SECOND BIENNIAL STATEMENT 203 



May 25. — Two brothers named Bird were caught killing elk for their 

 teeth in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, by Deputy Game Warden C. 

 P. Sorensen. Later they escaped and went into Utah, where 

 they were again apprehended and returned to Wyoming. 

 Claude Bird stood trial, was found guilty and sentenced to from 

 18 months to 2 years in the penitentiary, and assessed with the 

 cost of his trial. Roy Bird pleaded guilty, and received a sent- 

 ence of from 1 year to 18 months in the penitentiary. 



June 1. — Through the energetic efforts of Miss Katherine Minahan, 

 of Orange, New Jersey, the "National Bird Sanctuary Asso- 

 ciates" was organized and "incorporated for non-profit." The 

 objects of the organization are: — "A national campaign in 

 favor of bird conservation; to promote the establishment of 

 bird sancuaries throughout the country, especially along the 

 Lincoln Highway, and to arouse the public conscience to a 

 greater desire of freedom and sanctuary for the birds." 



June 5. — Through personal investigations made in the field during 

 the breeding season of wildfowl, Dr. George W. Field, of Bos- 

 ton, caused Missouri and Kansas to be placed permanently in 

 the "breeding zone" as established by the Department of Agri- 

 culture for the migratory birds of the United States. 



July 1. — After a prolonged contest in the Louisiana legislature, an 

 excellent wild life act was passed. It reduced the 3-headed 

 commission to a single commissioner, and Mr. M. L. Alexander, 

 of the outgoing body, was appointed Commissioner. In effect 

 the entire organization was taken out of politics. 



A very bad law, permitting the killing of 50 seagulls per 

 day, was repealed, and the following species were given con- 

 tinuous close seasons until 1919: prairie chickens, upland 

 plover, kildeer plover, wild turkey hens and ring-necked pheas- 

 ants. Much credit for the new law is due to Stanley C. Arthur, 

 State Ornithologist. 



July 5. — The amended international treaty for the protection of 

 migratory birds arrived the second time in Washington from 

 Canada. 



July 10. — The appropriation of $50,000 for the enforcement of the 

 federal bird law came before the U. S. Senate, in the Agricul- 

 tural bill. For two hours and forty minutes Senator Reed, of 

 Kansas City, Mo., made a bitter but weak attack on the law, 

 and moved to strike out the appropriation. Senator McLean 

 made an admirable fifteen-minute speech defending the law; 

 and the vote was 5 2 to 8 in favor of the appropriation and the 

 law, and against Mr. Reed and his constituents who desire to 

 kill waterfowl in their breeding-season. 



August 15. — The United States accepted cession, by the state of 

 Washington, of Mt. Rainer National Park. This bit of history 

 will serve to illustrate the effect of being obliged to wait for a 

 state legislature to take action on a national park or game pre- 

 serve. The congressional act creating the Mt. Ranier National 

 Park was approved by the President on March 2, 1899! Dur- 

 ing all that time the Secretary of the Interior had no power to 

 protect the game and fish of that national park save by remov- 



