200 BIRD FRIENDS 



the bird. Recognizing the fact that many species of shore 

 birds and some of the water fowl have diminished to a 

 point where they are approaching extinction, protection 

 has been extended to several species throughout the year 

 and to others at least three fourths of the year. The prep- 

 aration of the regulations was entrusted to a committee 

 of members of the Biological Survey appointed by the 

 Acting Secretary of Agriculture on March 21, 1913. The 

 members of this committee were: T. S. Palmer, Assistant 

 Chief, chairman; A. K. Fisher, in charge of Economic 

 Investigations; and W. W. Cooke, Migration Expert. 

 The committee at once took up the work of examining 

 the data on file in the Biological Survey relating to 

 the distribution, migration, and protection of migratory 

 birds, had a series of maps prepared, collected much 

 special information, and after numerous conferences rec- 

 ommended the regulations contained in Circular 92. 

 These regulations differ from the ordinary restrictions 

 under state laws, since they take into consideration the 

 entire range of the species and the condition of the birds 

 at all times of the year and not merely the local conditions 

 when a certain species is most abundant in some particu- 

 lar State or region. 



Basis of the Regulations 



In carrying out the statutory requirements of "due 

 regard to the zones of temperature, breeding habits, times 

 and lines of migratory flight," the following are some of 

 the more important principles on which the regulations 

 have been based : 



To limit the list of migratory game birds to species 

 properly so called and to eliminate species too small to be 

 considered legitimate game or too rare to be longer hunted 

 for sport or profit. This list has been made to conform 

 as closely as possible with the statutory definitions of 

 game. 



