XLVI REPOET OF THE SECEETARY OF AGEICULTURE. 



naturally creates a desire to increase the abundance of useful species, 

 and it is very gratifying to note the widespread and constantly increas- 

 ing popular interest in bird protection. 



With a yiew to bringing the various associations concerned with the 

 protection of birds into closer touch with one another, a list of the 

 State officials, national organizations. State game associations, and 

 various Audubon societies was published in the Yearbook of the 

 Department for 1899. Still further to meet the demand for informa- 

 tion regarding the protection of birds, a compilation was made of the 

 laws now in force in each State in the Union, so far as they relate to 

 birds other than game. 



THE LACEY ACT. 



A short time before the close of the year I assigned to this Division 

 all matters relating to the importation and preservation of birds con- 

 templated by the act of Congress known as the Lacey Act, which went 

 into effect Ma}^ 25, 1900. This act gives the Department large powers 

 and responsibilities, and the object, as expressed in the first section, is, 

 "To aid in the restoration of such (game and other wild) birds in 

 those parts of the United States adapted thereto where the same have 

 become scarce or extinct, and also to regulate the introduction of 

 American or foreign birds or animals in localities where they have not 

 heretofore existed." In my last Annual Report attention was called 

 to the necessity for legislation restricting the introduction of noxious 

 animals and birds from abroad, and 1 am gratified to report that in 

 the Lacey Act Congress has absolutely prohibited the importation of 

 the Engiiijh sparrow, mongoose, starling, flying fox, and such other 

 species as may he declared injurious to agriculture, and has also pro- 

 hibited the shipment of such species from one State to another. It is 

 believed that this law will afiord the United States greater protection 

 against the introduction of injurious animals and birds than is enjoyed 

 by any other country. 



Congress has also authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to adopt 

 such measures as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the 

 act, to collect and publish useful information on the propagation, uses, 

 and preservation of birds, and to purchase game and other birds, sub- 

 ject to the laws of the various States and Territories. Under my 

 direction all necessary steps to carry the law into effect have been 

 taken by the Division, so far as this is possible in the absence of a 

 specific appropriation. The present appropriations of the Division 

 being inadequate, I earnestly recommend an increase which will not 

 only enable the regular investigations already under way to be carried 

 on more effectively, but will permit the enforcement of the provisions 

 of the Lacey Act as the importance of the work and public interest 

 in it seem to demand. 



