To the Editor of the "Norm-Chmva Dany News"
Sin—With reference to MRE. S. \Wwitkinsox's appeal to local sportsmen {o-refrain from. shooting pheasants trid quails after their next weekend shoot, February 16, I would like to five this my fullest support, T fel, however, that something should done to bring this appeal (0. the notice of sportsmen of ether national: ity than British and-American, since is not likely that many, If any. of the latter will go shooting pheasants after the end of February. It might atmos}. be claimed that to refrain from shooting game of any kind during its mating and breeding seasons has become ingrained in both the British and Americans, because strict laws in this direction have so Tong. been in force in. their own countries, It is the Oriental. gunman that Is likely to shoot such birds at fany time of the. year, not because hhe'is not a sportsman, but because game laws calling for closed seasons have never existed in his country.
1 would, therefore, suggest that sportsmen interested in the protec] tion of pheasants and quails, to which I would add hares, during the mating season, that is, after the elid of February, should take stops to get Mr. Witximson's appeal published in the local Chinese and Japanese news-apers.
This means of dealing with the problem of game preservation in this area, even if it should prove successful, which I doubt, can only be looked upon as a temporary measure. 'The regulations as promulgated by the local J. Garrison Commander need drastic modifications if they are fo serve local requirements "adequately. As pointed out by Mu. Wax. INSON, a blanket ruling covering all game' (using this term in its widest JSense) and providing an open season. for shooting from some time in the autumn to the middle of April does of fit local conditions, For one thing they eliminate two of the best snipe-shooting seasons, namely, the late spring season, when pintail and 'Swinhoe's snipe appear in large num~ bers in this area on their northward migration, and the early autumn, when pintail snipe again appear in large numbers on their' return journey to the south. On the other liliand, they allow the shooting of pheasants at times when this is most detrimental to these birds, namely, in the autumn, when young. birds are only just able to My and are therefore easy marks, and in the spring, when these birds are mating, fad many have actually begun breed-
What is required is a system. of] regulations which would permit:
(Q) The shooting of snipe and water-birds ""generally, "(including ducks, teal and geese, ete.) from the id or August to the miadlo StOcteber ta the end of February ils and hares only from the To prevent professional hunters from violating the regulations re. erding the closed season for phear sants, quails and hares, the various 'Municipal authorities in this aren should be asked to prohibit the sale' of these forms of game in local markets and shops during the closed season.
Also, methods of taking pheasants, quails and hares should be regulated. Traps, snares, nets and the like should be. strictly prohibited, and only shooting allowed, If these suggestions were to be adopted, not only would the local} game birds and animals be adequately protected, but sportsmen would be given affair deal and the ravages of professional pot-hunters would be curbed, Antiun ye C. Sowey Shanghai, Feb, 5.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.