ORNITHOLOGY. 3861 
other species of the grouse family that breed in more northern latitudes 
and are passing the winter months with us, where their food is more 
abundant. 
I know this to be true of a flock containing 150 or over, that are to be 
seen each day in a small field of corn that was left ungathered to test 
the desirability of turning feeding stock in a short time daily, and to 
save expense of husking the corn. 
As regards the feeding stock the experiment is a success, but I notice 
most of the ears of corn not taken by the stock, and that could be reached 
by the grouse, have little left but the cob. 
One cannot lawfully shoot these grouse in winter, no matter how plump 
and palatable they become, but must preserve them for the city sports- 
men to secure, while the person who furnishes food for them is very 
busy during the harvest months. 
The field plover (one of the most useful birds to the prairie farmer, as 
it feeds exclusively upon insects), once very common in Faribault and 
adjoining counties, bids fair to become very rare in the near future, if 
steps are not taken to arrest the wholesale slaughter of them which is 
going on every year, especially in Martin and Jackson counties, where, I 
am reliably informed, hunters made a business of shooting these birds 
for the market,and right in the midst of the breeding season—selling the 
birds thus obtained to local buyers, who place them in cold storage until 
a sufficient quantity are obtained, when they are shipped to a New York 
City commission firm who exports them to foreign countries. 
I would like to call the attention of this meeting to a deplorable fact, 
to the ornithologist and bird student, at least, and that fact is the inabil- 
ity of an ornithologist or any one to procure specimens,except unlawfully, 
for the proper study of his favorite science. ® 
While there is a law, stating in effect that specimens of all species of 
our native fauna may be collected for the natural history department 
of our State University, as well as for exchange among other universities, 
there is nolaw to grant permits for collection of said specimens to any 
person, and many of our most interesting species cannot lawfully be col- 
lected at any season of the year; although many specimens of said spe- 
cies are to be seen at the State University. 
Now I would like to learn who collected these specimens, and under 
whose authority. Do our lawmakers pass game laws and then deliberate- 
_ly infringe upon them? Ifso, who can blame other people for infringing 
upon laws they had no voice in framing, except indirectly. 
Most of the older states have a law granting permits to suitable persons 
allowing them to collect specimens not to exceed a stated number of each 
Species per annum, providing persons requesting a permit furnish 
a proper reference and bond, said permit to be granted through a com- 
mittee of three or more formed for this purpose. 
’ In my judgment we are in need of such a law, and I think there are 
many members of the Horticultural Society who are of the same opinion. 
Such a law would not only permit those interested in the study of our 
native birds to secure their specimens lawfully, but also have a tendency 
to check the wanton destruction of our birds by thoughtless persons, as one 
who has taken the trouble to obtain a permit and is thoroughly interest- 
ed in ornithology will do allin his power to prevent the useless slaughter 
