﻿Legislation 231 



New Jersey. — No new legislation was undertaken, but the bills to remove 

 protection from the Mourning Dove, the Flicker, the Meadowlark and the 

 Robin were successfully combatted. The fact that such bills are introduced 

 annually in a state where so much Audubon work has been done shows 

 emphatically that the millennium for birds has not yet arrived and that an 

 association such as this is still necessary to carry on the propaganda of wild 

 bird and animal protection. 



New York. — The story in this state is almost exactly the same as in 

 New Jersey, although it is Ducks and not non-game birds that are the sub- 

 ject of contention. The usual annual attempt was made to repeal the anti- 

 spring-shooting duck law, now commonly known as the " Brown Law, " 

 after its original introducer, Senator Elon R. Brown. The repeal bill has 

 now been defeated in three sessions of the legislature. 



The New York Audubon Society, has, in the past, merely taken the 

 defensive in this important matter, but the time has now come when they 

 should take an aggressive position and carry the war into the camp 

 of the enemy. The law relative to Ducks, Geese, Brant and Swan 

 should be made uniform throughout the state ; at present the open season 

 commences September 16, except on Long Island, where it commences 

 October I. There is no reason why the date of September 16 should not 

 be adopted for the entire state, as the young birds of the year are fully grown 

 by that date and, moreover, it will legalize the killing of those Ducks that 

 are now shot by sportsmen and others who are legally shooting Bay Snipe 

 September 16. Further, the section of the law permitting the killing of 

 Brant on Long Island until May 1 should be repealed at once. It is a well- 

 known fact that large numbers of Ducks are now killed on Long Island 

 by persons, especially market gunners, when they are after Brant, which 

 they can legally kill and possess until May I. So long as this special law 

 is in force, it will be practically impossible effectually to enforce the law 

 on the other wild fowl. Again, it is simply ridiculous to permit the posses- 

 sion of wild fowl for two months, i. e., January and February, after the open 

 season closes. As a matter of fact, a person can now kill as many Ducks 

 and Geese as he wishes during the months of January and February, provided 

 he is careful that no one sees him in the act of killing the birds. The mere 

 fact that he has them in his possession afterward is not illegal, although 

 he may have in his possession at the same time all the paraphernalia of hunt- 

 ing, i. e., a gun and decoys. 



Your president, during the past season, made extensive investigation 

 on Long Island regarding the enforcement of the spring wild-fowl law, and 

 his conclusion is that it is, in the main, practically a dead letter, and that con- 

 ditions will not be changed or improved until the present law is amended 

 by striking out the exception allowing the legal killing of Brant until May I, 

 and the possession of other wild fowl until March 1, The killing of all wild 



