JOURNAI, OP MAINE ORNITHOI.OGICAI. SOCIETY. 73 



Cats and Bird Protection. 



By A. H. Norton. 



The harmful effect of cats upon bird and small game protection 

 has long been recognized. In the report of the Maine Fish and 

 Game Commissioners for 1880 attention was called to the matter, 

 and various cases of observed damage cited. Cats are particularly 

 injurious to lycach's Petrels whenever kept on islands inliabited by 

 these birds. The nearly depleted condition of one of the largest 

 colonies on the Maine coast is attributable to cats. 



When the writer was at the State House about a year ago, the 

 chairman of the present Commission of Fisheries and Game said, 

 "Something ought to be done about the cats. Let's take it up." 

 In view of this important sentiment, it is very gratifying to notice, 

 according to the Audul)on vSociety department of Bird-Lore for 

 July and August, 1906 (page 146), that the inspector of the first 

 lighthouse district has taken a decided step in the matter in rela- 

 tion to the large and important colony at Great Duck Island, issuing 

 an order that the liglit keepers are expected to confine or remove 

 their cats until after the close of the breeding season. It is to be 

 hoped that a more general remedy may be found by the coming 

 leofislature. 



Annual Meeting. 



The annual meeting of the Maine Ornithological Societ}' will be 

 held in Portland, at the rooms of the Portland Society of Natural 

 History, on Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving day. 

 Ample arrangements will be made for places where visiting mem- 

 bers may procure acconnnodation during the two days of the meet- 

 ings. It is earnestly hoped that there will be a large attendance, as 

 special efforts will be made to have a program of more than usual 

 interest. 



