234 



Bird- Lore 



present number of small birds is prubabl\' 

 about all that can be maintained by the 

 food supply, is not borne out by my ex- 

 perience, under the conditions now pre- 

 vailin<^ in many localities where man's 

 influence has decreased the numbers of 

 birds and where cats and other enemies 

 of birds are numerous. Protection, shelter 

 and increased nesting facilities at such 

 points have been known to increase the 

 number of birds 200 per cent or more 

 within a short period, to the great ad- 

 vantage of the farmer or the owner of the 

 land. Such an increase of birds is very 

 likely to attract the Cooper's Hawk or 

 the Sharp-shinned Hawk, with such 

 results to the smaller birds as were shown 

 in the leaflet. Since the leaflet above 

 referred to was written, another season's 

 experience with the Sharp-shinned Hawk 

 has given abundant confirmation to the 

 statements made therein regarding its 

 destructiveness. I shall hope to have an 

 opportunity to give to the readers of Bird- 

 LoKE the results of this season's experi- 

 ence. — Edward Howe Forbush. 



Legislation in New England 



Vermont. — The report on legislation 

 in New England published in the last 

 number of Bird-Lore failed to record 

 the passage of a provision for the protec- 

 tion of Quail at all times in Vermont until 

 September 15, 191 1. 



It is important, also, to note that an 

 act was passed giving the Governor power 

 to issue a proclamation prohibiting all 

 shooting for a definite period during any 

 dry time when there is danger of forest 

 fires. Protection from forest fires is essen- 

 tial, as many birds are destroyed or driven 

 out by fire. 



Maine. — Your agent was unable to go 

 to Maine on account of calls to New York 

 and Washington, and Mr. Arthur H. 

 Norton, President of the Maine Audubon 

 Society, was incapacitated for a long time, 

 owing to a serious illness. Nevertheless, 

 although several bad bills were introduced, 

 the only one that passed was an act allow- 



ing the killing of the '" Gt)lden-eye, or 

 Whistler," in the county of Hancock, from 

 November i to April i. This bill should 

 be repealed at the next session of the legis- 

 lature. 



Massachusetts. — A similar act to that 

 passed in Vermont for the protection of 

 forests against fires in the hunting season 

 was passed in Massachusetts. 



An act was passed allowing land-owners 

 to rear and sell Pheasants under rules and 

 regulations made by the Fish and Game 

 Commissioners and approved by the 

 Governor and Council. It is hoped that 

 this act will encourage the artificial propa- 

 gation of Pheasants, and that the sales 

 of these birds in the market will take the 

 place of the illegal, surreptitious sale of 

 Grouse. 



The bill for the protection of shore, 

 marsh and beach birds, establishing a 

 close season on Rails, Gallinules, Plovers, 

 Snipe and Sandpipers between the 31st 

 of December and the ist of August, was 

 finally passed on one of the last days of 

 the session and signed by the Governor. 

 This bill protects the Piping Plover and 

 Killdeer Plover at all times. 



Unfortunately, however, during a two- 

 days' absence of your agent in Connecticut, 

 the bill was reported and passed both 

 Houses, under the suspension of the rules, 

 in a form which included the word 

 "quarks" in place of "coots." This 

 change was originally made in the House 

 at the instance of one of the enemies of 

 the bill. The word "quarks" was then 

 stricken out in the Senate, but was again 

 inadvertently inserted by the Conference 

 Committee in the final draft of the bill. 

 Owing to the fact that the close of the 

 session was near, and that unanimous 

 consent would be required to reconsider 

 the vote, it was sent to the Governor in 

 this form, otherwise it would have been 

 defeated. 



The wording of the bill is as follows: 

 "or any of the Rallidcc, known as rails, 

 gallinules, quarks or mud-hens," — "quark" 

 is one of the common names used in 

 Massachusetts for Night Heron. — E. H. F. 



