24 BULLETIN No. 34. 



Here we feel the touch of the bird personality. The book 

 is full of hints how we may gather the birds about us and 

 keep tiiem there year after year, it should be in every home. 



[L.J.] 



Birds of PenmylTania, et al, by H. B. Warren, M. D. 

 Published by the Authority of the Commonwealth. The his- 

 tory of the publication of the various "Bird Books" begins 

 properly with the enactment entitled "The Bounty Law" on 

 June 23rd, 1885, the date which it received the Governor's sig- 

 nature. This law in brief was the establishment of premiums 

 for the destruction of certain noxeous birds and animals, namely 

 Hawks, Owls, (excepting the Acadian, Screech or Barn Owls), 

 Wild Cats, Foxes, Minks, and Weasels; "for the benefit of 

 agriculture and the protection of game." It was not until six 

 months had passed or the beginning of 1886 that th.is law be- 

 come generally known. The person killing a Hawk or Owl 

 was entitled to the sum of fifty cents for each and every one 

 presented at the office of a Justice of Peace, that official being 

 recompensed for the issuance of certificate and the cremation 

 of the head of the bird, by the further sum of twenty cents 

 per bird. Soon the demands upon the Commissioners and 

 Treasurers of the rural Counties increased at an alarming rate. 

 \\-\ eighteen months over $100,000, had been paid out, of this 

 at least $75,000^ represented the premiums paid on over a hun- 

 dred thousand Hawks and Owls, principally the following species, 

 although of course many of the less common species were re- 

 presented: Falco sparverius American Sparrow Hawk, Buteo 

 borcalis Red-tailed Hawk, 'Buteo lineatus Red-shouldered 

 Hawk', Accipiter coopcri Cooper's Hawk, Accipterv clox Sharp- 

 shinned Hawk, Biiieo latissimus Broad-wingtd Hawk, Circus 

 hudsonins Marsh Hawk, Asio wilsonianus long-eared Owl, 

 Asio accipitrinus Short-eared Owl, Butco virginianiis Great- 

 horned Owl. 



The ''Scalp Act" as it was called soon became very un- 

 popular with the county officials on account of the increased 

 amount of work without extra compensation. This quickly ex- 

 tended to the tax-payers, first from the heavy expense incurred, 

 and later from a doubt as to the wisdom of destroying without 



