274 ANJTOAL REPORTS OF MIPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



birds, as a result of a Federal conservation law, was a practical and 

 opportune return. Continued protection of our wild fowl during 

 the spring will unquestionably continue to increase tjbe returns in 

 food and sport from this source each year. 



For administrative purposes under .the migratory bird law the 

 United States is divided into 13 districts, under the supervision of 

 12 inspectors, who, with the assistance of 182 Federal wardens, en- 

 force the regulations in the various States. During the year the 

 commissions of 47 Federal wardens were terminated and 49 new 

 wardens were appointed. 



The inspectors and Federal wardens reported 313 violations of 

 the regulations, which with those of previous years make a total of 

 1,132 cases on file. All but 29 of these cases, which have been dis- 

 posed of in court, have been withheld pending the decision of the 

 United States Supreme Court in the case of the United States v. 

 Shauver, involving the constitutionality of the law. Defects in the 

 law, particularly in that it did not make the possession of birds 

 during the closed season unlawful, and did not confer on inspectors 

 and wardens the power of arrest and search, made it possible for 

 many violators to escape. A further difficulty in enforcement was 

 encountered in the limited number of inspectors, each with an unduly 

 large district. Reports, however, show that violations were more 

 sporadic and fewer birds were killed unlawfully than in previous 

 years. 



Voluminous information has been received from State game com- 

 missions and others showing that there is an ever-increasing number 

 of waterfowl and shorebirds in most of the States ; furthermore, that 

 wild fowl have become unusually tame in spring because they are not 

 molested at that season ; and that many thousands are breeding in 

 localities where they had not nested for many years. 



The consensus of opinion attributes these greatly improved condi- 

 tions to the general observance of the Federal prohibition against 

 spring shooting which has been brought about through the good 

 will of sportsmen and by the increased activities of this bureau, with 

 closer cooperation of State game authorities. 



The friendly attitude of the State game commissions toward the 

 Federal migratory bird law has been shown in many ways, par- 

 ticularly in their initiative whereby the State and Federal regula- 

 tions have been brought into harmony. Twenty-three States now 

 have laws making the open seasons on migratory wild fowl similar 

 to those under the Federal regulations. iVmendments of the regu- 

 lations were promulgated October 15, 1917, which assisted in uni- 

 fying Federal and State game laws, thus simplifying their admin- 

 istration. 



A bill to give effect to the treaty between the United States and 

 Great Britain for the protection of birds which migrate between this 

 country and Canada passed the Senate July 30, 1917. The Senate 

 bill, with amendments, passed the House June 6, 1918, and was-then 

 referred to a conference committee. The conference report was 

 adopted by the House June 28, and by the Senate June 29, and the 

 bill was signed by the President and became effective July 3, 1918. 



