November, 1919] 



The Canadian Field- Naturalist 



93 



regularly every morning and usually several limes come after it no matter where I held the cob, 



during the day, though no more corn was placed running up my leg and sitting on my knee while 



there, nor anything else edible. loading up her pouches, and would sit up on a cob 



After the chipmunk had learned to come and and strip off the kernels even when I lifted the cob 



lake corn from the cob held in my hand she would up in the air. 



THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COLLECTOR AND THE LAW. 



By Hoyes Lloyd. 



As the provisions of the Migratory Birds Ccnvrn- 

 tion Act and Regulations which concern the scien- 

 tific collector are pcrhrps not fully understccd by 

 all collectors in Canada, a short explanation of the 

 status of the collector, with respect to this law, 

 seems desirable at the present time. 



The federal bird protection law, which is known 

 as the Migratory Birds Convention Act, allows 

 birds protected by the Act to be taken, shipped, 

 transported, or possessed for scientific purposes, but 

 only by persons holding a permit from the Minisler 

 of the Interior. 



This permit is required by all museums or in- 

 dividuals wishing to collect birds, nests, or eggs, 

 protected by the Act. 



The director of a recognized museum should make 

 application for each of his collectors. Individual 

 collectors must furnish written testimonials > from 

 two well-known ornithologists before their applica- 

 tion can be considered. Applications should b: 

 addressed to the Commissioner, Dominion Parks 

 Branch, Department of the Interior, Ottawa. 



All applicants should state the province in which 

 they wish to collect. They may be required to 

 make returns stating the result of their work. Every 

 encouragement, is offered the collector, who is hon- 

 estly working to extend our knowledge of Canadian 

 birds, but useless waste of bird life will not be 

 allowed. 



A package in which specimens of birds, pro- 

 tected by this Act, is to be shipped must be marked 

 on the outside with the number of the permit, the 

 name and address of the shipper and a statement 

 of the contents. It is contrary to the law to ship 

 any of the protected birds, eggs or nests and the 

 use of the mails is forbidden, unless the packages 

 are so marked. 



So that every Canadian naturalist will under- 

 stand the principles governing the issue of these 

 permits, this article is concluded by repeating these 

 principles in full. They are printed with and form 

 a part of every scientific permit. 



PERMIT PRINCIPLES. 

 Permits to take migratory birds, their nests and 

 eggs, under the Migratory Birds Convention Act 



and Regulations arc granted for the sole purpose 

 of scientific study and not for the collection of 

 objects of curiosity or personal or household adorn- 

 ment. Therefore only such persons as take a ser- 

 ious interest in ornithology, and are competent to 

 exercise the privilege for the advancement of know- 

 ledge ,are eligible to receive such permits. 



It is expected that the holders of permits will us? 

 them with reasonable discretion, taking only such 

 specimens as their scientific needs require and avoid- 

 ing unnecessary waste of life. The habitual taking 

 cf numbers of individuals for the purpose of ob- 

 taining a few specially desirable ones is deprecated 

 and it is urged that the collector take no more 

 specimens than he has reascnable prospects of caring 

 for and will conscientiously endeavor to properly 

 prepare each and all when taken. 



It is also recommended that the holders of per- 

 mits will, so far as is consistent with their object, 

 be considerate of the local feeling in the neighbor- 

 hccd where they collect and will demonstrate both 

 by actions and speech that the scientific collector is 

 sympathetic towards the principles of wild life con- 

 servation and not the rival of legitimate sportsmen. 



It is required as an evidence of gocd failh that 

 holders of permits label their specimens with the 

 customary scientific data and properly care for them 

 not only at the time of collection but thereafter, 

 giving them all reasonable protection against insect 

 pests and other agencies of destruction, and will not 

 permit them to be destroyed through carelessness or 

 indifference. 



As permits are granted for the purpose of general 

 scientific advancement and not for individual benefit, 

 specimens taken under them are to be regarded as 

 being in the nature of public trusts, and should be 

 accessible to all duly qualified students under only 

 such reasonable restrictions as are necessary for 

 their protection or as is consistent with the owner's 

 work. 



Finally it is urged that provision be made so 

 that specimens taken will ultimately find their way 

 into permanent or public collections where they will 

 be available for study by future generations and not 

 be wasted and lost through neglect. 



