^°',o^/'^l DuTCHER, Protection of Gulls and Terns. 



1902 J 



39 



Great Black-backed Gulls (Lams jtiarinus) are protected at all 

 times. This amendment is certainly a great gain, but it is very 

 unfortunate that the Herring Gull is not protected, especially in 

 the winter months when they are so common on the coast. If 

 the Audubon Society will aid Mr. Mackay during the next legisla- 

 tive session to have the law still further amended, so that pro- 

 tection will be given the two excepted species of gulls, it will 

 close up the only gap in the protection of these birds in the coast- 

 wise States from Maine to Virginia. 



In the spring of the present year a detective was sent to 

 ascertain whether illegal shooting was going on, but none was 

 discovered ; evidence, however, was obtained that a number of 

 gulls and terns had been shipped to a dealer in New York during 

 the close season in the latter State, and suit was brought against 

 the New York dealer, which is still in court. If a conviction is 

 obtained the fines will amount to over $1500. 



Later in the year our fellow member, Mr. Howe, made two spe- 

 cial trips along the Massachusetts coast to ascertain whether the 

 law was being observed, and he reported, after a very careful 

 inquiry, that he could not find any persons shooting illegally. 



Connecticut. — In this State an entirely new and very radical 

 game law was enacted through the united work and influence of 

 the Audubon Society, the local branch of the League of American 

 Sportsmen, and our fellow member and committeeman, Mr. J. H. 

 Hill. One section of the law was devoted to the non-game birds 

 and is practically the A. O. U. model. Immediately after the law 

 went into effect the Audubon Society distributed large numbers of 

 warning notices printed on linen. In this connection it is a plea- 

 sure to call attention to the very valuable aid given to the advo- 

 cates of the new law by the Hon. A. B. Calkins, Chairman of the 

 Game Committee of the House of Representatives. 



New York. — • The writer, immediately after the opening of the 

 legislature, visited Albany, and by the courtesy of the Hon. Wm. 

 M. McKinney introduced a bill to amend certain sections of the 

 game law by substituting the words, "ducks, geese, brant and 

 swan" for the words "web-footed wild fowl," wherever used. 

 The bill successfully passed both houses of the legislature and 

 received the Governor's signature. The effect of the amendment 



