PLUME BIRDS. 



27 



Oregon, Utah, and Virginia include gulls in the list of protected species. 

 The scope of these laws may be illustrated by the following table: 



Plume birds protected in various States. 

 [The x indicates the bird to which the State law applies.] 



i The term ' wild birds ' indicates that the law prohibits the killing of any wild birds other than game 

 birds and certain excepted species, thus including birds of plume. 

 2 No plume birds can be killed by persons who are not citizens of the United States. 



In the absence of State laws, protective legislation is occasionally 

 secured through county boards of supervisors, which have authority 

 in some States to make ordinances covering such matters. Thus, in 

 California, although the State passed a special act prohibiting the kill- 

 ing of gulls near Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, it has no general 

 law protecting these birds. Santa Barbara County, however, passed 

 a special ordinance on October 3, 1899, prohibiting the killing of 

 eagles, gulls, terns, and pelicans, which should effectually protect 

 these birds within the limits of this county. Gulls are also protected 

 in a few other localities, as about San Francisco Bay. 



A few States have more comprehensive laws for the protection of 

 nests and eggs than for birds. Thus, Florida protects only cranes, 

 egrets, ibises, curlews, and herons, but forbids the destruction of the 

 nest, eggs, or young of any sea birds or birds of plume. Maine 



