Vol. XVI 11 



1901 



I Report of Committee on Bird Protectioti. '7 1 



Societies, it was nevertheless opposed by other of the Audubon 

 Societies and by the editor of the Audubon Department of ' Bird- 

 Lore.' As the miUiners naturally required the agreement of a// 

 the bird protective organizations this action stopped the negotia- 

 tions. This result was much regretted by your chairman and 

 other members of the Union who have been active in dealing 

 with the practical side of bird protection, especially legislation. 

 And it was regretted that the proposition could not have been 

 presented in a more favorable form and considered more on its 

 merits. 



As it happens, however, there is great hope that we are about 

 to obtain the same results as would have ensued from the ratifica- 

 tion of this agreement without making any concessions. 



During the last session of Congress great efforts were made by 

 various game protective associations, headed by Mr. G. O. Shields, 

 to force the passage of the so called Lacey Bill. This act is 

 supplementary to the State game and bird laws and forbids ship- 

 ment of illegally killed birds from one State to another, while 

 birds coming into a State, even though killed legally, cannot be 

 sold in that State if the law there forbids the sale of that sort of 

 bird. The possibilities of prosecutions of millinery agents for 

 receiving sea birds killed contrary to law in other States are 

 easily seen. Your chairman and many members of the Com- 

 mittee exerted all their inrtuence in behalf of this bill, and were 

 ably seconded by the Audubon Societies. To the gratification of 

 all, it became a law in May last. 



Already several seizures of gulls have been made under this or 

 State laws, most notably that of 2600 gulls and terns in the pos- 

 session of Charles E. Pontier, manager for Dumont and Co., 

 Baltimore, Md. This was accomplished through the efTorts of the 

 State Game and Fish Protective Association of Marvland. repre- 

 sented by Mr. Frank C. Kirkwood of the Union and other officers, 

 with the able assistance of Dr. T. S. Palmer of the \J. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, to whom is entrusted the supervision of the 

 provisions of the Lacey Act. These birds were sold at public 

 auction according to State law, on condition that the purchaser 

 keep them in his own possession. 



To guard against further dealing in these goods Dr. I'almer and 



