INTRODUCTION. 
XLVIL 
[p.] American Museum of Natural History, 
(INCORPORATED May, 1869), 
Central Park (77th St. & 8th Ave.), 
New York City,....0 sue 1 189 
Dear Sir: 
The President of the American Museum of Natu- 
ral History* has decided to grant your application 
for a permit ‘‘to collect birds, their nests or eggs, for 
strictly scientific purposes only,” in accordance with 
Sections 3 and 4 of Chapter 427 of the Laws of the 
State of New York for 1886, entitled, ‘‘An Act for the 
Preservation of Song and Wild Birds.” 
To cover expenses incurred for postage, printing, 
etc., you will be charged $1, on receipt of which said 
permit will be mailed to your address. 
pies ow ssheaecevovatevicusitlets deta , President. 
~ Or whoever the proper authority may chance to be. 
[e.] 
(THis Permir Expires Juty 1, 189..., Axn Is NOT 
TRANSFERABLE. ) 
American Museum of Natural History, 
(INCORPORATED May, 1869), 
Central Park (77th St. & 8th Ave.), 
New York City yecccccccccsccceveee 189 
The President of the American Museum of Natu- 
ral History* having received satisfactory evidence 
CHAM a. socestcesrsenegesveaseceoiaes gp Oliectacconeteaonetaresavseresaeeney ; 
iiss <Vawsdecnwssvivg ceaixs , is engaged in the scientific study of 
the Act for the 
Birds’; and in case of wanton destruction of birds 
or birds’ eggs, or killing birds for merely ornamental 
purposes, or for any other breach of said promise, by 
the said........... scisasuhisneaieesiaiiesvueninddvauestecaeaaacessbsctuveegavave 
this certificate shall be revoked, and notice of such 
revocation given in any manner the President may 
think best. 
The holder of this permit shall not take nor kill 
any game bird, nor destroy their eggs, contrary to 
the Laws of New York, enacted for the protection 
or preservation of game birds. : 
This permit expires the first day of July, eighteen 
hundred and ninety——, and is not transferable. The 
holder thereof is not authorized to collect specimens 
in defiance of local laws or regulations, nor in viola- 
tion of laws ‘against trespass on private property. 
suite outa shan sata vaeevovasteashaanbadey , President. 
* Or whoever the proper authority may chance to he. 
[r.] American Museum of Natural History, 
(INCORPORATED May, 1869), 
Central Park (77th St. & 8th Ave.), 
New York City, w.scccsescsssseeee 189 
Dear SIR: 
I beg to notify you that the permit given to you 
by the President of the American Museum of Natural 
History in accordance with Chapter 427 of the Laws 
of the State of New York—an Act for the ‘‘Preserva- 
tion of Song and Wild Birds''—expires July 1, 189... 
If you desire its renewal under the same obligations, 
you will please return this circular with your name 
and address subscribed and the sum of one dollar, on 
receipt of which a new permit will be sent to yous 
Respectfully, 
Sa eaieann dincansaenane , President. 
Sec. 5. The permits are issued for one year only, 
and are not transferable, The bond, however, may 
stand indefinitely, or until canceled, and the permit 
be annually renewed at the owner’s option, in virtue 
of the bond ‘continuing in force. 
- ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS FOR THE PROTECTION OF 
BIRDS. 
Any constable or police officer may be called upon 
to make arrests under legislative acts for the pro- 
tection of birds; if they fail to take proper action, 
through indifference or from other causes, complaints 
for neglect of duty should be duly lodged against 
them. To secure more efficient enforcement of such 
laws it would be well to have officers specially ap- 
pointed for the purpose, say one for each county, 
whose duties should be similar to those of game 
wardens—namely, to arrest and prosecute violators 
of the law. The paid agents—nearly five thousand 
in number—of the American Humane Association 
may also be called upon to assist in their enforce- 
ment. 
PURPOSE AND OBJECTS OF THE PROPOSED "ACT. 
The primary purpose of the proposed act is the 
prevention of the slaughter of birds for millinery use, 
and by thoughtless men and boys in mere sport or 
to gratify a destructive propensity. As is well known, 
boys destroy countless numbers of the nests and eggs 
of birds, and even of birds themselves—the latter not 
only with guns, but especially by use of slings, cata- 
pults, or pea-shooters—simply for mischievous pleas- 
| ure. It may not be so well known that many men 
thoughtlessly shoot hundreds and even thousands of 
Swallows, Swifts, Nighthawks, Gulls, Terns, Herons, 
and other birds, including even Ducks and other 
waterfowl, simply for the practice of shooting on the 
wing, or to gratify a desire to kill something. As 
they make no use of the birds thus killed, their only 
profit from such heartless destruction is the satis- 
faction of exercising or displaying their skill as 
marksmen. It is needless to say that such proceed- 
ings are wanton and barbarous, without excuse or 
defense, and should by summarily stopped. 
The proposed act is not intended to interfere with 
the wearing of decorations made from the feathers of 
domesticated birds, or from birds lawfully killed as 
game, or with the use of ostrich plumes. The wings 
and other parts of Grouse, Partridges, Pheasants, 
Ptarmigans, Ducks, etc., employed so extensively for 
hat trimmings, are not objectionable from the point 
of view of bird protection. 
GENERAL REMARKS AND SUGGESTIONS. 
In any prohibitory legislation the ‘‘greatest good 
to the greatest number” is the first point to he con- 
sidered. It is with this principle in view that the 
above draft of a protective bird act has been drawn. 
Hence if it can be shown that certain birds are in- 
cluded by it among those to be protected, which for 
any reason it is unwise to protect, as for example, 
the birds of prey, Crows, Jays, Blackbirds, the Robin 
and the Bobolink, the Committee is quite willing to 
see protection withheld from them. The United 
