600 MAN AS A CONQUEROR 



Mammals 



The story is repeated with the mammals. Whales are almost ex- 

 terminated, whalebone whales for the plates of baleen used in strain- 

 ing out the tiny marine organisms on which they feed, and the right, 

 sperm, and other species for oil. Among rodents the beaver, once 

 having a distribution reaching practically all over the United States 

 north of the Gulf of Mexico and the Rio Grande, is now found only 

 in a few protected areas. They have been practically wiped out 

 because of the value of their fur. Among the carnivores the marten, 

 the fisher, the mink, the fox, and many others wanted for furs have 

 practically disappeared. Even the lion and tiger, with their wide 

 African and Indian ranges, are becoming rarities and are only seen 

 in protected areas. Thus the onward march of civilization ruth- 

 lessly exacts its toll. 



Conservation of Wild Life 



Coming to wild life, we find that efforts toward conservation are 

 still too loosely and ineffectively put forth to be of much avail. There 

 is need for a broad scheme of education that shall reach every part of 

 the country and help to mold public opinion with reference to the 

 conservation of our wild life resources. It is true that as far back as 

 1884 a start was made by the American Ornithologists' Union to im- 

 prove the legal status of wild birds. This resulted not only in the for- 

 mation of the Audubon Society, but also laid the foundation in 1885 for 

 the organization of the Biological Survey along scientific lines of inquiry 

 into the life histories and economic value of birds and mammals. 

 It was not until 1909, however, that the Federal government framed a 

 law, known as the Lacey Amendment, prohibiting the shipping of 

 birds from a state where it was illegal to kill them. In 1913, a Federal 

 law went into effect stopping spring shooting of all migratory birds, 

 and the slaughter of songbirds, including most insectivorous birds. 

 This law gave a closed season on fifty-four out of sixty species of shore 

 birds and shortened the open season on northern waterfowl to three 

 months, all of which has helped greatly, but more especially in the 

 protection of land birds. In 1916, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 

 with Great Britain was devised and in 1918 signed, protecting over 

 five hundred species of migrating birds in this country and Canada. 

 In 1929, a Federal Bird Refuge Law was passed providing money for 

 the establishment of bird sanctuaries and funds for their maintenance. 



