To the Editor of the "Norta-Cuina Dairy News."
Sir,—We ask that you will publish a statement we wish to make in regard to the practice of shooting "deer" during the summer at Mokanshan. We have just returned front a ten days' camping trip which is the reason why this statement has not been written sooner. There have been some letters published in your paper _recently in regard to this question, attacking by name one young man. This is not fair inasmuch as_ this practice has been followed by practically all sportsmen who have visited this place over a period of 20 years. The justification for what your correspondents consider our nsportsmanlike conduct that there is no regular season for Muntjac, the "deer" in question. We have positive proof that the Muntjac, like the domestic goat, is liable to be found with young during any of the fall and winter months. The indignation shown by your correspondents was no doubt due to the fact that they thought the deer mentioned were the common river deer of the Yangtze valley, which species is not found in. this locality, and which breeds during the spring and summer.. Different species animals have different breeding habits. In England grouse are shot in August whereas the open season for other game is much later. Although the Chinese farmers and bamboo owners often urge us to shoot the Muntjac because it seriously destroys their bamboo shoots and vegetables, we do not consider this fact in itself sufficient justification for the shooting of these animals were we not convineed of the above facts in regard to its breeding habits.
This letter represents the general opinion of the Mokanshan sportsmen.- We are all in fullest sympathy with efforts made to Preserve the game of China and are very glad To see the renewed agitation on this subject started in Shanghai. Souie of us have had opportunities to use our influence to try to stop the shooting out of season by the native hunters. We are ready to help in every. sane movement for the preservation of game in China, Enclosing our cards, We are, ete., R. T. Suretps,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.