Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/174

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Edited by MRS. MAEEL osGooD WRIGHT and WILLIAM BUTCHER Communtcztions relating to the work ol the Audubon and other titrtl l'tutecttt-e Sut‘telws should

be addressed to Mrs. VVrIgttt, ht Fattﬁeld. Conn.

Reports. etc .Ilusigttctl [or HHS department shoultl ha

sent at least one month prior to the date or publication.

Bird Protection Abroad 41V. Japan Br 1 5. entries

In previous papers of this series attention has been called to the bird-protective meas- ures in force in three important British pos- sessions oi the Old World: India. South Australia and New Zealand.* By way of contrast it may be interesting to present an outline of the regulations adopted in Japan. a country which is not only attracting much attention at the present time but one which in recent years has been an important source of supply for certain birds used in the millinery trade.

The Japanese Empire comprises nearly 4,ooo islands. which extend from 22° to go” north latitude. Omitting Formosa, which has only recently been acquired, the four principal islands are Kiushu. Shikoku. Hondo, and Yesso or Hokkaido. These islands are situated between 3r and 46". thus corresponding in latitude to the Pacific coast of America from the Gulf of California to the Columbia River, Their combined area equals approximatelythat of Montana. or of New England and the Middle States exclusive of Pennsylvania. Their topog» raphy is varied, and the diverse conditions existing at elevations between sea-level and over t2.ooo feet, together with the extent in latitude, readily account for the varietv in bird life. The birds are. however. stil perfectly known and the distribution of many of the species remains to be worked out.

The general game-law of japan recog- nizes two main groups of birds. those which may be hunted during an open season and those which are protected throughout the year. These groups correspond to our game birds and non-game birds. For the ﬁrst group two seasons are ﬁxed : For Pheasants in general. ll'ijt'. and Copper

‘see BIID-Lnll. v. w. H. toc. trti toot: \'l. p. to. ma.

Pheasants. Ynmailnri. the close season cx- tends from March t to October 1: : for the other game birds it extends from April to to October t4, except on Yesso. when: it is one month shorter-front April :6 to September is. Thus six or seven months areallowed lorhunting the inllowing birds: Bulbuls. Hiya; Gray Starlings. Mul'urlari .- Larks. Iliban.‘ Shrikes. .\quu.‘ Ptarmi- gan, Knit/m: Quail. L'zunz: Hazel (irause. Ezoyamutlvri: Doves and Pigeons. Hair; and Snipe and Woodcock. Slllgi.

The birds which are protected throughout the year. antl consequently of most interest the following: Cranes. rrrtmt ; swallows. except Martins. Trubllme: Marsh Tit. It'ngara .' Coal Tit. Iligara .- Great Tit. sin/"1mm .- .luthatch, anuﬁnra.’ Long a tailed Tit, Ermga.‘ Eastern Gold-crest. Klklularlali; Fan— tailetl Warbler. Seiko: \Villow \‘Varbler. Mitt/tiiui; Japanese Blue Flycatcher. Ruri: Flycatchers. Himtr‘; Paradise Flycatcher.

in this connection. are

Srmbar/lo .' \Vagrails. Srblrci .4 \Vrens. Minutan .' Little Cuckoo. Ila/alagiru .- Cuckoo. Kath: ; Goatsucker. Yolﬂl’n .-

Scops cit-l, .uimr'zutt; Ural Owl, run".- Siberian Black Kile. Mr.- and Common Buzzard. Kusambi. lake. huy or sell the eggs or young of any at these birds.

The Japanese game-law contains some

It is also unlawful to

admirable features which are found in some of our state laws and which it would be advantageous for us to make more general. Thus explosives. poisons. spring guns, pitfalls and dangerous traps are not to be used in capturing game; shoo ng between sunset and sunrise is prob: Ited ; per— mission must be obtained to hunt on culti— vated or enclosed lands belonging to another person; no hunting is allowed in the Im- perial preserves. along publir remit. in public parks. in cemeteries. or within the

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