FOURTH ANNUAL MEETING. 17 



for this purpose, each county clerk having authority to issue a 

 permit. It is apparent, also, that no effort is made by the county 

 clerk to verify the certifiers of the qualifications of the applicant. 

 It would seem that any one having a letter signed by two men, 

 and who furnishes the required bond, can easily secure a permit. 



The committee believe that the law might be changed in the 

 following particulars : That the permits be issued only by the 

 State Game Warden and that the applications be approved by the 

 State Academy of Science. By such a change the law of Illinois 

 would conform more closely to that of Indiana, in which state 

 the Commissioner of Game and Fisheries issues all permits. 



This committee believes that the State Academy should con- 

 serve all of the scientific interests of the state and the protection 

 of the wild life is one of our most valuable assets. Therefore, it 

 does not appear at all out of place for the State Academy to 

 exercise an approving function in matters of this kind. 



Should the State Academy deem it of enough importance, this 

 committee might be continued and empowered to obtain from 

 each county clerk a list of the permits issued for collecting pur- 

 poses. By such a canvas, exact statistics might be gathered con- 

 cerning the amount of abuse under the present method of issuing 

 permits, and at the same time much information would doubtless 

 be secured concerning the ornithological strength of the state, 



A revision of Section 14 of the game laws, as suggested above, 

 is appended. Respectfully submitted, 



Frank C. Baker, Chairman. 

 Fred L. Charles, 

 Isaac E. Hess. 



Chicago, February 17, 1911. 



game laws of state of ILLINOIS. 



(As revised by committee.) 

 Page U. 

 Sec. 1-i. Certificates may be granted by the State Game Com- 

 missioner to any properly accredited person of the age of eighteen 

 years and upward, permitting the holder thereof to collect birds, 

 their nests and eggs for strictly scientific purposes only. In order 

 to obtain such certificate the applicant for the same must present 

 to the State Game Commissioner written testimonials from two 

 well-known scientific men, certifying to the good character and 

 fitness of said applicant to be entrusted with such privilege ; the 



