iqo^^J DuTCHER, Report of Committee on Bird Protection. I "2 I 



lighting on the ground and trees. The same day Mr. Norton 

 visited Machias Seal Island and reports as follows: "Of Puffins, 

 I saw but few, but was assured by the officials of their abundance 

 at evening and morning. Petrels were abundant, and terns were 

 by the thousands. With my limited time I was unable to de- 

 termine the presence of anything but the Common Tern and 

 Arctic Tern. Capt. Kelly told me that no one molests the birds." 

 Audubon Work. — There is no Society in Maine, but the Orni- 

 thological Society is practically doing the same work in a very 

 intelligent and satisfactory manner, all of its large membership 

 being ardent bird protectors. The Secretary, Mr, A. H. Norton, 

 writes as follows regarding Audubon work : " Expect to have some 

 data of value to present at our annual meeting, and it seems that 

 success must come of the efforts that are being made. If the 

 spirit of bird protection could be worked more into the rural public 

 schools, I believe that it would be seed sown in the right ground. 

 With the millinery market banished, a few years of protection, the 

 early inculcation in the young of the principle of kindness to 

 living creatures, I believe that our bird colonies will be secure." 



Maryland. 



Legislation. — None. The present law is a very good one, 

 although there are some valuable birds that it does not protect, 

 and others that are not protected the entire year. Killing the 

 Mourning Dove should not be permitted at any time, nor should 

 the sale of Flickers be permitted in Baltimore, as it furnishes a 

 market for birds which must be illegally killed in other portions 

 of Maryland or in other States. 



Warden Systetn. — The same warden was employed who has 

 acted for the two previous years ; he reports a very steady and 

 material increase in the colony of Common Terns under his care, 

 and that no attempt was made by plume hunters to disturb the 

 birds ; he also says that little or no egging was done, as the fisher- 

 men think it cheaper to buy eggs of domestic fowls for use rather 

 than risk the heavy fine for taking the eggs of terns. 



Audubon Work. — The Maryland Society is small, numbering 



