222 BIRD FRIENDS 



Government has prohibited the importation of the 

 feathers of any wild birds. 



Formerly game-birds were shot at all seasons of 

 the year, were sold in the market in large numbers, 

 and no limit was set on the number that could be 

 shot; now shooting is allowed only in the fall, the 

 sale of game is prohibited, and the number of game 

 that may be killed is limited, though there is still 

 opportunity for improvement along this line. 



Formerly birds were almost entirely unprotected 

 by law, and when laws were passed, there was often 

 such lack of uniformity in the laws of the different 

 States that the protection was very inadequate. 

 To-day practically all the States give full protection 

 to valuable insectivorous birds. Formerly the Na- 

 tional Government gave no attention to the protec- 

 tion of birds ; now it protects all the migratory game 

 and insectivorous birds and has given a closed season 

 of five years to many game-birds. 



Formerly there was little general interest in birds 

 and nothing was taught about them to children in 

 schools. To-day there is a very wide-spread gen- 

 eral interest in bird life, and many children in our 

 schools are being taught the value of bird life and 

 its protection. 



Formerly there were few places where birds were 

 safe from persecution; now there are many refuges, 

 national, state, and private, where birds are pro- 

 tected at all times. 



