54 Report of Committee on Bird Protection. ah 
Without wishing to object in the slightest to the collecting of 
such specimens as are needed for scientific purposes, or for even 
small collections as assistance to field work, a protest was made 
in the last annual report against excessive collecting as a busi- 
ness, or on the part of those who collect merely for the sake of 
having a large collection, and contribute little or nothing to our 
knowledge of birds. For the benefit of young bird students, 
who are often influenced by dealers in their ideas of what con- 
stitutes ornithology, a circular was prepared on the above lines 
in which were combined the opinions of the ornithologists of all 
the larger scientific institutions of the East. Ten thousand of 
these were published, with the generous assistance of the Penn- 
sylvania Audubon Society, and distributed in all parts of the 
country. This circular, and the stand taken by your committee, 
has been endorsed by all the ornithological journals of America, 
and ornithologists generally, and its beneficial effect is already 
in evidence. 
From the reports of the various members of your committee 
for the past year, I quote*the following : — 
Mr. Dutcher of our committee reports that he endeavored to 
proceed against dealers in native cage birds in New York City, 
but failed, owing to the impossibility to prove that the birds were 
actually trapped in New York, the dealers claiming that they were 
secured in Florida. 
Mrs. Robins reports great success in interesting constables in 
the enforcement of the game and bird laws. In many States it is 
possible to have constables appointed as special game wardens, 
and if the matter is properly explained to them, the pecuniary 
benefits are quite sufficient inducement to enlist their assistance 
in the cause of bird protection. True sportsmen do not break 
game or bird laws, and the punishment of a few promiscuous 
shooters will soon suppress an objectionable class. 
Mrs. Olive Thorne Miller reports increasing interest in popular 
bird study in every part of the country that she has visited, and 
in many schools where the children are specially instructed in 
observing wild birds. 
Miss Florence A. Merriam especially emphasizes this last fact, 
and considers the instruction of teachers in the rudiments of 
popular ornithology a most important work. 
