312 OUR FEDERAL LANDS 



Treaty legislation which Representative George 

 Shiras 3d of Michigan introduced in 1907. Pro- 

 tection of certain song birds and birds feeding freely 

 on insects injurious to agriculture had long before 

 been granted by some state laws, but the Biological 

 Survey's studies of migration showed that the wide 

 diversity of laws in different states and nations 

 through which they passed in vast numbers twice 

 annually between the Gulf States and Canada 

 worked serious injury to geese, swans and ducks. 

 Hereafter one law would govern them wherever 

 they would be. To this specialty, Dr. Charles W. 

 Nelson, who succeeded, brought conspicuous ability. 



The situation at this writing is well stated in 

 the Survey's annual report for 1927, which begins: 



"The wild life of the country is a heritage that 

 was vital to the welfare of the early settlers, and its 

 perpetuation means much, both economically and 

 aesthetically, to the present and future generations 

 of their descendants. Any lover of birds and ani- 

 mals knows full well that these wild creatures clearly 

 appreciate the difference between kind and cruel 

 treatment. Unfortunately, however, they do not 

 have the ability to argue their cause before the bar 

 of public opinion. 



"Forward-thinking individuals, recognizing this 

 fact, have designated certain public defenders, whose 

 duty it is to represent these creatures of the wild in 

 all cases where their rights are in question. These 

 defenders fall into three general groups: (i) Or- 



