APPENDIX. 343 



"Susquehanna. 'Favorable to a repeal of the act.' 



" Tioga. 'The act referred to is a nuisance, and should be repealed as soon as 

 possible.' 



" Union. 'The commissioners recommend the repeal of the whole bill, except as 

 to foxes. ' 



" Venango. 1 " We are in favor of the repeal of the whole act, believing that it would 

 give entire satisfaction to the taxpayers of our county.' 



" Warren.' Repeal the whole act by all means.' 



" Washington.' It is the opinion of the commissioners that the only damage by 

 hawks and owls is the destruction of our game birds, which is only felt by hunters; 

 on the other hand, by the destruction of mice and other small vermin, they are 

 beneficial to the farmer. The repeal of the whole act would be beneficial to our 

 farmers.' 



" Wyoming. 1 The effect of the repeal would be good.' 



" A number of the commissioners have appended to their reports a list of the 

 number of each kind of mammal or bird upon which bounty has been paid. As in- 

 dicative of the relative proportion of the bounties upon each, we give the following : 



" Chester. Hawks, 666 ; owls, 60 ; minks, 208 ; weasels, 248, and foxes 107. 



" Franklin. Hawks, 678 ; owls, 68 ; wild cats, 25 ; foxes, 425 ; minks, 155, and 

 weasels, 83. 



"Several of the commissioners state that the premiums upon hawks and owls 

 constitute more than fifty per cent, of the total amount paid, while several of the 

 commissioners call attention to the fact that wolves are enumerated in the title, but- 

 are not provided for in the body of the bill. 



" In addition to the collection of data in this direction the ornithologist of the 

 Board, Dr. B. H. Warren, of West Chester, Pa., also had his attention directed to the 

 actual results of the effect of the law : First, as it relates to hawks and owls, and, 

 second, as a whole. The data which was collected by him is partially shown in an 

 article in another portion of this report, and in a lecture delivered at the annual 

 meeting of the board in January last. 



" As a condensation of a large amount of correspondence upon this subject, which 

 has reached the office of the Board during the past year, we give the following as 

 covering the main points : 



" This act should be repealed because 



" 1. It causes a drain upon the treasuries of the respective counties which is not 

 warranted by the results produced. 



"2. Hawks and owls, by the destruction of insects, confer a benefit which is much 

 more than an offset for the poultry destroyed by them. 



"3. Increased duties are imposed upon county officers, for whicti no additional 

 compensation has been provided. 



"4. In a number of cases county officers have been imposed on, and bounties ille- 

 gally drawn. 



"5. It encourages a certain class to follow hunting as a means of livelihood, and 

 to the exclusion of other labor. 



"6. Self-interest would lead to the destruction of nearly as many of these noxious 

 mammals and birds. 



"7. The repeal of the act will, by the increase of the number of hawks, cause 

 greater destruction of field mice, which destroy large amounts of clover and clover 

 roots each year. 



"The payment of bounties for any purpose is based upon wrong principles, and 

 should be discouraged. 



"The act should not be repealed because 



" 1. This being the first year of its action, the total amount paid will be greatly in 

 excess of that of any subsequent year, and owing to the increased scarcity each year, 

 the amount paid will be annually less. 



"2. By a repeal the good effects of bounties already paid would be practically lost 



" 3. The destruction of these birds and mammals protects game. 



