38 DuTCHER, Protection of Gulls and Terns. Fjaii^ 



the eleven new laws, a very brief seriatim statement is herewith 

 submitted : 



Maine. — A member of the Maine Ornithological Society was 

 fortunately also a member of the legislature, and he introduced a 

 bill at the request of his Society. Dr. Palmer and the writer 

 visited the State capital in January and addressed a joint com- 

 mittee of both houses in the Hall of Representatives. The Presi- 

 dent and Secretary of the Maine Ornithological Society also 

 presented the claims of the birds, and certain wealthy and influen- 

 tial citizens of the State retained an attorney to appear in behalf 

 of the bill. The plume hunting interests were represented by one 

 person, who wisely refrained from making any statement in view 

 of the very strong array of sentiment developed in behalf of the 

 birds. In the evening an illustrated talk on birds was given in 

 the Hall of Representatives, to a large and enthusiastic audience. 

 The result of the day's work in behalf of the birds created such a 

 decided interest that the bill passed the House in a few days, and 

 on the following day was passed in the Senate, and on the third 

 day received the signature of the Governor. 



The Thayer Fund furnished 1600 large linen and manila warn- 

 ing notices giving a brief outline of the law and the penalties, 

 which were distributed to every post of^ce in the State by the 

 Maine Ornithological Society ; they were also liberally posted on 

 and about all the breeding grounds on the coast. 



New Hampshire. — In this State the introduction of the bill 

 and its subsequent enactment into law was entirely the work of 

 the Audubon Society, aided by a few suggestions from the Com- 

 mittee. 



The Thayer Fund furnished 850 warning notices, which were 

 distributed throughout the state by the Audubon Society. The 

 Secretary of this Society is now actively engaged in seeing that 

 the provisions of the new law are being carried out, especially 

 along the line of preventing the sale of the plumage of all wild 

 birds that are protected. 



Massachusetts. — By the unaided work of Mr. George H. 

 Mackay, a much needed amendment to the existing laws was 

 carried through the legislature, to wit : that Terns and all Gulls 

 excepting Herring Gulls {Lams argentatus smithsouianus) and 



