278 THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 1% 6, now 1905 



terminated a flightless rail, an interesting bird peculiar to this group 

 of islands. Cats are also numerous on Glorioso island, and, as a con- 

 sequence, birds are even less common on this island than Aldabra. 



Fifty-eight reports received by this Board name the fox as one of 

 the most injurious enemies of birds, thus placing it next to the cat in 

 destructiveness. 



Many observers have found that the foxes kill many ground birds, 

 such as grouse and quail, when there is snow in winter. It is well 

 known that foxes will follow a man's track, and several students of 

 birds have noted that foxes follow them and take the eggs and 

 nestlings from nests which they stopped to examine. 



NEWS NOTES 



New Law Protecting Birds. A New York law taking effect in June, 

 1905, forbids unnaturalized foreigners to' carry firearms and dangerous 

 weapons. Under this law the slaughter of song and insectivorous birds, 

 which has been carried to such an alarming extent by Italians, Poles and 

 other foreigners, may be almost wholly stopped, if good citizens will make 

 the proper reports to the civil authorities. 



Hartford School-Gardens. The boys and girls who had gardens during 

 the past year at the School of Horticulture, Hartford, Conn., held an 

 Agricultural Fair. One interesting feature was a spading and hoeing con- 

 test, and prizes were awarded to those who best handled the tools and 

 accomplished the required amount of work in the best manner and shortest 

 time. Prizes were awarded also for the best kept gardens and the best 

 arranged display of produce. 



Rural Education. The New York Legislature of last winter voted 

 $10,000 for lectures on this subject at the Farmers' Institutes to be held 

 this winter. 



Dr. E. F. Bigelow, of St. Nicholgifa is giving during this winter a series 

 of lectures to teachers' associations in California. 



Protecting Song Birds. The laws against killing song birds are being 

 enforced within a radius of fifty miles of New York City. During Octo- 

 ber and November many arrests, mostly of Italians, were made by agents 

 of the New York Zoological Society and the League of American Sports- 

 men. 



Automatic Guns. The New York Association for Protection of Fish 

 and Game has unanimously passed (Oct. 13) a resolution and petition to 

 the legislature protesting against the introduction of the slaughtering 

 machines known as automatic shot-guns. A new law in the Province of 

 Alberta prohibits all machine guns for hunting birds. 



American Bison Society. This association has been organized for pro- 

 tection and increase of bison. Dr. Hornaday, Director of the New York 

 Zoological Park, is president. 



