
Taft approved the law for the care and pro¬ 
tection of the antelope in Arizona, and now 
comes an appropriation for the preservation of 
our largest band of elk, and another for the 
capture, purchase and transportation of game 
animals for the national reservations. This is 
only a beginning for each year; as the interest 
increases, so will the appropriations. Truly it 
is a sign of the times. Raleigh Raines. 
Massachusetts Legislature. 
Boston, Mass., Feb. 25.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: A hearing was held the past week be¬ 
fore the Massachusetts Commissioner of Fish¬ 
eries and Game on the bill drawn by the com¬ 
mission to provide for the leasing, purchasing 
or construction of “one or more fish hatch¬ 
eries.” At the hearing President Charles, of 
the State Association, explained why a year 
ago, in behalf of the association and the trout 
fishermen of the State, he did not feel justified 
in urging the expenditure of any considerable 
sum of money for the establishment of a 
hatchery while the State was the unfortunate 
owner of three comparatively worthless stations 
on which considerable money had been ex¬ 
pended during the last decade without any ade¬ 
quate returns. He argued against the breaking 
of new ground for the establishing of a hatch¬ 
ery while there are in the market several com¬ 
mercial hatcheries where the water has been 
thoroughly tested and where no difficulty has 
been experienced in rearing trout to the finger- 
ling and adult stages. It was also pointed out 
that in the case of a new establishment it 
would be at least two or three years before trout 
of any size would be ready for distribution. 
Mr. Priest, superintendent of the Sandwich 
Hatchery, was requested to inform the commit¬ 
tee what might be expected from his hatchery, 
which is one of those which might be obtained 
by the State. Mr. Priest went into details in 
regard to the rearing of fingerling trout for 
stocking purposes and for larger fish for the 
market. He stated that there would be no diffi¬ 
culty in rearing 500,000 fingerling yearly, or 
even a larger number if desired. The price for 
which he is willing to sell is somewhat less than 
the sum asked for by the commission last year. 
I left the hearing encouraged to hope that the 
committee would make a favorable report on 
the bill. 
House bills 275 and 278, the former to de¬ 
termine how birds that feed on the gypsy and 
brown-tail moths, could be colonized—the latter 
for an investigation of infectious diseases of 
birds were objected to by C. W. Adams, secre¬ 
tary of the Massachusetts Gunners’ Association, 
on the ground that the work outlined in those 
bills should be done, if needed, by the depart¬ 
ment in charge of the destruction of the gypsy 
and brown-tail moths or by the State ornitholo¬ 
gist under the direction of the Board of Agri¬ 
culture. 
The third recommendation of the commis¬ 
sion (as printed in H. 273) is as follows: 
“On account of the alarming decrease in the 
number of useful birds, and consequent dam¬ 
age from insect pests to shade trees, garden 
and farm crops, some provision for rearing 
game and insectivorous birds should be made.” 
The commissioners therefore urge that they be 
authorized to “lease, purchase and construct in¬ 
creased facilities” for the rearing of birds. To 
carry out this recommendation they introduce 
House bill 277. At the hearing, President 
Charles called the attention of the Committee 
to the fact that the bill was practically identical 
with the one drawn and presented by him, and 
this was admitted by Commissioner Garfield, 
who was present as the representative of the 
commission. He also stated that when draw¬ 
ing their bill they had the laws of other States 
and President Charles’ bill to work from. 
Henry H. Kimball. 
Hunting in California. 
San Francisco, Cal., Feb. 20. —Editor Forest 
and Stream: On Feb. 1 the closed season for 
quail commenced and on the 15th of the month 
all duck hunting ceased, so that there is but very 
little hunting to be enjoyed by California enthu¬ 
siasts. There is still some excellent goose shoot¬ 
ing, but this fowl is to be found in limited sec¬ 
tions of the State only, and at a considerable 
distance from San Francisco and other large 
cities, and the sport is enjoyed mostly by those 
living near the grain-growing districts of the 
State. Many of the gun clubs closed operations 
for the season long before the close season com¬ 
menced, for since the middle of January very 
heavy rains have been falling and most of the 
preserves have been flooded. The ducks have 
been badly scattered and a heavy migration has 
set in from the bay district. As it is too early 
for the birds to leave for the North, there was 
considerable speculation as to where they could 
be, but word has been received from the extreme 
southern section of the State that they have 
appeared there in immense numbers. Just below 
the State line the birds have gathered in great 
numbers, but California sportsmen are not able 
to hunt there, owing to the regulations of the 
Mexican Government against carrying firearms 
across the border. 
Goose shooting is now at its best around Rio 
Vista, Dixon, and other Sacramento Valley 
points, and farmers in that vicinity are anxious 
to have hunters visit their fields, for the geese 
are very destructive to the growing grain. 
Measures have been introduced into the State 
Legislature permitting the hunting of geese be¬ 
hind live blinds, and it is believed that this will 
result in a greater activity on the part of market 
hunters. 
Amendments are to be made to the State game 
laws this year by the State Legislature permit¬ 
ting of the marketing of certain kinds of wild 
game that may be raised in captivity. This is 
to apply especially to pheasants, the hunting of 
which is prohibited, but the domestic rearing of 
which promises to become an important indus¬ 
try. Certain regulations will be made govern¬ 
ing the marketing of the birds so that the fish 
and game commission will have means of know¬ 
ing that the law is not being violated. 
A. P. B. 
Season Closing. 
New Orleans, La., Feb. 25. —Editor Forest and 
Stream: There is very little hunting now on 
account of the warm weather and the lateness 
of the season. The ducks are practically gone, 
or else are so far out they are beyond range. 
The warm spell for this season of the year has 
been unprecedented and unquestionably cut the 
hunting season short several weeks. 
The State game commission has practically de¬ 
cided to have a traveling exhibit and to charter 
a car for this purpose to tour this State. It is 
proposed to exhibit the various specimens of 
birds, fish and animals on the train, and to reach 
the remote sections, and especially the school 
children. In addition to the exhibits there will 
be two moving picture machines which will dis¬ 
play many pictures of birds and fish. Commis¬ 
sioner Miller and Attorney Ponder will deliver 
lectures. It is expected that the tour will prove 
popular, although there has been some criticism 
of the plan on the grounds that it will be too 
expensive, and the board ought to spend its 
money in other directions. Mr. Miller says his 
proposed trip is solely one in behalf of educa¬ 
tion, and to show the people the value of the 
natural food supply of Louisiana. 
A book describing the various birds in Louis¬ 
iana is wanted by the State game commission. 
President Miller points out that he has had many 
inquiries for data on the subject of Louisiana 
birds, but he has been unable to furnish any. 
He states that if some enterprising person who 
understands the work will publish a reliable 
work on ornithology in reference to this State, 
he feels sure that the book will be in consider¬ 
able demand. It is said that there are more 
different species of birds in Louisiana than any 
other State in the Union. F. G. G. 
