222 



for strictly scientific study. But it is nec- 

 essary to go even further than this. We 

 shall not accomplish our purpose until a 

 law is enacted prohibiting the importa- 

 tion of feathers, whether on the skin or 

 separated from it. If we are not yet ready 

 to say that no feathers may be imported, 

 then let us absolutely prohibit the impor- 

 tation of any part of any species of our 

 native birds, whether killed in America 

 or anywhere else. That much lies within 

 our power. Evidently we are not yet 

 ready to say that birds, or parts of birds 

 — meaning our native birds — shall not be 

 worn as an article of dress. We need a 

 long campaign of educatipn before that 

 will be feasible. 



What, now, of the enforcement of these 

 laws? Clearly the enforcement of any 

 law must have behind it a public senti- 

 ment demanding enforcement. A law 

 fails to be prohibitive when it receives 

 only indifferent attention from the public 

 for whom is was passed. It is our privi- 

 lege to so bring to the attention of the 

 people at large their own great interests, 

 which are dependent upon the birds, that 

 their eyes shall be opened to see the great 

 necessity of prompt and united action. 

 The great growth of popular interest in 

 the birds during the past three years is 

 the clearest proof that the time is now 

 ripe for such a campaign of education. 

 Push it now. In every mind there lies 

 dormant an interest in nature which needs 

 but a touch now to be awakened to activ- 

 ity and usefulness. 



But there is still the machinery of en- 

 forcement to be considered, for however 

 much the general public may be edu- 

 cated there will always be some persons, 

 not a small number, we fear, who must 

 be held in check by legislative action. In 

 the first place, game wardens are too few. 



in most counties, to properly enforce the 

 laws. They should be numerous enough 

 and so situated that they may be reached 

 readily. But if this increase in number 

 be not practicable, then there is a way out 

 of the difBculty. We must be more ac- 

 tive ourselves. In a large majority of 

 cases we shall have no need to cause ar- 

 rests, but need only to inform the trans- 

 gressor of the existence of the law, giving 

 him some useful information of the great 

 good which the birds do, and of the plea- 

 sure which may be gained from a study 

 of the living bird, and the purposes of the 

 law will be accomplished. For many 

 times the transgressor is of foreign birth, 

 knowing nothing of the esteem in which 

 we hold the birds. Or else the person is 

 simply thoughtless, or ignorant of the law 

 and its purposes. The other cases of 

 flagrant breaking of the law need and de- 

 serve prompt and severe treatment. Here 

 it is often not a matter of education but of 

 discipline. It is not pleasant to be an in- 

 former, but such cases should be put up- 

 on a par with any other sort of law-break- 

 ing, for there is a great public interest in- 

 volved beside which our own personal in- 

 terest, however great that may be, sinks 

 into insignificance. It is a duty which we 

 have no right to shirk. 



To summarize the means by which we 

 may hope to secure adequate protection 

 for our rapidly decreasing birds : Legis- 

 lative action brought about by combined 

 effort throughout the country; enforce- 

 ment of the laws enacted by an increase 

 in the public interest, by an increase of 

 the number of game wardens, by our own 

 activity in seeing that the laws are en- 

 forced. By these means we may accom- 

 plish what we undertake. 



Lynds Jones. 



The little bird sits at his door in the sun, 



Atilt like a blossom among the leaves, 

 And lets his illumined being o'errun 



With the deluge of summer it receives; 

 His mate feels the eggs beneath her wings, 



And the heart in her dumb breast flutters and sings; 

 He sings to the wide world, and she to her nest, 



In the nice ear of Nature which song is the best? 



— James Russell Lowell, "The Vision of Sir Launfal." 



