
696 
FORES iA Dro DR EAME 
[Nov. 2, 1907. 

of fish. There should certainly be co-operation 
with our sister States with reference to the Po- 
tomac fisheries. This question has been a 
source of controversy, and the Maryland law 
difficult of enforcement. But, inasmuch as there 
is already a legislative committee appointed by 
this association for both the protection of fresh 
and salt water fish, it may be well before going 
any further into this matter to await its report. 
I hope, however, that this committee will con- 
sider seriously the use of haul seines of every 
description, except for the taking of shad and 
herring, and the ‘size fish’ law should put a 
penalty on the transportation companies for 
transporting or accepting for transportation fish 
of the size that are prohibited by law to be had 
in possession or for sale. 
“I have very little to suggest with reference 
to the game birds, except that we should still 
try to prevail on the Legislature to pass a uni- 
form season law. 
“Both the association and the game depart- 
ment are indebted to the farmers and the sports- 
men who, at great trouble and expense to them- 
selves, initiated prosecutions of violators or 
gave me information on which I could act. I 
want to give credit also to the Maryland Audu- 
bon Society, of which Miss M. D. Starr is sec- 
retary, for the active interest it is taking in the 
protection of song birds, both through its own 
efforts and that of the public schools. To this 
action is largely due the increase of ‘these birds 
in and about Baltimore. 
“Two of the greatest enemies of the song 
birds are the slingshot and air rifle in the hands 
of the small boy. This society promised me at 
its last meeting to go to Annapolis in a body 
at the next session of the Legislature and 
present and try to have passed a bill for the pro- 
tection of every species of song and insectivor- 
ous bird, and make it unlawful for boys under 
16 years of age to have in possession any sling- 
shot or rifle of any sort and put a penalty on 
any dealer who may sell them to boys under that 
age. This society deserves our hearty support. 
“T want to call your attention and that of the 
citizens of Baltimore, and which will answer 
many inquiries made of me, to Section 5, Article 
XXV., of the Baltimore City Code. I quote the 
section in full: ‘If any person or persons shall 
kill, or attempt to kill—or in any manner injure 
or molest any sparrows, robins, wrens or other 
small insectivorous birds on any of the streets, 
lanes or alleys or public squares or parks in the 
city of Baltimore, or shall destroy or remove, 
or attempt to destroy or remove any box or 
boxes placed in any tree or other suitable place 
in the city of Baltimore for the use of such birds, 
such person or persons, and any person or per- 
sons aiding or abetting them, shall severally 
forfeit and pay for each and every offense the 
sum of $5.’ 
“T have recently given an opinion, guided by 
a ruling of the United States Department of 
Game Protection, that flickers are protected on 
the ground that they are a species of the wood- 
pecker, and I am convinced that I can support 
this contention in any competent court. The 
wardens have been instructed to arrest any one 
killing or having flickers in possession. 
“The question of dogs running at large is be- 
coming a serious one and one which this associ- 
ation should forcibly bring to the attention of 
our Legislature. I believe more game is being 
destroyed in Maryland to-day by non-fed and 
cur dogs than by the pot-hunter. A tax should 
be put on every dog in the State of at least one 
dollar, and the fund arising from such tax 
should be used for game protection. 
“IT am also convinced that another great aid 
in the protection of game would be a license 
tax, commonly known as a gun tax, of at least 
one dollar. Such a tax would in my opinion 
prevent a large number of boys and others go- 
ing from Baltimore city to the nearby counties 
at all seasons of the year and killing game. The 
fund arising from this source should also be set 
aside for game protection. 
“I also believe that the State Game Depart- 
ment should be separated, that is to say, the 
State Warden should be delegated the power of 
enforcing the game laws, and the Fish Commis- 
sioners of the State should have the enforcement 



of the fish laws, and that a properly equipped 
power boat should be given the latter to aid 
them in the enforcement. 
“T am also convinced that another great aid 
to the protection of game is the passage of a 
law prohibiting the sale and shipment of game 
out of the State. 
“The question of the protection of ducks is 
still a serious one and, under existing laws, un- 
fair and almost impossible of enforcement. The 
time has come when something should be done. 
“Gunners on the flats should be permitted to 
go across the line the evening before at such 
time before dark as will enable them to take 
their berths without the use of lights, and they 
should be forced to leave the flats before dark 
on the days on which gunning is permitted. 
Lights should be prohibited on the flats at all 
times. 
“Under the present law nonresidents of the 
State cannot legally shoot ducks. The law 
should be amended so as to permit such to hunt 
ducks upon paying a license, say, of $10. 
“Power boats of any description should not be 
permitted on the flats at any time, nor in the 
rivers, for gunning purposes, and the laws 
should be so amended that the penalty for vio- 
lations should be the confiscation of the boat, 
irrespective of who is on board the craft. 
“I simply make these suggestions, but as there 
is also a legislative committee to report on legis- 
lation for the protection of ducks, I am sure it 
will go more fully into this matter. Before I 
close this subject I would suggest that this as- 
sociation take an active interest in the appoint- 
ment when the time comes of the character of 
the men to be appointed as ducking police. 
“I want to give credit to some friends of the 
ducks who, upon learning that the department 
had no money, sent me a sufficient amount to 
enable me to prosecute a number of cases for 
the violation of the ducking laws. In addition 
to a number of convictions, the lines of the flats 
as is set forth in Section 278 of Article XIII., 
Code of Public Local Laws, were judicially de- 
termined and legally defined. 
“While this association is now and has been 
doing a remarkable work for the protection of 
game and fish. it has largely been handicapped 
by the lack of funds and interest in the work. 
Renewed activity should begin at once among 
our members to increase our membership. 
Many are ignorant of the objects and purposes 
of the association, and I would suggest that a 
committee be appointed to-night for the pur- 
pose of compiling and publishing a small book, 
setting forth its by-laws and purposes, etc., to 
be distributed over the State. I believe the 
publication of such a book would_be the means 
of increasing our membership three-fold and the 
interest in the work and purposes of the associ- 
ation.” 

Pennsylvania Game Notes. 

SAYRE, Pa., Oct. 19 —Editor Forest and Stream: 
The ruffed grouse and squirrel season has been 
open long enough to demonstrate the fact that 
grouse, as compared with the supply of former 
years, are exceedingly scarce. Indeed, gunners, 
who have been afield to a considerable extent 
during the past two weeks, declare that the supply 
of these splendid birds is smaller than at any 
time within the last decade, and in some quarters 
at least the scarcity is attributed to the preva- 
lence of some disease among the grouse. 
Gray squirrels in local covers show a normal 
supply only with the rodents wild and hard to 
bag. The season for rabbits, which opened on 
the 15th, reveals bunny in plentiful numbers, but 
not nearly full grown, as a rule, and good sports- 
men are already deploring the early opening of 
the shooting season on this game. A _ half or 
two-thirds grown rabbit is far from being fit to 
lead a merry chase and is equally far from being 
a table delicacy to an uneducated palate. 
Quail are scarcely worth mentioning other than 
to say that for some days past in the center of 
the city a fine bevy of these delightful birds have 
been whistling with such exceptional industry that 
the peace of the community has been at times 
seriously menaced. M. CHILL, 
The Season in New England. 
Boston, Oct. 20.—Editor Forest’ and Stream: 
Massachusetts hunters are getting more and 
more busy every day, now that we are getting 
clear and crisp October weather. The shore 
shooting has been as good as the average for the 
past few years. Perhaps the most remarkable 
bag made by any shore gunner was that of Ellery 
H. Clark who secured twenty-seven coot one 
morning before breakfast. 
Reports of bird hunters so far indicate a scar- 
city of ruffed grouse and many are of the opinion 
that this is due to cold, wet weather at the time 
the chicks were in the pin-feather stage, al- 
though some claim that the old birds are not 
much in evidence. Possibly next month may tell 
a more encouraging story. The birds may be 
found later in other localities from what they 
have occupied previously. The better class of 
gunners are chary about killing many quail, know- 
ing that they have not yet recovered from their 
decimation by the recent winters. 
The Massachusetts warden force of twenty- 
three men employed for the year has been aug- 
mented by the appointment of some half dozen 
or more special officers who will serve during 
the season for upland bird shooting. It is 
pleasant to note that a few police officers and 
constables are more active than formerly in prose- 
cuting violators of the game laws. Officer Sulli- 
van, of Watertown, recently arrested an Italian 
for the illegal shooting of a gray squirrel. J. L. 
Taylor, of Plymouth, was arrested by constable 
Freeman Manter and his brother who is on the 
police force of the town, and Judge Charles S. 
Davis imposed a fine of $100. Taylor, with six 
other boys, was cranberry picking at Ship Pond. 
The doe they shot weighed sixty pounds and 
furnished the youngsters several meals of veni- 
son. No charge was preferred against the 
younger boys, but all hands chipped in for pay- 
ment of the fine. To this story there is a sequel. 
The Manter brothers claim half the fine. The 
clerk of the court considered it his duty to turn 
the whole amount collected over to the treasurer 
of the Commonwealth, on the ground, as I under- 
stand, that the fact of the Manters being on 
pay as town officers, are not entitled to the 
moiety. A test case on that point is likely to be 
made, as the officers claim one-half the fine as 
complainants. George M. Poland, Esq., counsel 
for the State association, is looking after their 
interests. 
The carcass of a yearling doe was recently 
found by some boys who were picking apples on 
a farm in Middlefield. This was turned over to 
Officer Wm. Cross, of Becket, who on removing 
the hide found the deer had been shot in two 
places. The officer thinks he has a clue and 
arrests are likely unless the matter is cleared up. 
In case the deer was not causing damage to 
crops at the time of the shooting the act is in 
violation of law. The Massachusetts deer law 
of 1907, called the farmers’ law, needs amend- 
ing in the interest of the deer. 
A curious incident occurred at Beverly re- 
cently. Two fishermen out in a dory for herrings 
were greatly startled at the sight of an animal 
swimming ashore after having extricated itself 
from a net they had put down in the gray of the 
morning. One exclaimed, “It’s a sea horse!” 
“No,” said the other, “it’s a sheep!” The fisher- 
men rawed with all their might for the shore 
which they reached just ahead of the animal, a 
young doe, which naturally enough made a dash 
for the nearest wood, and was soon out of sight. 
Fishing was suspended until repairs could be 
made on the net. Deer have been multiplying 
rapidly in Essex county for several years, but 
the above is probably the only case on record 
where they have manifested a curiosity to in- 
vestigate the fishing. 
The Commercial Club, of Beverly, dined at its 
last meeting on moose meat provided by Con- 
gressman A. P. Gardner. The moose was shot 
by him on a recent trip to New Brunswick. The 
attendance numbered more than one hundred, and 
among those present were Major Dow and many 
other officials of the city. 
The hegira of Massachusetts sportsmen to the 
Maine woods is steadily increasing. Oct. 24 
was an unusual day for shipments of game to 






























































































































































