five-year
close-season law on the "prairie fowl" (pinnated grouse); but it was too
late to save it. Now that species is as dead to New Jersey as is the
mastodon. The moral is: Will the People apply this lesson to the ruffed
grouse, quail and the shore birds generally before they, too, are too
far gone to be brought back? If it is done, it must be done _against the
will of the gunners;_ for they prefer to shoot,--and shoot they will if
they can dictate the laws, until the last game bird is dead.

In 1912, New Jersey is spending $30,000 in trying to restock her
birdless covers with foreign game birds and quail. In brief, here are
the imperative duties of New Jersey:

Provide eight-year close seasons for quail, ruffed grouse, woodcock,
snipe, all shore birds and the wood-duck.

Prohibit the sale of all native wild game; but promote the sale of
preserve-bred game.

Prevent the repeal of the automatic gun law, which surely will be
attempted, each year.

Prohibit all bird-shooting after January 10, each year, until fall.

Prohibit the killing of squirrels as "game."

NEW MEXICO:

All things considered, the game laws of New Mexico are surprisingly up
to date, and the state is to be congratulated on its advanced position.
For example, there are long close seasons on antelope, elk (now
extinct!), mountain sheep, bob white quail, pinnated grouse, wild pigeon
and ptarmigan,--an admirable list, truly. It is clear that New Mexico is
wide awake to the dangers of the wild-life situation. On two counts, her
laws are not quite perfect. There is no law prohibiting spring shooting,
and there is no "model law" protecting the non-game birds. The sale of
game will not trouble New Mexico, because the present laws prevent the
sale of all protected game except plover, curlew and snipe,--all of them
species by no means common in the arid regions of the Southwest.

A law prohibiting spring shooting of shore birds and waterfowl
should be passed at the next session of the legislature.

The enactment of the "model law" should be accomplished without
delay to put New Mexico abreast of the neighboring states of
Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas.

The term of the State Warden should be extended to four years.

NEW YORK:

In the year of grace, 1912, I think we may justly regard New York as the
banner state of all America in the protection of game and wild life in
general. This proud position has been achieved part