The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-08-15

BY GOVERNMENT
Spring Shooting Prohibited,
Also Night Slaughter While
Feeding or Roasting.

for the protection of migratory game
and insectivorous birds are hereby es-
tablished:
Zone No. 1.-The breeding zone, COM
prising states lying wholly or in part
north of latitude 40 degrees and the
Ohio river and including Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York,
New Jersey. Pennsylvania, Ohio, In
diana. Illinois. Michigan. Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Iowa. North Dakota, South
Dakota, Nebraska. Colorado, Wyom-
ing, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and
shington-twenty-five states
Zone No 2-The wintering zone,
comprising states lying wholly or in
part south of latitude 40 degrees and
the Ohio river and including Delaware,
Maryland. the District of Columbia.
West Virginia, Virginia, North Caro-
lima. South Carolina, Georgia. Florida.
Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Ken
lucky. Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana,
Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mex
leo, Arizona, California, Nevada and
Utah-twenty-three states and the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Aim of Statute.
In carrying out the statutory re-
quirement of due regard to the zones
of temperature, breeding habits, times
and line of migratory flight" the fol-
lowing are some of the more important
principles on which the regulations
were based, according to the commit
tee:
To limit the list of migratory game
birds to species properly so called and
to eliminate species too small to be
considered legitimate game or too rare
to be longer hunted for sport or profit.
This list has been made to conform as
closely as possible with the statutory
definitions of game.
To prevent spring shooting.
To protect migratory birds between
sunset and sunrise
To provide protected fight lines
along at least three of the great navi-
gable rivers.
To make the seasons approximately
! equal IN length in different parts Of
the country.
To limit the hunting seasons to a
maximum Of three or three and one
half months.
To regulate these seasons according
to latitude and times of migration and
to adjust them so that there may be
reasonable opportunity Of securing
thirty days shooting Of any species at
a given place.
To provide separate seasons for wa
terfowl, rail. shore birds and wood
cock. The woodcock seasons are made
to conform as nearly as possible with
the seasons for upland game under
state laws, so that there may be nc
opportunity In close seasons to hunt
shooting woodcock.
To curtail hunting at the end instead
Of the beginning Of the open season
in the interest of both the birds and
the sportsmen.
Effect of Regulations.
The probable effect Of these regula
tions may be briefly stated as follows
O Uniformity in protection of mi
gratory and insectivorous birds In the
| several states.
(2) Protection of birds in spring
while en- route to their nesting grounds
and while mating.
(9 Uniformity in protection of mi
gratory birds at night.
of
grafton routes along three great river;
in the central United States.
(5) Complete protection for five years
for the smaller shore birds and othei
species which have become greatly re
duced in numbers.
(0 Reduction of the open season or
migratory game birds, but in mos
cases not more than 25 to so per cent.
% No change in existing conditions
before Oct. l, 1913.
Although the law names the more
important game birds, regulation de
fining groups is necessary to show def
nitely the kinds of birds included un
der the terms call other migratory
game and insectivorous birds" IL
framing these definitions the statutory
definitions of the various state laws
have been followed as closely as posi-
BILE, in so far as they relate to migra
tory species; the birds have been ar
ranged in natural groups and the com
mon names adopted by the American
ornithologists' union have been follow
ed when the birds have more than on,
common name, since it is ObviOusl,
impracticable to include all the loca
! names.
Night Shooting.
The regulation prohibiting nigh
shooting is intended to bring abou
uniformity in provisions now in fore
in most states, protecting water fow
and other birds at night or within Ger
tain hours between sunset and sunris
so that the birds may be unmoleste,
on their roosting grounds and ma,