Report of Field Agents 297 



REPORT OF FIELD AGENTS 



REPORT OF FDWARD HOWE EORBUSH 



In attempting to review the efforts put forth to advance the cause of bird 

 protection in New England during the past year, your agent can merely report 

 upon the work itself and its immediate results. How far the educational work 

 done will extend its influence into the years to come can only be conjectured. 



LEGISLATION 



The greater part of the work done has been legislative. This work has con- 

 tinued for ten months out of the twelve, beginning in Vermont in November, 1908, 

 and ending in Connecticut in August, 1909. 



Every Legislature in New England was in session during the season of 1908-09, 

 and a great mass of legislation adverse to bird protection was introduced into the 

 different assembhes. Seventy-five bills regarding the protection of birds and 

 mammals were presented to the General Assembly of Connecticut. Thirty 

 were introduced into the Great and General Court of Massachusetts, and the 

 numbers brought before the Legislatures of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont 

 were considerable. Only three bills were introduced in Rhode Island, and these 

 were all calculated to secure better protection; but they were all fought at every 

 stage, and only one was passed. 



Your agent was disabled by an accident in September, 1908; but, shortly 

 after the Annual Meeting of the National Association, he was able to go to Mont- 

 pelier and attend the sessions of the Legislature there during the latter months 

 of the year. A bill was passed protecting "Upland Plover" at all times until 

 August, i9i5,and Quail until August, 191 1. A bill to allow the killing of Cedar 

 Birds was defeated in the Senate. Several other bad bills were killed in Com- 

 mittee. 



Attempts were made by hunters in all the states to secure the passage of bills 

 for the payment of bounties on birds and mammals, including lynx, porcupine 

 beaver, mink, weasel, fox, owls, hawks, crows, and other birds and mammals. 

 Ten bills relating to bounties were introduced in Connecticut alone. All these 

 bounty bills were killed in all the states, except a bounty on the bay lynx, which 

 is now in force in Vermont. It was shown before the Committees that the pay- 

 ment of bounties for the destruction of many species of mammals and birds 

 would encourage irresponsible hunters to be abroad at all times of the year, 

 and would make extremely difficult the enforcement of all game laws. 



Bills regarding the establishment of reserves and sanctuaries for birds and 

 game were passed in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and bills were also passed 



