I 68 DuTCHER, Report of Committee on Bird Protection. T ran 



age the study of Natural History." It now has six local branches. 

 During the year large numbers of warning notices, furnished by 

 the National Committee, have been distributed. By the courtesy 

 of the Vice-President of the Maine Central R. R. Co. warning 

 notices were displayed in all of the steamers of the line and also 

 on the steamer ' Frank Jones ' of the Portland, Mt. Desert and 

 Machias Steamboat Co. 



Massachusetts. — Legislation. — During the session of 1903 

 several improvements in the bird laws were made ; herons and 

 bitterns are now protected and the possession of any such bird or 

 part thereof, whenever or wherever taken, shall be punished by a 

 fine not exceeding ten dollars for every bird or part thereof ; the 

 open season for snipe and plover is shortened six weeks in the 

 spring, shooting not being allowed after March i. The anti-plum- 

 age wearing clause is made to include birds not heretofore pro- 

 tected. The legislative sessions are held annually. 



Warden sysietn. — One warden was employed on the Weepecket 

 Islands, who reports that the terns breeding there passed an undis- 

 turbed summer and made a normal increase. In this connection 

 it is a pleasure to refer to an article by Prof. Lynds Jones in ' The 

 Wilson Bulletin,' No. 44, September, 1903, pp. 94-100, entitled, 

 * The Terns of the Weepecket Islands, Massachusetts.' This 

 paper is a very valuable contribution to the life history of the 

 terns and confirms in every respect the report of warden Charles 

 O. Olsen. 



Mr. George H. Mackay, who has so long and successfully pro- 

 tected the gulls and terns of the Muskegets, writes: "They have 

 enjoyed the same protection as heretofore, having been cared for 

 as usual. Both the Terns and Laughing Gulls have had a good 

 season and the latter especially show a very considerable increase. 

 I think, regarding bird protection as a whole, that we now have 

 the public pretty well on our side. It has taken some years to 

 accomplish it, but we are practically there. Little remains to be 

 done now in this State except to prohibit the sale during the close 

 season of shore, marsh, and beach birds taken outside the State." 



At tiie suggestion of Mr. Mackay the special report of Mr. 

 Frederick A. Hcjmer regarding the terns of Penikese Island is 

 appended in full. This report shows so conclusively what perfcet 



