No. 6. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 419 



Board has during the past year scut him any statements concerning 

 birds or made any ornithological inquiries of him, as far as his 

 records show. If the members of the Board be interested in Orni- 

 thology and desire a good report on this subject, they arc respect- 

 fully urged to contribute records of their observations and to make 

 such inquiries along this line as will indicate their interest and the 

 trend of their thought. 



We are able here to give a resumed of our ornithological observa- 

 tions in Pennsylvania during the preceding year, and hope that this 

 may be accepted as a report by your Specialist, and as evidence of 

 his continued interest. 



One of the most remarkable achievements of the past year was 

 the legislation enacted in what is now known as the new game bill, 

 which placed blackbirds on the list of game birds, and permits gun- 

 ners to shoot them from the first of September to the first of Janu- 

 ary, protecting them at all other seasons. We should also call at- 

 tention to the list of unprotected birds. This is as follows: The 

 Blue Jay, English Sparrow. Kingfisher, Cooper's Hawk, Duck Hawk, 

 Sharp-shinned Hawk, Goshawk, Pigeon Hawk, Great Horned Owl 

 and the Crow. These may be destroyed in any manner and at any 

 time throughout the entire year, but all other birds are protected 

 at all times, excepting game birds, during their respective seasons, 

 and such other wild birds and mammals as are found in the act of 

 destroying property. They can be killed while in the actual de- 

 struction of property, but at no other time. We find it necessary 

 to emphasize the point that all other birds are as certainly and 

 definitely protected by law at all times in this State as though they 

 were known to be the most melodious song birds or the most valued 

 insect-eaters, and it is not only against the law to shoot or trap them, 

 but if they be native birds of this State it is illegal to keep them in 

 cages, or to have in possession their eggs, or their tanned or cured 

 skins or any parts thereof unless taken legally in this Common- 

 wealth. Thus, it is illegal to shoot any kind of Owl. excepting the 

 Great Horned Owl, and it is also illegal to shoot either species of 

 Eagle, the Red-shouldered Hawk, the Red-tailed Hawk, the Pigeon 

 Hawk, or any other species of supposedly obnoxious bird in tin's 

 State, not named in the above list, unless it be found in the act of 

 destroying property at the time it is shot. 



During the past year we have noticed more than ever the tendency 

 of people in the country to shoot Hawks and Owls and other birds 

 and nail their bodies to farm buildings or fences. This is to be re- 

 gretted, as it is resulting in the destruction of the chief enemies of 

 field mice and voles, which are certainly increasing very rapidly. 

 During the past winter thousands of trees were destroyed by mice. 

 particularly the short-tailed meadow vole, and many reports reached 

 us of mice destroying Indian corn and other grain in the field. Until 

 the relentless warfare upon their winged enemies has ceased, we can 

 hope for no modification of such reports. 



The new law also makes the remarkable provision that no citizen 

 can enter info the business of rearing the birds commonly known 

 as Quail and Partridge, or Pheasants, without paying to the Game 

 Commission a fee of five dollars ($5.00), filing a bond of five bun- 

 dled dollars ($500.00), presenting certificate of character signed by 

 at least two well known citizens, filing description of his premises, 

 etc. 



