lis The Wilson Billetin — No. 105 



General Notes 



BIRD-KILLING CATS WILL BE KILLED. 



The following interesting clipping has come to our desk: 



Cats with a fondness for birds are in danger, for Governor Whit- 

 man has signed a bill providing for their destruction. "Any per- 

 son over the age of twenty-one years," reads the law, " who is a 

 holder of a valid hunting and trapping license, may, and it shall 

 be the duty of a game protector or other peace officer, to humanely 

 destroy a cat at large found hunting or killing any bird protected 

 by law or with a dead bird of any species protected by law in 

 its possession; and no action for damages shall be maintained for 

 such killing." 



Cat bills of many varieties have, in the past, been presented to 

 different state legistures. Some have called for bells on cats, some 

 for collars and licenses, but the present law is the first to be passed 

 in any state. Its promoters have framed it with the idea of attack- 

 ing, not the well-fed and cared-for house pet, but the w-andering, 

 hunting, or homeless cat, which has become so great a menace to 

 our wild-bird life. 



Figures gathered by the Conservation Commission indicate that 

 common cats cause more destruction among insectivorous and 

 game birds than any other agency. The present law is intended 

 to encourage all persons, who are sufficiently responsible to carry 

 a gun, to aid in checking the numbers of bird-hunting and bird- 

 killing cats. The new law goes into effect immediately. 



NOTES FROM LAKE COUNTY. 



OccuuiiEXCE OF NoRTHERiv Phalarope. — While out on the break- 

 water, September 29, where of late years I have discovered a num- 

 ber of rare species, I found my first Phalarope swimming along 

 close to the stones, and feeding from the algae growing thereon. I 

 kept just above the bird while he swam along and fed until we 

 reached the lighthouse at the end. The bird was in fall plumage, 

 but still had a strong wash of rufous on sides of neck. 



Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. — While walking through the 

 cemetery on October 31 (1918) I found a fine male bird of this 

 species working on a live hemlock and not six feet above the ground 

 when first discovered. I had approached within ten feet of the 

 tree, but stopped upon hearing the strong taps of a woodpecker 

 and a rather unfamiliar "chick-chick" as the bird worked on the 

 other side. He finally moved around to my side of the tree, and 

 while trying to place his identity from the first indistinct side view, 

 he suddenly looked square in my direction and I was dumfoundod 



