JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOI.OGICAL SOCIKTY. 25 



®hr Jnitntal 



nf tlip 



Mmxt OPntitltnlngtral ^nrtrtg 



A Quarterly Magazine Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds 



Vol. XI Published March 1, 1908 No. 1 



SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Sl.OOayear; 25 cents a copy 



OFFICERS OF THE MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



Pres., Dr. Henry H. Brock, Portland W. H. Brownson, Portland 

 Vice-Pres.. J. Merton Swain, Farmington Editor 



Sec.-Treas., Dana W. Sweet, Philips Louis E. Legge, Portland 

 Councillors. Dr. Wm. C. Kendall, Freeport Associate Editor 



Walter H. Rich, Portland 



Since the Journal was in type we have received a two-page 

 article from Mr. Ora W. Knight, entitled "The Bohemian Wax- 

 wings in Maine," which will appear in the next number. We call 

 attention to Mr. Knight's note on another page. 



The present session of the Maine lyegislature is no exception 

 to its predecessors, in being called upon to consider several bills 

 relating to the protection, or rather destruction, of birds. 



One bill was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and 

 called for a bounty to be placed upon Hawks. At the hearing it 

 was explained that 25 cents was the bounty asked for the destruc- 

 tion of three Hawks, the Hen Hawk, the Pigeon Hawk and the 

 Marsh Hawk. When asked which of the several birds called Hen 

 Hawk was meant, its supporter replied: "Any Hawk prowling 

 about hen-houses might be so designated." This bill was reported, 

 "ought not to pass," by unanimous vote of the Committee. 



Before the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Game several 

 bills and petitions have been introduced, one a measure ask- 

 ing the repeal of the principal sections of the Non-game-bird Law, 

 and a substitution offered, so worded as to open to the general pub- 

 lic the right to take and keep alive wild birds. At this point it 

 should be remembered that earliest bird laws contained numerous 

 exceptions, such as, "except alive," "except for scientific pur- 

 poses," which resulted in nullifying the law. With experience pur- 

 chased through failure of cases in court, as early as 1886, a commit- 



