The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-14
Chief Value Is ms Curiosity.

Inc pelican Is OF more value as a
curiosity in Florida. Mr.. Pierson said,
than In any other form. and thousands
OF feet OF film are used yearly in photo
graphing the bird, and the picture post
card is an industry OF some account
throughout Florida.
George D. Pratt, Conservation Com
missioner. told the visiting commission
ers of the value of the game census
which he instituted In 1915, which Is a
running check upon the conditions Of the
States wild life made by the field men
OF the commission. He said no attempt
had been made at a count except in the
single instance OF deer. which lend them
selves to an exact inventory during the
deep SHOWS OF winter when they are
yarded. The game protectors had made
1888 observations in three years and
while some were duplicated. the larger
number of observations enabled the com
mission to obtain sound statistical
grounds for definite conclusions regard
ing the relative proportion of the sexes
OF these deer and the extent to which
they were breeding. He drew the con-
clusion that since the operation OF the
buck law in 1912. deer are breeding nor
mally, and OF 7,103 observations where
the sex was d. ermined, the observa-
lions showed $3.50 bucks to Asa does
or TWO does TO each BUCK.
To complete the deer census and to
keep in touch with upland game. Com
missioner Pratt hopes to put into effect
n method of requiring every hunter who
takes out a gun license TO tell the
amount OF game that he killed under his
old license.
Takes Lesson From War.
DR.. William T. Hornaday. who spoke
on the appeal to reason and ethics in
game conservation, remarked to the
visiting commissioners, This war with
the Huns has proved that the best de-
fence Is n vigorous offensive. One of the
ablest French commanders, Gen. Man
gin, has said TO make war always at
tack, attack, attack. In view of all this
1t Is evident that the one real and ef-
fective way to protect wild life Is to
be forehanded to take and retain the
initiative, to lead rather than follow
events"
DR.. Hornaday remarked that eff the
quail and grouse are to be saved there
must be long close seasons, killing of
cats and other vermin. the suppression
of free ranging dogs during the breed
ing and rearing seasons, the utmost pos
sible feeding and sheltering of quail in
winter and the elimination of the deadly
and now universal pump and automatic
guns"
C. B. Garfield, Juneau. spoke on
Alaskan conditions with reference to
wild life and said that territory was
making such an attempt to capture and
can salmon. he believed as In the Span
ish-American war. America would have
an "embalmed salmon" scandal on its
hands, as he had seen salmon ut can
neries so unfit for food that the odor
was noticeable. These salmon had run
up the rivers to spawn and when the
fish were dumped on the cannery floor
the eggs and miA ran out of the fish
Resolutions were adopted asking the
President to urge Mexico and Central
and South American States to Join in
a treaty to protect, migratory birds: ask
Ing Congress for $500, 900 TO enforce the
migratory bird act; urging the national
Government that suitable tracts of Ia nd
in every State in the Union be acquired
by purchase. where necessary, to be set
aside and devoted to returned injured
soldiers and sailors for operation by
them as game farms. All the commits
sioners were urged also to plant black
walnuts this fall and for ten years, to
aid the Federal Government
]. Quincy Ward, Kentucky. was elected
president; w. z. Barber, Wisconsin
Honore Mercier. Quebec, and George d.
Pratt. New York. presidents; Car
los Avery, Minnesota, secretary: John
p. Woods. Missouri. treasurer; George
II. Graham. Massachusetts, F. G. Mac
diarmid. Ontario; John NJ. Crornpton.
Connecticut, and A. NJ Alexander, lou
1T