Reports of the \Wfest Chester Micro- 

 scopical Society, 



ON THE ACT OF ASSEMBLY OF SAID STATE, AWARDING 



A PKEMIUM FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF HAWKS, 



OWLS, MINKS, WEASELS, ETC., ETC. 



At a meeting of the West Chester Microscopical Society, held 

 March 4th, 1886, the subject of the killing of hawks and owls and 

 the premiums paid therefor, being under discussion. Dr. B. H. 

 Warren, Chairman of the Committee on Protection of Birds of Prey, 

 appointed at the last meeting of the Society, read the following 

 report : 



Report of Committee. 



The committee appointed at the last meeting of the Microscopical 

 Society to take into consideration the Act of Assembly passed the 23d 

 day of June, A. D., 1885, entitled "An act for the destruction of 

 wolves, wild cats foxes, minks, hawks, weasels and owls in this Com- 

 monweahh," and which reads as follows: "That for the benefit of 

 agriculture and for the protection of game within this Commonwealth, 

 there is hereDy established the following premiums for the destruction 

 of certain noxious animals and birds, to be paid by the respective 

 counties in which the same are slain, namely : For every wild cat two 

 dollars, for every red or gray fox one dollar, for every mink fifty 

 cents, for every weasel 50 cents, for every h.iwk fifty cents and for 

 every owl (except the Acanian screech or barn owl, which is hereby 

 exempted from the provisions oi this act) fifty cents," beg leave to 

 report that ti e Chairman of the Committee, Dr. B. H. Warren, 

 Ornithologist of the Pennsylvania State Board of Agriculture, has 

 devoted several years of his life to the collection, dissection and 

 examination of birds, and that all of the committee from observation 

 and experience have believed that all of the birds denounced in the 

 law above quoted, with rare exceptions, have been found to be the 

 best friends of the farmer. Lest, howevei, any ol the committee 

 might be mistaken they have corresponded with the best ornitholo- 

 gists in the country, men who have made ornithology a study and are 

 connected with that department in the Smithsonian Institution, ask- 



