NECESSITY FOB FURTHER STATE LEGISLATION. 47 



and rigidly enforced. This question is one of general interest, for 

 migratory birds, even if effectually protected during the breeding 

 season in New England and the Northern and Middle States, may yet 

 be killed to such an extent during their stay in the South as to render 

 protection on their breeding grounds of comparatively little avail. 

 The smaller land birds now receive but little protection during their 

 sojourn in the South, with no applicable laws in Florida, and open 

 seasons in winter in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. 

 However important it may be to secure protective legislation in 

 States which now have none, or in those which restrict it to a few 

 months of the year, it is almost equally important to amend the imper- 

 fect laws of other States in order to render them more effective. The 

 most striking defects of existing legislation have already been dis- 

 cussed, and, as suggested, they may be remedied best by securing 

 greater uniformity. This may be accomplished — 



(1) By extending the list of protected species to all birds other than 

 game birds and a few specially excepted species. 



(2) By removing all insectivorous birds from the game list. 



(3) By reducing the list of species excluded from protection. 



(4) By restricting special legislation, and as far as possible bringing 

 all the counties in a State under one common law. 



(5) By making proper provisions for collecting specimens for scien- 

 tific purposes. 



(6) By harmonizing the penalties for violations of the law. 



As a suggestion of what a comprehensive law should be, the text oi 

 an act prepared by the American Ornithologists' Union is given in full 

 below. This act was originally prepared and published early in 1886 1 

 by the Committee on Bird Protection, composed of ten active members 

 of the Union, with the late" George B. Sennett as chairman. While it 

 can hardly be expected to meet the needs of all the States without 

 change, it can easily be adapted to local requirements by making the 

 necessary modifications, as suggested under the head of '.Remarks.' 

 This act is not an experiment, for it has been tested in several States, 

 has been adopted almost literally by Illinois and Indiana, and has been 

 in force in the latter State for nearly ten years. Its main features 

 have also been incorporated in the laws of Massachusetts, New York, 

 and Rhode Island, and the provisions regarding permits in those of Colo- 

 rado, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. 



1 Supplement to Science, No. 160, February 26, 1886. 



