266 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1945 



Such control is making progress, though often against the inclina- 

 tions of the man who sees in wildlife only an easy means for imme- 

 diate self-gain without regard to his own future or that of the fol- 

 lowing generations. General methods of conservation are now well 

 formulated. Possibilities for improvement naturally will present 

 themselves. The essential thing is to act when we know what should 

 be done. Federal, State, and County governments and national and 

 local organizations all have a hand in this work. When a widely dis- 

 tributed species is endangered, however, it becomes a national prob- 

 lem, and as such should be entrusted to our national wildlife agency, 

 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 



Adequate organisation is needed to administer funds and work 

 projects, to supervise activities, to enforce legal protective acts, and 

 to manage wildlife and wildlife areas. 



i Legal protection, both Federal and State, is a necessity. The 

 many State fish, game, and other wildlife laws are not familiar 

 in detail to most of my readers, but we all know there are many such 

 serving a useful purpose. Among national laws there is the famous 

 Lacey Act (act of May 25, 1900, 31 Stat, 187—18 U. S. C. 395) regu- 

 lating interstate commerce in wild birds and other animals. A similar 

 law passed in 1926 applies to interstate transportation of black bass. 

 The bald eagle, our national bird symbol, has been given legal pro- 

 tection (act of June 8, 1940, 54 Stat. 250). Other Federal laws have 

 provided for national wildlife refuges or the protection of wild ani- 

 mals and birds and their eggs, and Government property on Federal 

 refuges. 



The range of many species of wildlife, particularly during migra- 

 tions, may cover territory of more than one nation, or species may 

 inhabit international waters. When such is the case and protection 

 is necessaiy, resort is made to treaties among the nations involved. 

 A convention covering the essential reasons for acting and the ob- 

 jective and means of accomplishment is entered into by the nations. 

 An enabling act is then necessary for enforcement of the convention 

 by each nation. Thus Migratory Bird Treaty Act (act of July 3, 1918, 

 40 Stat. 755, as amended by act of June 20, 1936, 49 Stat. 1555—10 

 U. S. C. 703-711) and the Migratory Bird Conservation Act (act of 

 February 18, 1929, 45 Stat. 1222, as amended June 15, 1935, 49 Stat. 

 381 — 16 U. S. C. 715) are enabling acts to enforce the "Convention 

 between the United States and Great Britain for the Protection of 

 Migratory Birds in the United States and Canada," as signed in 

 Washington on August 16, 1916, ratified by both the United States 

 and Great Britain the same year, and proclaimed on December 8, 

 1916. A "Convention between the United States of America and the 

 United Mexican States for the Protection of Migratory Birds and 



