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Bird- Lore 



have in his possession, living or dead, any 

 wild bird other than a game bird, or who 

 shall purchase, offer or expose for sale, 

 transport or ship within or out of the 

 state, any such wild bird after it has been 

 killed or caught, except as permitted 

 by this act, shall be guilty of a misde- 

 meanor. 



"No part of the plumage, skin or body 

 o} any bird protected by this section shall 

 be sold or had in possession for sale, irre- 

 spective of whether said bird was captured 

 or killed within or without the state." 



This law will be in effect on and after 

 June 17, 1909. 



The Audubon Society of California has 

 already warned milliners against selling, 

 or having in possession for sale, any part 

 of the plumage of the American Egret, or 

 the Snowy Heron, plumes commonly 

 known as "aigrettes," or any wings, 

 plumes or other parts of Grebes, Pelicans, 

 Terns, Gulls, Ibis, or other native or 

 migrant birds protected by this law. 



Good Results of the Anti-Spring- 

 Shooting Law in New York 



There are still (May 4) three Buffle- 

 head Ducks in the bay. This is a remarka- 

 ble record. They seem to be content, — 

 perfect freedom of the bay and absolute 

 protection seem to have altered the usual 

 migration season of these birds. If the 

 present law is kept in force, I exj)cct to 

 see a noticeable increase in these wild 

 fowl in the next two years. A few years 

 ago, I though these birds were doomed; 

 they appeared to be almost gone. How- 

 ever, during the past two years, I have 

 seen more than in the previous ten years. 

 No shooting in January, February and 

 March on Long Island is the cause of this 

 great increase. The law was a wise meas- 

 ure, and it was secured just in the nick 

 of time to save a grand species of Duck 

 from the fate of the Wood Duck. 



Let shooting be allowed during January 

 and February, and, in two or three years, 

 these Buflfle-head Ducks will not only 

 be reduced to where they were three 

 years ago, but will l)c entirely wiped nut. 



I am absolutely sure of this from past 

 experience, and from the habits of the 

 fowl that are right before my eyes every 

 day of their four months' sojourn here. 



There are twenty-two fine Mergansers 

 on the bay today, and several pairs of 

 Black Ducks in the marshes. I am hoping 

 the latter will breed here. More records 

 of the Mallard have been made this spring, 

 since March i, than any year since I have 

 been keeping bird records. 



Migration is now well under way, and 

 the woods are full of Warblers. One 

 wants to stay right there and forget the 

 troubles of the common everyday affairs. 

 — Roy Lath.am, Orient Point, Long 

 Island, N. Y. 



Extracts from the Second Annual Report 



of the Bird Protection Committee of 



the Forest and Field Club of Belmont, 



Massachusetts 



We are able to report another very 

 successful year. A citizen of Belmont 

 who owns 150 acres of land has also had 

 it posted with signs forbidding shooting 

 and trapping. 



Our chief warden reports a marked 

 decrease in shooting over last year, and 

 does not know of a single bird or animal 

 being shot. Although the shooting has 

 decreased, we have not let any of our 

 wardens go; on the contrary we have 

 added three wardens and a special de- 

 tective during the year and expect to 

 appoint two more next month. We have 

 tried to interest the school children in 

 birds by giving them first-class stereopti- 

 con lectures. 



Having tried our new method of bird 

 protection for a year and a half, and found 

 it a complete success, we urge every town 

 and village in the United States to adopt 

 the same plan. We are always glad to 

 answer any questions that relate to bird 

 protection. Communications should be 

 addressed to S. D. Robbins, 727 Pleasant 

 street, Belmont, Massachusetts. 



The first report of this extremely suc- 

 cessful cooperative Local Bird Protec- 

 tion Club may be found on pages 54 to 56, 

 Volume X. of Bird-Lore. 



