w a sanctuary.

Many private bird refuges have been created in Australia.

TASMANIA:

_Eleven Bird Refuges_ have been created, with a total area of 26,000
acres,--an excellent record for Tasmania!

_Freycinet's Peninsula_.--At present this wild-life sanctuary is not
adequately protected from illicit hunting and trapping; but its full
protection is now demanded, and no doubt this soon will be provided by
the government. I am informed that this offers a golden opportunity to
secure a fine wild-life sanctuary at ridiculously small cost to the
public. The whole world is interested in the preservation of the
remarkable fauna of Tasmania. The extermination of the thylacine would
be a zoological calamity; but it is impending.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XL

BREEDING GAME AND FUR IN CAPTIVITY

GAME BREEDING.--The breeding of game in captivity for sale in the
markets of the world is just as legitimate as the breeding of domestic
species. This applies equally to mammals, birds, reptiles and fishes. It
is the duty of the nation and the state to foster such industries and
facilitate the marketing of their products without any unnecessary
formalities, delays or losses to producers or to purchasers.

Already this principle has been established in several states. Without
going into the records, it is safe to say that Colorado was the pioneer
in the so-called "more-game" movement, about 1899; but there is one
person who would like to have the world believe that it started in the
state of New York, about 1909. The idea is not quite as "old as the
hills," but the application of it in the United States dates back
through a considerable vista of years.

The laws of Colorado providing for the creation of private game
preserves and the marketing of their product under a tagging system, are
very elaborate, and they show a sincere desire to foster an industry as
yet but slightly developed in this country. The laws of New York are
much more simple and easy to understand than those of Colorado.

There is one important principle now fully recognized in the New York
laws for game breeding that other states will do well to adopt. It is
the fact that certain kinds of wild game _can not be bred and reared in
captivity on a commercial basis_; and this being true, it is clearly
against public policy to provide for the sale of any such species. Why
provide for the sale of preserve-bred grouse and ducks which w