Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-12-16
SOME GAME TALK.

Judge Wright, of this Judicial
district, is quite persistent in his
charges to the grand juries to inves
tlgate violations of the game law
While he does not shoot often-ex
cept from the bench-lIis Honor il
great lover of birds and wild game
ard untiring in his efforts to see al
such properly protected. Wild tur
keys, we believe, are the only game
birds allowed to be tracked wher
snow is on the ground. This is th'
weather when all humane hearts anC
good citizens, so far as they can
should see that our birds are fec
rather than shot. Foxes and hawks
are in their glory and are playing
havoc with small birds and the part
ridges which may be seen just now
by all road-sides hunting morsel tC
eat, and very unwary. The partridge
(or quaiD is more of domestic bird
than wild one. He follows civil.
zation, and, if man would but show
his friendliness, the coyeys would
gather around hut or rural mansion
aud feed, almost, from mans hand
But mans barbarity and feathered
domesticity are Mt clash, The same
holds true In respect to the robin and
the mourning dove. Neither of these
birds should be shot at all. 1t has
been conservatiyely estimated thai
every robin red-breast is worth 8
silver half-dollar to the farmer, and
an examination recently of the anat-
omy of dove by Commissioner Of
Agriculture Koiner disclosed the
contents of one doves craw to bt
about seventeen hundred insects and
seed parasitesl When not able tc
procure worms and insects the robin
hooking, cst-bird and various other
insectiyorous birds find sustenancC
in the holly tree. But our holly
berries are fast disappearing by
mans ruthless hand, aud pretty soon
these birds will spend their winter;
and springs where they can get some
thing to eat, and they will be lost
the year round, to our farmers and
horticulturists. 1t has recently beer
shown in these columns what plaques
from insects would be visited upor
us il our insectivorous feathereG
friends were one and all driven away
A drive along the roads in this
weather not only shows the boldness
and unwariness with which rabbit
and partridge run along in your
wheel tracks, but the tracks of Brel
Fox may be seen hot on the trail, and
the bunch of feathers here and there
tell of the hawk or night OWLS feast
upon choice tid-bits. We should
do all We can to rid the country Of
pests instead of turning guns and
snare upon tho almost helples.
treasures that are legitimate game
when given a chance for life.
The digest of present game law
which We published some weeks
since may be relied upon for accuracy
as they come from the hand of Vir
ginia's most prominent legal authori
ties. What seems to be giving NOR
trouble than anything else in on
new law are the powers and dutie
of game wardens and the law tina
pertains to non-residents. In a few
words we would say in respect to tn
latter, that a resident can onl,
hunt without license upon Invitation
of a resident, becoming his bona-fid
guest, without pay, and then onl
upon lands of the host If given per
mission by neighbor of the hos
the nonresident must pay license ia.
before hunting on such neighbor'
land. Eten when licensed, the non
resident can hunt on no lands with
out permission of the owner, an,
should he do so he will be amenabl
for trespass the same as a citizen @
the State would be. An action o
trespassN will lie in any case wher
hunting is done without permission
OF owner of the land whether it b
'sposted" or not. The license fees
up to $500, are apportioned to tn
wardens, but damages for trespas
90 to land owner and the Com
monwealth.