Part I.] REPORT OF STATE ORNITHOLOGIST. 105 



States. Dr. Wm. T. Hornaday of New York made an investi- 

 gation of the western "insurrection" and published a trenchant 

 expose of the organization and methods of the malcontents 

 which did much to prejudice their cause. It appears from this 

 document entitled "The Missouri Campaign before Congress 

 to destroy the Federal Migratory Bird Law," and from corre- 

 spondence, that the opposition to the law was fostered largely 

 by those who have shooting privileges or clubs at shallow lakes, 

 which sometimes dry up in summer and autumn so that the 

 ducks do not go there. The efforts of these clubmen were 

 seconded by a large liquor dealer who sells to certain shooting 

 clubs and controls certain liquor privileges which are patronized 

 by many shooters. Publicity was given the movement by a 

 newspaper man who had failed to secure an appointment under 

 the Biological Survey, and who has been attacking the survey 

 since. 



The organization petitioned Congress to appropriate no more 

 money for the enforcement of the migratory bird law, and 

 asked Representatives and Senators also to vote against the 

 treaty with Great Britain, which contained the provisions of 

 that statute and which if passed would become the law of the 

 land throughout the United States and Canada and would 

 presumably settle all questions regarding constitutionality. 

 Through its newspaper connections members of the association 

 were able largely to influence or control newspaper comment 

 over a wide area, and so to shape public sentiment that the 

 movement seemed formidable. They secured the signatures of 

 about fifty Congressmen to their petitions. 



The INIassachusetts Audubon Society took the lead in putting 

 the matter before the Audubon societies of the country and in 

 rousing sportsmen to combat the Missouri movement. Dr. 

 George W. Field, president of the National Association of Con- 

 servation Commissioners, made several trips to the west and 

 south and also to Washington in the interest of the appropria- 

 tion and the treaty. 



The National Game Protection and Propagation Society 

 brought its resources to bear. Finally an appropriation of 

 $50,000 was granted by Congress for the enforcement of the 

 Federal law, and the close of the open season in Missouri, 

 Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois was set back to January 1. 



