218 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



It goes without saying that each town clerk should be instructed so that 

 he shall know these birds when he once sees them. This bulletin will 

 furnish this instruction. The law should be so amended as to make it his 

 duty to inform himself, to make it a serious offense for him to pay the 

 bounty for other birds' heads than those of English sparrows, and also 

 make it his duty to collect the fine in case the heads of other birds are 

 presented for bounty. The law does well to protect such valuable birds as 

 the song sparrow and red poll. To slaughter them, as has been done the 

 past year, is a serious wrong; to get pay for so doing is absurd. It is 

 quite probable that the destruction of the birds will have to be limited 

 to the winter season, when there is no excuse for mistakes. In summer, 

 destruction of nests and eggs may be systematically carried on, and in 

 cities could be very easily and profitably done under city regulation. The 

 next legislation should, and doubtless will, thoroughly amend the English 

 sparrow bounty act. 



It is hoped that the descriptions and illustrations of this bulletin will 

 enable any town clerk to identify the birds. Should any clerk be in doubt 

 he could send the heads to this station, when he would be informed of the 

 truth in the matter. It is greatly to be hoped that this bulletin will stay 

 the terrible slaughter of our useful birds, which without doubt has been 

 very common and wide spread all through the state, 



C. B. Cook. 



April 24, 1890. 



