Reports of Field Agents 417 



REPORTS OF FIELD AGENTS 



REPORT OF EDWARD HOWE FORBUSH, FIELD AGENT 

 FOR NEW ENGLAND 



The work undertaken by your agent in New England during the year 

 has been largely that of influencing legislation for the protection of birds. 

 Incidentally, twenty-five lectures have been delivered to an average attendance 

 of 218, but the legislative work in six states and that pending in Congress 

 have occupied the greater part of the year. In order to carry on this work, 

 it has been imperative also to raise a considerable amount of money. All 

 this necessary labor has taken a great deal of time. 



All the legislatures of New England, except that of Rhode Island, have 

 considered many bills proposing changes in the fish and game laws. Governor 

 Felker, of New Hampshire, in a message to the Legislature, called particular 

 attention to the fact that there is constant juggling with the protective laws, 

 in the following words: "There should be more stability to the fish and game 

 laws of the state. There is no subject-matter of statutory law which is so 

 uncertain and fluctuating as that of fish and game. The laws pertaining 

 thereto were entirely revised in 1901, yet, in the five sessions of the legislature 

 since that time, that chapter has been amended no less than sixty times, 

 aside from all the new legislation upon that subject." What is true of New- 

 Hampshire is true of other states in New England, and the activities of your 

 agent here have been largely in the direction of defeating attempts to 

 change the bird and game laws of the several states. The Legislature of 

 Vermont was called together in October, 191 2, and the Legislature of Con- 

 necticut was in session until midsummer. 



The principal bird and game legislation of Vermont is included in the 

 cocification of the fish and game laws of the state. This was drawn by experts, 

 and was modeled somewhat after the law of New York State, which is a great 

 advance in fish and game legislation. Your agent went over the bill carefully 

 with others interested in the measure, and certain changes were suggested, 

 most of which were finally adopted. The bill passed, with several amendments 

 which do not affect its value as a bird-protective measure. It does not give 

 protection for the Belted Kingfisher or the Starlings. This omission will not 

 be approved by all bird-protectionists, but the bill contains a plumage pro- 

 vision, forbidding the use of wild birds for millinery purposes. All insectivorous 

 birds are protected. It prohibits night shooting, spring shooting, the sale 

 of birds and game, and the taking of nests and eggs, and is, in several respects, 

 an improvement over any bird law Vermont has ever had. 



j^ During the legislative session in New England, many bUls offering bounties 

 on the heads of various mammals and birds were defeated in the various 



