The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-04
EXTERMINATING QUAIL.
A French Call for Some Action by
the Continental Countries.
From the Courier des Etati

This generation VIII witness the nnai de-
struction of the quail, and 1t will be largely
the fault of the English. The hunters have
told us repeatedly that the quail is dimm-
ishing in numbers every year. Formerly an
ordinary sportsman could shoot from two
TO three dozen quail in a day; now when
the season opens if an expert brings nome
a dozen he is considered fortunate. But il
is not the gun that is making the game
scarce; there is another and more Sc
rious cause.
The quail is a migratory bird and crosses
the Mediterranean twice a year, once 10
come to Europe and again to return to
Africa. Now at each passage enormous
captures of quail are made. At Alexandria
shiploads of them are carried away. They
are taken to Marseilles and 10 Trieste, and
the cargoes Of birds are sent across the
continent 10 England. They are exported
by hundreds of thousands to London. The
orowding of tnem on board the vessels and
the rough weather kill nearly 50 per cent
The gaps are rapidly filled up. The Arabs
have only 10 set their neis upon the plains
OF Lower Egypt during the passage of the
birds in October and in May.
quail abound in Africa in the spring.
cross The sea- and alight tired and hun
CRY. upon the shores of Greece. in the is
lands, in Italy, upon the coast of Prov
ence and in Spain. And in air these places
Nh'NS HhN Nui'AuhtN ny al SOTlS OF devices.
1t is easy 20 catch the poor birds when
they are half dead from hunger and ia
usue. AT Capri the massacre is general:
they are taken or killed by thousands each
day. At Rome sometimes 10000 quail reach
the market in single day. In the Grecian
archipelago so many of them are killed
mat they are sailed down by tons. Al San
TORN they are preserved in vinegar.
On the shores of France. notwithstand
ing the law which r.aonIa saoY,
considerable quantities are also caught:
so That after all these massacres. one NAV
wei be surprised that the nomadic trib,.
which flies toward The north is moi en-
tirely deciminated. Some, of course still
remain in our fields and meadows. The
fecundity of the species is enormous:
otherwise Africa would see very few of
them. The birds increase in numbers con
s!derably in Europe, and when The cold
weather arrives they return to the warm
countries, Then it Is no longer the thin
little bird, which cams 10 us. al the close Of
the winier. On the contrary ii is fat and
plump; it has gained strength in The fields
Of France and Germany and the flesh is
fine and delicate. Consequently when these
little emigrants arrive in swarms upon the
shore there Is a perfect rush 10 catch
them. The Islands of the Levant and the
shores of the Bosphorus get enormous
quantities of them What remain succeed
in crossing the Mediterranean. after which
the hunt begins again. Nevertheless,
quail stiI exist. 1t should be remembered
that the quail makes its nest in Europe
only, and is sojourn there is not long
enough TO cover the losses; quite the con
trary The deficit is going on from year
10 year, and soon we viii reach the end
This evil has been increased by the Eng
lish occupation of Egypt The English
like quail and export quantities of them
to the mother country.
Is there any remedy for his state of
things, or must we strike the quail from
the Est of our game birds2 There was a
conference for the protection Of game birds
in 1895, when the orators spoke a great
deal about birds, but that was all. Since
then the French government made certain
efforts, which were not successful with
view of preserving the game. The trans
port Of quail upon our territory during the
close season was forbidden by law but
on the representation of the transport
companies the law was repealed. Swiiz-
eriand requested the Austrian government
to prohibit the transport of quail through
Austria and Hungary. Germany proposed
TO France to send a joint request to Eng
land to stop the importation of quail dur
ing a determined period. France, Germany
and Switzerland forbade the transport
during the close season The joint request
was made; but England replied by an alb
solute refusal the foreign office saying
that it was doubtful wins ther there was
any necessity TO take special measures
TO prevent The destruction Of quail But
the method of transportation from Egypt
seemed too cruel. and consequently the
English government instructed the consul
general at Cairo 40 see to it that the trans
port was made 'fn the most humane man.
ner possible" The Society for the Pre-