V °j 8 * VI ] Report of Committee on Bird Protection. ^ 



are violating the law and selling American plumes ; as they 

 insist that they are all imported. With the importation stopped 

 the traffic would be practically at an end. 



Senator Hoar writes that his bill passed the Senate at the last 

 session with but one dissenting voice and now awaits the action 

 of the House. " In the short session, with so many important 

 subjects straggling for attention," he says, "its fate is uncertain; 

 but if you can enlist the vigorous support of one man of influ- 

 ence (in the House) it will be easy, I think, to get it through." 

 Many have already used their influence to secure support for 

 this bill, and your Committee cannot too strongly urge further 

 action on this line. Even should Senator Hoar's bill fail of pas- 

 sage, his agitation in Congress of the question of bird protection 

 and the resultant publicity given to it has done an immense 

 amount of good. 



The establishment of the League of American Sportsmen is a 

 matter for congratulation among all lovers of nature, and too 

 much praise cannot be given to Mr. G. O. Shields and his asso- 

 ciates for their tireless efforts in exposing ' game hogs ' and bird 

 destroyers. Though its work is primarily directed towards the 

 protection of game, the birds also come in for their share of 

 attention, and we look for most satisfactory results from coopera- 

 tion between this organization and the bird protective societies. 



In consideration of the widespread agitation in favor of bird 

 protection and popular bird study during the past year it may 

 prove desirable, before considering the reports from the several 

 States, to take a hasty view of the present status of Bird Protec- 

 tion in the country at large. As regards the killing of birds for the 

 millinery trade, there is apparently little done within the limits of 

 the United States, though in Florida the slaughter of the remain- 

 ing Egrets seems to go on in spite of laws and all that has been 

 written against the practice. Mr. Geo. W. Kinnison, of Lake 

 City, Fla., writes : " This last season more plumes were shipped 

 than usual, as, owing to the very dry season hunters penetrated 

 the everglades farther to find the rookeries than usual. Our laws 

 are such that a heavy penalty is provided for any one engaged in 

 buying, shipping, or dealing in any way in plumes, but the bulk 

 of the Egret plumes being so small, men will collect them and 



