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shore birds indefinitely. The sanctuary has succeeded in Europe, 
and it is no new idea here. Already in Massachusetts we have been 
experimenting with it in a small way. One modification of the plan 
is to forbid the taking or killing of all wild animals or all birds within 
certain limits, after the plan adopted on Cape Ann in 1897 and in the 
town of Essex in 1899. In these cases a time limit of five years was 
set; but such an act might be made perpetual. Park commissioners 
are given police powers, and can prevent shooting within the limits 
of their reservations, as the Metropolitan Park Commission and many 
city park commissioners now do. In 1899 3,000 acres of land were 
set aside on Wachusett Mountain as a State reservation, and the com- 
missioners in charge were given police powers; this should ensure a 
permanent game sanctuary for Worcester County. The enactment 
in 1907, by which the Commissioners on Fisheries and Game were 
empowered to take 1,000 acres of land on Martha’s Vineyard as a 
reservation for the protection of the heath hen and other birds, is 
an example of direct legislation for this purpose, more of which will, 
sooner or later, become necessary. 
While efforts should not be relaxed to secure beneficent protective 
legislation, the most important work that can be done by the bird 
protectionist is to strive to influence public sentiment regarding 
the necessity for such enactments, for laws can never be fully enforced 
until they are respected by the people. 
