Vol. XIX"| Yy[]TCHE.K^ Profecfion of Gulls and Ter7is. ly 



and non-game birds, and also to review the legal decisions made 

 by the courts of the State. 



While the Committee always uses the A. O. U. model law as a 

 basis, yet it is found that certain modifications have to be made ; 

 this work has always devolved upon Dr. T. S. Palmer, and to his 

 clear and judicial insight in such matters the Union is ver}^ largely 

 indebted for the many perfect laws that were passed during the 

 year 190 1. 



A complete new law, or much needed amendments to existing 

 laws, were enacted during the present year in eleven States, as 

 follows : 



Maine, Feb. 15, 1901. Delaware, March 9, 1901 



New Hampshire, March 25, 1901. District of Columbia, March 3, 1901 



Massachusetts, March 21, 1901. Florida, June 4, 1 901 



Connecticut, Aug. i, 1901. Wisconsin, April 9, 1901 



New York, March 12, 1901. Wyoming, Feb. 14, 1901 



New Jersey, March 20, 1901: 



In a number of instances it was necessary for either Dr. Palmer 

 or the writer, or both, to visit the legislature where our bill was 

 under consideration. It is, however, but a plain statement of facts 

 to say that whenever a carefully prepared argument was presented 

 to a legislative game committee, or to the members at large, show- 

 ing the great economic value of non-game birds, and how inade- 

 quately they were then protected, that willing and attentive listen- 

 ers were found, and in most cases the desired law was enacted 

 without any delay further than that required by parliamentary 

 practice, which always varies in different States. In every State 

 certain modifications have to be conceded to meet the experience 

 or preconceived ideas of its citizens ; for instance, the Bobolink 

 {Dolichonyx oryzivorus) of New England, which is there prized as 

 a bird of great economic and aesthetic value, and is always pro- 

 tected, in the South Atlantic States, by reason of its change in 

 habits, becomes a pest to the rice grower and is classed with the 

 English sparrow as an outlaw. 



To give the members of the Union and the generous contribu- 

 tors to the Thayer Fund some idea of the amount of labor required, 

 and the number of persons directly interested in the passage of 



