BIRD-PROTECTION BY GOVERNMENTS 193 



lations for the new Migratory Bird Law has been 

 entrusted to the Bureau. 



An explanation of the methods used in investi- 

 gating the food of birds has already been given in 

 Chapter VII. 



The Lacey Act. The first federal law passed deal- 

 ing with the protection of birds was the Lacey Act, 

 approved in 1900. This was important as establish- 

 ing the principle that the protection of birds came 

 within the jurisdiction of the National Government. 

 It contains three main divisions: (1) .it places the 

 preservation of birds under the jurisdiction of the 

 Department of Agriculture; (2) it authorizes the Se- 

 cretary of Agriculture to regulate the importation 

 of foreign birds and animals, and prohibits the intro- 

 duction of the mongoose, "flying foxes," English 

 sparrow, starling, or other species which may be 

 declared injurious; and (3) it prohibits interstate 

 traffic in birds killed in violation of state laws. 



This last provision was an important step in help- 

 ing to protect the game-birds, as hitherto there had 

 been much shipping and sale of game out of the 

 State where it was killed. 



The Migratory Bird Law. Since the passing of 

 the Lacey Act various bills have been introduced 

 into Congress whose purpose was to protect mi- 

 gratory birds. One was introduced into the House 

 of Representatives in 1904 by Hon. George Shiras, 

 3d. Another was introduced in 1908 by Hon. John 



