FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STATE 

 ORNITHOLOGIST. 



To the State Board of Agriculture. 



It seems imperative to devote to bird protection this the 

 first report of the State Ornithologist. The study of birds, 

 their habits and food has been carried far enough to demon- 

 strate their economic value, and it now remains to determine 

 how their numbers and usefulness may be increased, and their 

 services i)ractically utilized for the conservation of useful 

 plants. 



On April 2, 1908, the State Ornithologist was appointed 

 under an act passed by the Legislature of that year ; this re- 

 port, therefore, records the work of only nine months. In 

 January previous to tlie apiwintraent of the State Ornitholo- 

 gist many bills for the protection of birds were introduced 

 into the Legislature. Several of these bills failed of passage. 

 Prominent among them was House Bill, No. 507, which pro- 

 vided for a close season on all wild fowl and shore birds from 

 .rannary 1 to September 1. This bill was referred to the 

 next General Court. An act requiring the licensing of all res- 

 ident hunters was passed, to take eifect Jan, 1, 1909. An- 

 other, giving deputies or game wardens the right to arrest 

 without a warrant all suspected persons refusing to exhibit 

 their game on demand, was passed. Also, the open season on 

 ujdand game birds was shortened. The first two acts will 

 tend greatly to help in the enforcement of the laws for the 

 conservation of game and birds ; the last will give much- 

 needed protection to the game birds, which at the time of its 

 l>assage were at a low ebb in point of numbers. 



