3IRD PROTECTION.
Among the less widely advertised business with which Congress is asked to deal this session is a Bill promoted by Senator McNary, of Oregon, aiming to check the slaughter of birds. For some time societies and individual sportsmen have besought the State and Federal authorities to curb reckless and inadequately regulated shooting, which is responsible for the wholesale destruction of birds, and, in particular, wild duck and geese, recorded each season. Start- ling evidence as to the extent of the destruction is furnished 'by the Permanent Wild Life Protection Fund, which estimates that the number of game birds is now reduced to a point at which approximately only half a bird remains for each licensed sportsman in the country. The Federal game regu- lations permit a bag of twenty-five birds a day for three and one half months of the. year. This is felt to be far too much, and Senator MeNary's Bill proposes to reduce the bag limit, shorten the season, and impose other restrictions whiCh are deemed essential for the protection of bird life.
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