DESTRUCTION AND PROTECTION OF OUR BIRDS. 21 



Movements for Bird Protection. — The State Legislature has from 

 time to time passed laws protecting the insectivorous birds and regu- 

 lating gunning. Scarcely a session passes but that some measure, 

 frequently a retrograde one, is introduced, and it behooves all who 

 are interested in birds to pay careful attention to the action of the 

 Legislature and use their influence for or against the bills according 

 to their merit. 



Tlie Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture has distributed a vast number of publications by experts of 

 its staff on the food habits and value of birds. It also maintains a 

 department of game preservation, under Dr. T. S. Palmer, who keeps 

 track of all state legislation and co-operates with local bodies l)y fur- 

 nishing advice and assistance in securing good laws. 



Some twenty years ago there began to be organized State Audubon 

 societies for the protection of birds, their activities being chiefly in 

 the discouragement of the wearing of birds in millinery, the encour- 

 agement of bird study in the schools, and in advocating protective 

 legislation. Later there was established in New York City the 

 National Association of Audubon Societies, under the presidency of 

 Mr. William Dutcher, which establishes active bird protection, dis- 

 tributes literature and information, etc., in all parts of the country. 

 The remaining gull colonies on the New Jersey coast are under the 

 care of the wardens of this association. 



The main hope for adequate bird protection lies in educating the 

 public, especially the children, up to a proper realization of the 

 importance of birds to humanity. 



New Jersey may well be proud of her record in the early da3's of 

 bird and game protection, as in 18.50 her Legislature passed the first 

 State law protecting insectivorous birds, while in 1873, in incorpo- 

 rating the West Jersey Game Protective Association, she made the 

 first provision for non-resident licenses. Let us hope that our State 

 may be among the first to awaken to the need of still more exacting 

 laws which the rapid decrease of game demands. 



The Value of Birds. — The food habits and value of most of our 

 birds are given under the various species or families in the following 

 pages, but we shall summarize the more important facts here for 

 easy reference, taking our data from the publications of the T,"nited 

 States Department of Agriculture. 



Haicls and Owls. — With the exception of a few species, such as the 

 Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Goshawk and Great Horned 



