48 Decrease of Birds 



Enforcement of the Game Laws 



The striking fact brought out by the suggestions from 

 thirty-eight observers regarding the enforcement of the 

 game laws are: 1. Present laws are not enforced as they 

 should be. 2. Game birds are better protected than non- 

 game birds. 3. Juries are hesitant about convicting for 

 offenses against the game laws. 4. Fines are not so sure 

 a deterrent or so great a punishment as imprisonment 

 would be. 5. Laws are more rigidly enforced against the 

 negro than the white man. 



A careful study of the situation leads to the conclusion 

 that this condition of affairs is not the fault of the State 

 game department, but is due: 1. To a lack of knowledge 

 on the part of the public of the value of birds and the need 

 for the enforcement of the laws protecting them. 2. To 

 defects in the laws themselves. Mr. H. M. Stuart, a 

 sportsman-naturalist of thirty-five years' experience, sug- 

 gests: "Cut out all the useless trash in the game laws, 

 (about one-half) , local privilege passed by interested per- 

 sons, etc. , make what is left concise and standard for all 

 sections, and enforce it by reliable, paid officers." Proper 

 game laws, properly enforced are neither undemocratic 

 nor unrepublican. They are essentially in the interest of 

 the people as a whole. 



As regards non-game birds, the most important legisla- 

 tion ever enacted in South Carolina for bird protection was 

 the Audubon Law, passed in 1905, which extended protec- 

 tion to none-game birds. This measure was due to the 

 initiative and untiring efforts of Mr. T. G. Pearson, secre- 

 tary of the National Association of Audubon Societies, and 

 Mr. B. F. Taylor, president of the State Audubon Society. 



Reduction in Natural Enemies 



The evidence of the causes of decrease proves that the 

 injury from this source, leaving out the English Sparrow, 

 is inconsiderable except in some localities where the native 

 natural enemies of the harmful species have themselves 

 been destroyed. The experience of those States which 



