224 T^^ Passenger Pigeon 



Mr. Bergh's Anti-Pigeon Bill. — ^Just as we go to 

 press we learn that the Senate t?? passed the bill pre- 

 pared by Mr. Henry Bergh prohibiting the trap-shoot- 

 ing of pigeons. The bill awaits Governor Cornell's 

 signature before becoming a law. Its provisions are : 



Section i. Any person who shall keep or use any 

 live pigeon, fowl, or other bird or animal for the pur- 

 pose of a target or to be shot at either for amusement 

 or as a test of skill in marksmanship, and any person 

 who shall shoot at any pigeon, fowl, or other bird or 

 animal, as aforesaid, or be a party to any such shooting 

 of any pigeon, fowl or other bird or animal ; and any 

 person who shall rent any building, shed, room, yard, 

 field, or other premises, or shall suffer or permit the use 

 of any building, shed, room, yard, field, or other prem- 

 ises for the purpose of shooting any pigeon, fowl, or 

 other bird or animal, as aforesaid, shall be guilty of a 

 misdemeanor. 



Section 2. Nothing herein contained shall apply to 

 the shooting of any wild game in its wild state. 



The bill is a direct and not wholly unexpected result 

 of the Coney Island pigeon-killing tournament of the 

 New York State Association for the Protection of Fish 

 and Game. Had the sport of pigeon shooting been con- 

 fined to individual clubs of gentlemen testing their skill 

 at the traps, it Is doubtful if the matter ever would have 

 received, as it would not have merited, public attention. 

 But when a society, which organized ostensibly for the 



