‘ 
CHARLES B, REYNOLDS, Secretary. 
346 Broadway, New York. 
| Forest and Stream 
| A Weekly Journal. 
GeEorGE Birp GRINNELL, President, 
346 Broadway, New York. 
Copyright, 1907, by Forest and Stream Publishing Co. 
Louis DEAN Sperr, Treasurer. 
346 Broadway, New York. 



Terms, $3 a Year, 10 Cts. a Copy. t 
Six Months, $1.50. ) 


THE OBJECT OF THIS JOURNAL 
Iwill be to studiously promote a healthful interest 
jin outdoor recreation, and to cultivate a refined 
taste for natural objects. 
| —Forest AND StreAM, Aug. 14, 1873. 

LET NEW JERSEY ACT. 
THE movement in behalf of better game laws 
for New Jersey seems to be receiving the sup- 
port of sportsmen and of game protective asso- 
ciations throughout the State. It that 
changes in the law should be made, for New 
Jersey is now the only one of the North Atlantic 
feoast States which still permits 
ing and summer shooting. So long as the spring 
slaughter of wildfowl was lawful in New York 
ied Connecticut, New Jersey gunners could say 
“that if they did not shoot ducks in the spring, 
citizens of the neighboring States would do so, 
is time 
spring shoot- 

and that they would continue to insist on having 
their share of the fowl. 
‘used by gunners and anglers, has a certain plau- 
| pility to some minds, even though it is sel- 
ifish, illogical and fallacious. Now, 
since New York and Connecticut have both pro- 
jhibited spring shooting, even that poor argument 
is taken away from New Jersey. As for sum- 
mer shooting, that is a medizval relic that never 
|has been, and never can be, justified or excused. 
The movement for better things was set on 
foot some weeks since at the meeting at Mont- 
jclair, the outcome of which was the organization 
jof the Association of New Jersey Sportsmen for 
‘he Protection and Propagation of Game, of which 
Mr. George Batten is president. At that meet- 
ing Dr. A. K. Fisher, of the Biological Survey, 
pointed out—as have often been pointed out be- 
fore—the dangers which threaten the game bird 
supply, and declared of the wildfowl that more 
birds are killed each year than are produced. 
The statement seems to have come at the psycho- 
logical moment, and to have appealed to his 
jaudience. It has made an impression on New 
Jersey sportsmen at lu’rge, and various clubs and 
‘associations are taking up and discussing the 
matter very earnestly. It is reported that one 
lor more bills will be introduced at the coming 
session of the Legislature to remedy the exist- 
ng state of things. 
Dr, Fisher’s remarks about the wildfowl might 
qave been made about almost any other species 
of game for the northern States of the Atlantic 
seaboard. Even if it is not the fact that every 
year more grouse, quail and woodcock are killed 
than are produced, it is certainly true the de- 
struction by gunners keeps the numbers of the 
supland game birds so near to the danger line 
hat any slightly unfavorable set of natural con- 
Jitions, which causes an unusual mortality—even 
though small—may so reduce the supply of birds 
is to threaten the extinction of the species and 
sractically to put an end to the shooting, often 
for years. Under natural circumstances the loss 
This reasoning, so often 
5 
however, 

through these unfavorable conditions would be 
relatively small and perhaps 
felt, or if felt, the natural 
repair the loss; but with the supply of birds so 
would hardly be 
increase would soon 
small, the loss is relatively very large and years 
are required to make it up. 
In New England and New York quail are at 
present practically extinct. Even in New Jersey 
they are said to be scarce. Ruffed grouse, which 
usually hold their own so well, are reported to 
be extremely few in New England, New York, 
Pennsylvania and Michigan. The woodcock is 
by some sportsmen regarded as a mythical bird; 
something that their fathers used to know and 
rave over, but which the sons have never seen. 
Dr paper on 
Birds’”—the woodcock and the 
of the causes which have brought about the long 
bill’s scarcity. 
Fisher’s able “Two Vanishing 
woodduck—tells 
New Jersey in its time was a great game State. 
There the heath hen and the wild turkey ling- 
ered long. There Frank Forrester shot, and told 
so delightfully of his shooting and of the plenti- 
tude of birds. But the game of a thickly settled 
State like New Jersey cannot stand continuous 
decimation, and unless new laws and good laws 
are passed and enforced, New Jersey will before 
long find herself in like plight with her sister 
States to the North—almost without game. 
THE SPORTSMAN’S EXHIBITION. 
THERE is to be held in this city during the 
Christmas holidays, beginning Dec. 23, a sports- 
man’s show which of unusual It 
has been characteristic of all such shows in the 
past that they have been commercial their 
purposes; exhibitions in which certain attractions 
is interest. 
in 
should draw the public to the show, in order that 
they might there be induced to look at the ex- 
hibits of their wares made by dealers in guns, 
ammunition, fishing tackle, boats and other arti- 
cles used by sportsmen. The coming show, we 
believe, is not commercial in its purposes. It is 
intended rather to be entertaining. The public 
is to be shown things that will interest it and 
will teach it useful and helpful facts, while the 
trade exhibits are to be subordinate to the public 
interests. The character of the men who are in- 
terested in the holding of this sportsmen’s exhi- 
bition confirms this statement. They are men 
especially interested in the preservation of game, 
fish and forests, scientific men 
the Bureau of Forestry in Washington, with the 
New York Zoological Society in New York city, 
and with the National Association of Audubon 
connected with 
Societies covering the whole country. 
The purpose of this sportsman’s show then is 
to show to the people at the attractive 
features of the outdoor life and the value to the 
community of the forests, the fish, the game and 
the birds. It will have its commercial side, but 
that will be subsidiary to the 
side. The features attractive to the public will 
large 
side exhibition 
NEW YORK, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1907. 
j VOL. LXIX.—No. 22. 
No. 346 Broadway,,.New York 
come first, and be first in evidence; but the trade 
exhibits will also be present and will be where 
those who wish to see them can readily find them. 
This sportsman’s exhibition will differ from all 
those held in the past, in the fact that it is not 
held for the purpose of making money for any- 
one. If money should be made over and above 
expenses that money will be used for the pur- 
pose of holding another show similar in character 
next year or to forward in such ways as may be 
the 
In other words, 
deemed best interests to which the society 
is devoted. the men who have 
subscribed funds to hold this show have not done 
but for 
the enlightenment of the public and the further- 
it for the benefit of their own pockets, 
ing of the protection of natural things in North 
of this held for 
such a purpose, will appeal to all the best sports- 
America. An exhibition kind, 
men of America, and is likely to receive support 
and help on every hand. 
TROUT AND IRRIGATION DITCHES. 
of 
fish protection is called to Dr. Henshall’s paper 
on “Inland Fish and Fish Food,’ which appears 
in another column. 
THE attention every person interested in 
There is absolutely no rea- 
sonable excuse for neglect to screen the heads 
of all irrigation ditches. The one generally given 
—that screens soon become clogged with vege- 
not apply to all 
furthermore, several simple and inexpensive de- 
table matter—does seasons; 
vices are available, and some one of these should 
Dr. Henshall’s own device is available 
to any person who will take the trouble to make 
it, as it is not patented. 
The If trout 
their native streams into the irrigation ditches 
be used. 
situation is this: can go from 
without hindrance, in time they may pass into 
the smaller branch ditches and eventually find 
their way into the fields whence the water from 
the larger ditches is turned and left to spread 
and sink into the dry soil. How many trout are 
destroyed in this way it is 
for stranded 
and picked up by nocturnal prowlers. 
impossible to even 
at 
So 
seen in daylight, however, as to leave 
about the harm by 
guess, large numbers may be 
night 
many are 
doubt 
intakes of ditches unscreened. 
Dr. Henshall has pointed out the further dan- 
ger threatening the trout of the Western States 
no done leaving the 
through the opening of the great irrigation sys- 
The least 
that can be said is that it is a great pity for the 
tems provided by the Government. 
Government to neglect any of its opportunities 
to save the game fish it is propagating and dis- 
tributing at large expense to the people. 
The companies that control the larger ditches 
are apathetic, as are also many of the land 
owners who obtain water from company ditches. 
Hence it is in legislative enactment that relief 
must be looked for, unless indeed Congress can 
be persuaded to assist in a work that is of im- 
portance to every citizen of every State. 

