BUBEAXJ OF BIOLOGICAL SUEVEY. 271 



volunteer observers, apparently no further poaching has taken place 

 oii that remote bird breeding ground. 



INTERSTATE COMMERCE IN GAME. 



ILLEGAL SHIPMENTS. 



For the enforcement of the Lacey.Act, regulating interstate ship- 

 ments of game, five inspectors were employed, each in charge of one 

 of the five districts into which the country is divided; one of these 

 resigned in May. As a result of the activities of the inspectors, 

 coupled with the ready cooperation of State game officials, illegal 

 shipments of game are rapidly lessening. 



During the present year special attention has been given to the 

 illegal shipment of quail in the Middle Western States, and 19 cases 

 were reported for prosecution. Only 4 cases of the unlawful ship- 

 ment of wild ducks were reported, the smallest number for any year 

 since the passage of the Lacey Act. Special effort has also been 

 made to stop illegal shipments of beaver skins from States having 

 continuous closed seasons on these animals, and to suppress illegal 

 shipments of skins of other fur-bearers. 



Thirty-seven violations of the Lacey Act (sees. 242, 243, and 244 

 of the Penal Code of the United States) were reported to the solici- 

 tor during the year. Twenty-two cases were based on illegal inter- 

 state shipments of wild game, 10 on knowingly receiving such illegal 

 shipments, and 5 on improper markings of shipments. Six addi- 

 tional cases, lacking only the necessary affidavits to complete them, 

 are in course of preparation, making a total of 43 cases. 



The traffic in violation of the Lacey Act included quail, prairie 

 chickens, wild ducks, English pheasants, partridges (ruffed grouse), 

 deer, squirrels, and beaver skins, violations taking place in the fol- 

 lowing States: Colorado (1), Illinois (10), Indiana (1), Kansas (1), 

 Maine (2), Maryland (2), Massachusetts (2), Missouri (3), Montana 

 (1), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (3), North Dakota (1), Ore- 

 gon (1), Pennsylvania (3), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (1), Utah 

 (1), Virginia (]), and Washington (1). 



Investigations of 25 violations of the Lacey Act in 13 States and 

 the District of Columbia were not reported for prosecution for 

 various reasons, as follows: Prosecutions already made and adequate 

 fines imposed in State courts for shipping in violation of State laws ; 

 circumstances, financial and otherwise, of violator; innocent viola- 

 tion of law and mitigating circumstances in connection therewith; 

 recommendations made by State and local game officials; and death 

 of violator. 



Thirty cases, including a few reported in previous fiscal years, 

 were disposed of by the courts, resulting, in all but one case, in the 

 imposition of fines ranging from $5 and costs to $200 and costs. The 

 total amount of fines imposed was $2,873. 



IMPORTATION OF BIRDS AND MAMMALS. 



War conditions and the resulting restrictions on foreign shipping 

 have had a marked effect on the importation of birds and mammals 

 during the year. On February 14, 1918, the President issued a 



