Vol. XXI"| DuTCHER, Report of Committee on Bird Protectioti. 147 



the New York Society and the milliners of the metropolis. The 

 recently enacted law for bird protection in New Orleans carried its 

 one good feature, the prohibition of the use of birds for ornamental 

 purposes, to an absurd extreme, and as the law stood at first, mil- 

 liners could not even handle duck, goose or turkey feathers. \\'ith 

 the help of the Audubon Society the law was amended to protect 

 all native birds except the above species and the dove, which 

 practically means pigeon. 



"Several considerations, including financial ones, have made it 

 impossible for the Louisiana Audubon Society to have a delegate 

 to represent it this year at the deliberations of the several Audubon 

 Societies convened in Philadelphia. The executive committee 

 trust, however, that by submitting the foregoing report they will 

 be able to expose the conditions in Louisiana almost as clearly as 

 if the committee were represented in the person of any of its 

 members." 



Maine. — The non-game bird law is still satisfactory, no changes 

 having been made in it by the legislature of 1903- An effort will 

 be made to protect the beneficial hawks and owls as soon as pub- 

 lic opinion is educated sufficiently to warrant the movement. The 

 attention of the sportsmen of Maine is called to the fact that the 

 game laws give no protection whatever to any wild ducks except 

 " wood duck, black duck, gray duck and teal" ; all the other species 

 of the Anatidai are left without legal protection : This is wrong and 

 should be remedied. The American Eider was formerly a common 

 breeder on the Maine coast but is yearly becoming more rare owing 

 to the fact that almost every set of eggs that is laid is at once taken 

 by some fisherman. Unless a law is passed making a close season 

 for a term of years, this splendid duck is doomed to extinction in 

 this State. The spring shooting of plover, snipe and sandpipers 

 should be abolished, as it is wrong in principle. 



Warden system. — The result of the work of the ten wardens 

 employed is very satisfactory, showing on their part great fidelity 

 to and an intelligent interest in the trust committed to them. 



Mr. A. H. Norton, a member of the Union, at the request of the 

 Chairman, visited every portion of the coast and thoroughly 

 inspected the wardens' work. He states : " While all of the war- 

 dens were very kind and interested in the success of my inspection. 



