SECOND ANNUAL REPORT. 89 
and men takes the field, and sweeps through the thickets, the woods 
and the meadows, searching out the home of every nesting bird, 
gathering in or destroying all the eggs that are found, and very 
often shooting great numbers of the nesting birds. Says Mr. J. 
Warren Jacobs, Waynesburg, Pa. : 
‘‘Numbers of boys from seven to twelve years of age continually 
rob the birds that nest in the town, and its immediate vicinity. 
Many simply upset the nests and break the eggs; others throw 
eggs at each other, while some choose to blow the eggs, and keep 
them in cigar boxes. One father brought his son—who was ‘a 
rare collector ’—to my place, to ‘ strike a deal’ for the sale of three 
cigar boxes full of eggs—the fruits of the boy’s season’s work. ”’ 
Mr. Jacobs estimates the decrease in bird life in that locality at 
a little under 502%. 
At Mayville, New York, the situation is thus described by Mr. 
A. EK. Kibbe: 
‘“The boys are, most of the time when out of school during 
the breeding season, looking after birds’ eggs. They are not 
checked at all, even by their parents. Last season I have had as 
many as four or five boys come to me at one time with eggs in 
their hands, andhold them out, asking me to identify them.” 
It was Mr. Kibbe’s habit to give every youthful nest-robber ‘‘a 
talking to,’’ and admonish him to desist from such evil work ; but 
the ‘‘collecting’’ continued very much as before. Even amongst 
bird-lovers, it seems that comparatively few persons are aware 
that the game laws of the State of New York expressly provide 
that the nests of wild birds shallnot be robbed, or wilfully or need- 
lessly destroyed, except when necessary to protect buildings. In 
Pennsylvania, no persons save those above fifteen years of age who 
hold certificates from the State Game Commissioners, are permit- 
ted to collect birds, their nests or eggs, and even then only for 
strictly scientific purposes. In these two states, at least, the friends 
of the birds have it entirely within their power to prevent egg col- 
lecting, simply by invoking the power of the law ; and this has 
now been done by Mr. Jacobs. 
The outcry against the irresponsible, unscientific egg-and-bird- 
skin collectors is almost as great as that against the English 
sparrow. ‘They are the special enemies of the birds most useful 
to agriculture—those which seek the privilege of making their 
homes with us during at least one-half the year, and fighting the 
