The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-18
TIE GAME LAW.

proposed law to prevent and punish the
killing Of game during the breeding or
incubating season.
In relation to birds, the terms of this
| law are extended beyond the scope OF
similar laws In other States and coun-
tries, 80 as to include song birds as we'll
az those which belong to the class OF
game birds. As to the latter, quails,
patridges and pheasants only are men,
toned. whose inoubating season tor
| within which they cannot be shot or
bupteD Ia fixed between the LIST April
and 18th September. Now. this classifl-
cation Is radically defective in this, that
it does not include grouse or prairie
chickens, which are the only game birds
that are engaged in incubating during
the period indicated.
There are no part1idges or pheasants
In Louisiana, but quiet o good stock Of
grouse or prairie chickens on the
prairies of Opelousas and the Attaka-
pas country, which need the protection
Of this law. What are commonly called
cartridges are, in fact, quails, 30 recog-
nized and defined in all scientific
books on the subject.
These are almost the only birds. to-
gether with wild turkeys. which de-
mand the protection extended by this
law. There should be penalties against
all parties who hunt these during the
period of their domesticity, or who de-
stroy their eggs and thereby check the
multiplication of their species.
There is no need Of extending the
provisions of this law to some of the
feathered tribe that may be classed rs
carpet-b aggers, visiting our State in
midsummer to fatten in our swamps on
our luscious insects and reptiles. They
are mere nomads, but unlike the hui
man nomads who infest our State. they
furnish our epicures with some OF the
daintiest articles of luxury and nour-
ishment. They do not need the protec
ton of game law At the very period
when our regular and permanent
featbered settlers are engaged in the
duty of all good citizens Of multiplying
their species, these immigrants are alb
sorbed in fattening their own bodies 30 as
to beguile our people into the luxurious
and enervating enjoyment of feasting
on them, at exorbitant rates and with
various accompanaments Of perilous
and bewildering consequences to their
moral well-being and intellectual equi-
poise.
Such are the woodcock, jacksnipe,
grosbeck. beccroche, and, lastly, that
most seductive of all feathered dainties,
the papabot. This exquisite and in
comparable bird only attains his excel
lence in the month of August. During
the rest of the year he is meagre, un-
satisfactory and lean specimen Of
plover, hardly worth the shooting. 1t
would be well to amend the game law
so as to prevent the killing Of papabots
before the first Of August and after the
first Of October.
There is no richer, fatter, more lusci
Gus, juicy and appetizing morsel than
the papabot during the period indicated,
when it has access to the green Spanish
flies and other chronological morceaur
of our swamps and ponds. With the
disappearance of the flies aforesaid, the
papabot declines into a thin. long
legged sort Of plover, hardly above the
rank of a killdee. Now let the destruc-
ton Of the papabot be arrested and pre-
the standard of excellence and juiciness
which he reaches during flytime. Very
recently we saw quite number Of them
offered for sale on the streets, which
were readily bought by green ones
as genuine papabots. The purchasers
thereof have since discovered the decep-
ton perpetrated on them, and against
which the law should protect such ig-
norant and unwary persons.
Passing from game birds. our law
has assumed to protect the musical
tastes and love Of melody Of our
people by affixing penalties to
the destruction of the eggs and
the killing of certain birds that
minister to this sentiment. Such are
hooking birds, black birds, finches,
etc. Strange to say, no mention is
made of the silvery- voiced pawpas and
the melodious red birds. The only OBJ
lection to this provision Of the bill is
that 1t will interrupt very important
trade. and perhaps infringe that article
of the Federal constitution which de-
MES to the States the power to regulate
commerce. In the capture and sale of
these birds there is quite an active
business carried on in this State, espe-
cially in the Florida parishes, whence a
large number Of our song birds are
every year dispatched to Northern and
European markets, to give life and
melody to their aviaries and inspire