The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-11

| hunger and fatigue At Capri the mas
! sacre is general. they are taken or
| killed by thousands each day. At Rome
sometimes 10000 quail reach the mar
| ket in single day In the Grecian
| archipelago SO many of them are killed
that they are salted down by tons. At
Santorin they are preserved in vine
| gar.
| On the shores of France. notwith-
| standing the law, which people seem
| 70 forget, considerable quantities are
| also caught; SO that, after all these
| massacres, one may well be surprised
that the nomadic tribe which flies to-
| ward the north is not entirely decim-
ated. 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 consid-
erably in Europe, and when the cold
weather arrives they return to the
warm countries. Then it is no longer
the thin little bird which came to us
at the close Of the winter. On the con-
trary. it is fat and plump; it has gain
ed strength in the fields of France and
Germany, and the flesh is fine and
delicate. Consequently when these lit
tie emigrants arrive in swarms upon the
shore there is perfect rush to catch
them. The islands of the Leyant and
the shores of the Bosphorus get enor-
succeed in crossing the Mediterranean,
after which the hunt begins again.
Nevertheless, quail still exist 1 should
be remembered that the quail makes It's
nest in Europe only, and its sojourn
there is not long enough to cover the
losses; quite the contrary. The deficit
is going on from year to year, and soon
we will reach the end. This evil has
been increased by the English occupa-
ton CT Egypt The English like quail
and export quantities of them to the
mother country.
Is there any remedy for this state of
things, or must we strike the quail from
the list of our game birds? There was
conference for the protection of game
birds in 1896, when the orators spoke
a great deal about birds, but that was
all. Since then the French government
made certain efforts, which We're not
successful, with a view of preserving
the game. The transport of quail upon
our territory during the close season
was forbidden by law but on the repre-
ssntation of the transport companies the
law was repealed. Switzerland request
ed the Austrian government to prohibit
the transport of quail through Austria
and Hungary. Germany proposed to
France to send joint request to Eng
land to stop the Importation of quail
during determined period. France,
transport during the close season. The
joint request was made; but England
replied by an absolute refusal, the for
eign office saying that it was doubtful
whether there was any necessity to take
special measures to prevent the destruc-
ton of quail. But the method of trans
portation from Egypt seemed too cruel,
and consequently the English govern
ment instructed the consul general at
Carlo to see to it that the transport was
made lin the most humane manner pos
sibe." The Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals could not have
made better reply.
The English want to make money out
of the quail as long as the latter remain,
and when there are no more they will
occupy themselves with something else
But it seems to us, nevertheless that
we are sufficiently strong to be able to
get along without the assistance of Eng
land. Let Germany, France, Austria
and Switzerland come to an agreement
to forbid the transport of the game
through their territory during the close
season. The question would then be
solved ipso facto. They could be trans
ported only by way of Gibraltar, but
this would not last long, on account OF
the great mortality among the birds
during so long a voyage. When the ex-
porters begin to lose tfree-quarters of
their merchandise they will give up the
business That is the way to do it. With
a little firmness and a mutual agree
ment on the part of the continental
countries the quail will be saved and we
will have them in abundance. Other
wise the Goth century will bid farewell
to quail on toast.--Courrier DIES Etats
Unis.