The Audubon Societies 



H7 



knowledge of the economic value of birds. 

 This is a case where prejudice seems 

 largely to have been a compelling force. 

 For instance, why should the Ricebird 

 be placed in the unprotected list in Vir- 

 ginia, where no rice is now, nor has it ever 

 been grown. When the Bobolink becomes 

 the Ricebird on its southward migration, 

 it is found in the same territory where 

 Rail are hunted, and it is likely that the 

 Rail shooters instigated the removal of 

 protection from the Ricebirds in order that 

 these birds might be shot without restric- 

 tion; and, as there was little knowledge of 

 or interest in birds among the legislators, 

 this bad legislation was enacted. 



Mississippi. — The Legislature ad- 

 journed without the bill introduced by 

 this Association having come to a vote. 

 It was favorably reported by both the 

 House and Senate Committees, and was 

 on the calendar for final passage when the 

 Legislature adjourned. Field Agent Kop- 

 man reports that the time he spent upon 

 the bill was not wasted, as the Governor 

 will recommend its consideration at the 

 next special session of the Legislature. 



South Carolina. — -A bill to improve 

 the game law of this state was introduced 

 by the Audubon Society, but, owing to the 

 short session ot the Legislature — only 

 forty days — -it was not enacted before 

 adjournment. The bill will be reintro- 

 duced promptly at the next session of the 

 Legislature in January, 1909. 



Maryland. — No changes of moment 

 were made in the Maryland bird and game 

 laws. A large number of local bills were 

 introduced, but failed of passage. 



New Jersey.— A strenuous fight took 

 place for the January first water-fowl and 

 shore-bird law in this state, but it was only 

 partially successful. Every possible legiti- 

 mate pressure was brought to bear to have 

 this necessary law adopted, but the large 

 majority of the citizens of the state who 

 wished to have this law adopted were 

 again over-ruled by the small minority. 



There were several important gains 

 made, as follows: Summer Woodcock 

 shooting is prohibited. The open season 

 for Ducks, Geese, Brant, and Swan is 

 from October 15th to January 1st in ten 

 of the twenty-one counties in the state. 

 Unfortunately, these are the ten counties 

 where there is very little water-fowl shoot- 

 ing. In the other eleven counties, which 

 include the entire coast, the open season 

 for Ducks and Swan is from November 

 1st to March 15th, and for Geese and 

 Brant from November 1st to March 25th. 

 While this shortens the seasons materially, 

 yet it still permits the killing of these fast- 

 disappearing birds after January 1st. 



There was no change in the shore-bird 

 law, and they may still be killed in May 

 and June; which is, in view of their rapidly 

 decreasing numbers, an outrage. 



A resolution was introduced and adopted 

 in the Senate, appointing a commission 

 with four members to consider the subject 

 of the game laws of the state, with orders 

 to report a proper law at the next session 

 of the Legislature. The commission con- 

 sists of William J. Harrison, Senator from 

 Ocean county; Everett Colby, Senator 

 from Essex county; Prof. Alexander 

 Hamilton Phillips, of Princeton Univer- 

 sity; George Batten, President of the 

 Association of New Jersey Sportsmen. 



New York. — -The entire bird and game 

 law of the state was revised at the sugges- 

 tion of Governor Hughes. The revision 

 was made by the President of the Forest, 

 Fish and Game Commission, and the 

 bills known as the Cobb-Mills bills were 

 adopted by the Legislature almost unani- 

 mously. 



While there were several amendments 

 to the revision bills which were strongly 

 urged by this Association, yet only one of 

 them was adopted, namely, "There shall 

 be no open season at any time for Wood 

 Duck." This was an important and valu- 

 able amendment, and New York is the 

 third state to adopt a close season for this 

 species of wild fowl. 



The hunting-license feature was adopted 

 by the state. This is a very decided gain 



