BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SUEVEY. 295 



miicli of tlic plumage seized has been turned over by the courts or 

 the accused persons to the bureau to be used for scientific and edu- 

 cational purposes. The remaining birds and plumes are being held 

 as evidence to await disposition b}' the court. 



During the 3'ear 621 scientific permits and 4G5 propagating permits 

 were issued. The number of propagating permits issued does not 

 a})proximate the number of persons Avho captured or possessed and 

 traflicked in migratory waterfowl during the year for propagating 

 purposes. The law is new and most persons possessing such water- 

 fowl have not as yet become familiar with its provisions. The public 

 is rapidly learning the requirements of the law, however, and is 

 showing a gratifj-ing desire to comply with them. 



^Marked progress has been made in breaking up the illegal traffic in 

 aigrettes. Aigrettes in the United States arc mainly the plumes of 

 the American egret and snowy heron, which birds have been exter- 

 minated in many of the rookeries and greatly reduced in numbers 

 everywhere by plume hunters, who wantonly kill the birds during 

 the breeding season. 



The treaty act and the regulations thereunder make it unlawful 

 to possess, purchase, sell, or transport aigrettes or the skins or plumes 

 of any migratory birds except under permit for purely scientific 

 purposes, but the skins and feathers of migratory game birds law- 

 fidly killed may be possessed without a permit. The wearing of 

 aigrettes and plumes of migratory birds other than the feathers of 

 migratory game birds lawfull}^ killed is thus made unlawful, and it 

 is believed that women will refrain from wearing aigrettes or other 

 prohibited plumage as soon as the}^ have become familiar with the 

 j)rovisions of the law. The market for these plumes will then be 

 closed and a check placed upon the indiscriminate slaughter of these 

 beautiful birds for their plumage. 



The extent to which this illegal traffic has been conducted was 

 indicated when United States game wardens armed with a Federal 

 Avarrant searched the apartment of a Seminole Indian at Miami, Fla., 

 and seized aigrettes valued at about $3,000. It is reliablj- stated that 

 the yearly earnings of this Indian from the sale of plumes to Florida 

 tourists and others have for several years exceeded $5,000. The 

 Indian is now under bonds to aAvait the action of the Federal court. 



The constitutionalit}^ of the migratory-bird treaty act has been 

 upheld by Federal courts in Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas. These 

 decisions have removed to a large extent the doubt existing in some 

 quarters concerning the validity of the act. and have been a decided 

 deterrent to those inclined to violate the law. 



In Illinois, Ohio, South Carolina, and South Dakota legislation 

 was enacted bringing the State game laws into practical miiformity 

 with the provisions of the migratory-bird treaty act and the regula- 

 tions thereunder, making a total of 28 States that have conformed 

 their laws for the protection of migrator}^ birds to the Federal law 

 and regulations. The laws of three other States are nearly in 

 liarmony with the Federal regulations. 



Many species of migratory birds have had a marked increase under 

 the existing treaty act. Waterfowl formerly driven to the far north 

 by spring shooting have remained in steadily increasing numbers to 

 breed in localities where few or none had previously nested for many 

 years. 



