4 



ing their opinion as to the benefits or injury likely to arise from the 

 exerution of the law against the birds therein named. 



They have received answers from Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Ornitholo- 

 gist of the United States Department of Agriculture ; Robert Ridg- 

 way, Curator of Department of Birds United States National Museum; 

 Dr. Leonard Stejneger, Assistant Curator of the same department ; 

 H. W. Henshaw, of the Bureau of Ethnology, also a collector of 

 birds for the Smithsonian Institution and connected with the late 

 Wheeler Survey of the Territories, and Lucien M. Turner, a collector 

 of birds, etc., far the Smithsonian Institution, for the last twelve 

 years. These answers, w.iich are annexed to this report, all bear 

 testimony that the hawks and owls are of great benefit to ihe farmer, 

 and render him far greater service than injury, and that it is unwise 

 to select any of them for destruction, 



The committee regrets to say that there have been ninety odd 

 hawks and a dozen or more owls killed since the law was passed June 

 23d, 18S5, at a cost to this county of about *75, and that the slaugh- 

 ter is still going on. 



Believing, therefore, that the killing of these birds is detrimental to 

 the interests of the agricuUurists they believe that instead of being 

 destroyed they should be protected, and they, therefore, recommend 

 the passage of the following resolution : 



Resolved by the Microscopical Society of West Chester, that in 

 the opinion of the Society the act of June 23d, 1885, offer ng a 

 premiu u tor the destruction of hawks and owls, is unwise and preju- 

 dicial to the interest of agriculture, and so far as those birds are con- 

 cerned ought to be revealed. 



Resolved, That the President and Secretary of the society be in- 

 structed to forward a copy of the above resolution to our members of 

 the legislature at its next session and request their aid towards the 

 repeal of the act so fir as is above stated. 



All of wtiich is respectfully submitted. 



B. H. WARREN, .. 



W. TOWNSENI), (^ 



THOS. D.DUNN, Committee. 



March 4th, 1886. 



JAMES C, SELLERS. ^ 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ) 

 Washington, D. C, March 2, 1886, \ 



Dr. B. H. Warren, Ornithologist of the Pennsylvania State Board 

 of Agriculture — Dear Sir: Your letter of the 18 th inst. has just come 

 to hand I have read with surprise and indignation the copy sent 

 of Section i, page 141 of the laws of Pennsylvania for 1885, in which 

 a bounty is offered for the destruction of weasels, hawks and owls. 



