242 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



A series of experiments in destroying rats was carried on 

 during the summer, with the intention of publishing a bulle- 

 tin on the subject in the autumn. At that time, however, 

 rats were found to have invaded several game preserves in 

 the State, becoming the most serious menace to the rearing 

 of birds on game farms. As this is a new industry, which is 

 likely to become an important one in the near future, it was 

 determined to study the conditions on some of the preserves 

 and watch experiments there. This delayed the publication 

 of the bulletin until another year, but it probably will be 

 printed before this report reaches the public. 



Federal Peotection" of Migeatoey Bieds. 



The attempts that have been made to secure uniform leg- 

 islation for the protection of migratory birds in the various 

 States of the Union have shown the futility of such efforts, 

 and have proved that federal protection alone is feasible. 



The educational and legislative campaign entered into by 

 the State Ornithologist in 1907, in the hope of securing fed- 

 eral protection of migratory birds, was brought to a climax 

 in 1913 by the co-operative efforts of the N'ational Associa- 

 tion of Audubon Societies and other associations, and was at 

 last successful. 



Hon. George Shiras, 3d, first introduced in Congress a 

 bill for the protection of migratory game birds in 1904:. 

 Since then several similar bills have been introduced, but all 

 have been " smothered " in the committees to which they have 

 been referred for consideration. In 1912 both Senator 

 George P. McLean of Connecticut and Congressman John W. 

 Weeks of Massachusetts introduced bills, similar in charac- 

 ter, drawn to include the protection of migratory insectivorous 

 birds as well as game birds, and for the first time these bills 

 received serious consideration by Congress. In 1911 Rev. 

 J. B. McLean, brother of Senator McLean, opened a corre- 

 spondence with me inquiring for information about the 

 usefulness of insectivorous birds. The information was fur- 

 nished, and on April 26, 1912, Senator McLean presented 

 to the Senate a report from the committee on forest reserva- 

 tions and the protection of game, embodying much of this 



