344 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



"4. All laws are liable to abuse and violation, and this one is no exception to the 

 general rule. 



"5. The effect of a continuance of the law as it now is will be to increase the pro- 

 duction of poultry and decrease its price." 



From letters kindly sent by the commissioners of the several counties hereafter 

 named, I am enabled to show part of the animals on which bounty was paid for a 

 period of some six months, i. e., from January 1, 1886, to July 1, 1886. From reliable 

 informants I find that the "Scalp Act" was not generally known to be in existence 

 until about January 1, 1886 : 



Allegheny. 4 "cat" owls, i. e., Great-horned Owls. 



Armstrong. 167 hawks ; 49 owls, "also quite an amount for foxes, minks and 

 weasels." 



Adams. " We have paid since the first of October, 1885, to July 3, 1886, for 1,716 

 hawks, 402 owls, or $858.00 for hawks, and $201.00 for owls ; total, $1,059.00. The 

 premiums on weasels, minks and foxes are about one-third of the above. A bad 

 feature about the act is the apparent manner in which the counties are imposed 

 upon, in farming hawks, owls, foxes, etc." 



Bucks. 138 hawks ; 16 owls. 



Bradford. Total amount paid for all animals from January 8, 1886, to August 1, 

 1886, inclusive, $996.00. " One-half for hawks and owls, balance for weasels, minks 

 and foxes." 



Blair. 123 hawks ; 13 owls. 



Beaver. 25 hawks ; 12 owls. 



Clarion. 165 hawks ; 20 owls. 



Centre. US hawks ; 26 owls. 



Cameron. -3 hawks ; 2 owls. 



Ctinton.Sl hawks ; 8 owls. 



Crawford. " Bounty account not kept so as to show how many of each kind paid 

 for ; the first five months they were very equally divided, but in May and June 

 hawks, weasels and owls predominated ; hawks leading the list. We paid the first 

 bounty on a fox November, 1885, $1.00 ; December, $275.90 ; January, 1886, $279.20; 

 February, $182.00 ; March, $207.00 ; April, $236.40; May, $347.60; June, $1,079.00; 

 total, $2,608.10, including justices' fees." 



Chester. 1885 11 hawks ; 6 minks ; 5 weasels ; 1 fox. 1886 from January 1 to 

 December, inclusive, 666 hawks ; 60 owls ; 107 foxes ; 208 minks ; 248 weasels. 1887 

 from January 1 to March 18, inclusive, 289 hawks; 79 owls ; 84 minks ; 7 foxes ; 

 199 weasels. 



Delaware. 3 hawks; 3 foxes. 



Erie. 414 hawks; 225 owls ; 107 foxes. "It is rapidly on the increase; one-fifth 

 of the whole number has been within the last two weeks." This letter was dated 

 July 13, 1887. 



Fayette. 278 hawks ; 80 owls ; 82 foxes ; 24 minks ; 6 wild cats. 



Forest. 110 foxes ; 37 hawks ; owls 2. 



Franklin. In 1885, 24 wild cats ; 278 foxes ; 97 minks ; 22 hawks ; 9 weasels ; 2 

 owls. In 1886, from January 1 to July 1, 9 wild cats ; 287 foxes ; 76 minks ; 123 hawks ; 

 22 weasels ; 30 owls. 



Huntingdon. 64 owls ; 347 hawks ; 56 minks ; 38 weasels ; 362 foxes ; 12 wild cats. 



Indiana. 350 foxes ; 250 weasels ; 300 hawks ; 150 owls. 



Juniata.lbO hawks ; 70 foxes ; 20 owls. 



Lackawanna. 70 foxes ; 30 hawKs ; 5 weasels ; 7 wild cats ; 25 minks. 



Lycoming.7W hawks and owls ; 250 foxes. " We pay about $115.00 per month for 

 destroying the above-named animals." 



Mifflin. 71 hawks ; 14 owls ; 17 weasels ; 14 minks. 



Montour." Paid for all animals $161.40." 



Mercer. "Our people did not become apprised of the passage of the act to which 

 you refer until some time after its approval, and as a result we did not have any cer- 

 tificates presented until after the first of December, 1885. Since that time we have 



