156 THE FUR TRADE OF AMERICA 



Federal Laws. 



Two Federal laws have a bearing on the fur Industry of the United 

 States — the Lacey Act, governing interstate commerce in game, and the 

 tariff act of October 3, 1913. 



That part of the Lacey Act codified as section 242 of the Criminal 

 Code (35 Stat. 1 137) makes it unlawful to ship or transport "from any 

 State, Territory, or District of the United States, to any other State, Terri- 

 tory, or District thereof " the bodies or parts of bodies of any wild animal 

 or bird killed or shipped in violation of law of the State, Territory, or Dis- 

 trict in which the same were killed or from which they were shipped. This 

 makes it unlawful to ship out of any State skins or pelts illegally taken or 

 shipped. Section 243 of the Criminal Code requires packages containing 

 furs, when shipped in interstate commerce, to be plainly marked, so that 

 the name and address of the shipper and the nature of the contents may be 

 readily ascertained by inspection of the outside of the package. 



The tariff act of 1913 places a duty of 10 per cent ad valorem on live 

 animals shipped into the United States. Paragraph 397 of this act places 

 on the free list animals imported for breeding purposes by a citizen of the 

 United States : " Provided, That no such animal shall be admitted free 

 unless pure-bred of a recognized breed and duly registered in a book of 

 record recognized by the Secretary of Agriculture for that breed." This 

 act has made it impossible thus far to admit free of duty any foxes or other 

 Canadian fur animals for propagation. Raw furs not advanced in manu- 

 facture are admitted free of duty. 



Laws of States and Provinces. 



The following is a summary by States and Provinces of trapping 

 regulations now in force, open season for taking fur animals, provisions 

 relating to their propagation and possession, and to bounties offered for 

 the destruction of predatory species, or those considered harmful. 



The laws relating to deer and other big game, rabbits, and squirrels 

 are not considered here, as they appear in the annual game-law bulletin. 1 



Laws relating to bears are included, mainly because of their connec- 

 tion with bounties. The bounty laws included relate to all animals on 

 which bounty is paid. 



1 Farmers' Bulletin 1077, "Game Laws for 1919." 



