16 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



providing for a State Game Commissioner and a license system, 

 prohibiting sale and shipment, limiting the seasons, protecting 

 nongame birds, and creating a game protection fund and a well- 

 equipped department of game and fish. * * * With slight 

 change and little or no opposition, the bill was promptly passed 

 by both houses of the legislature and received the approval of 

 the Governor on February 19, 1907. Soon after, the author of 

 the bill was elected Commissioner of Game and Fish* in recogni- 

 tion of his deep interest and long-continued efforts in behalf 

 of game preservation. The Commissioner at once established 

 an office in the State capitol and took steps to make the law 

 generally known and to enforce its provisions. 



The passage of this comprehensive protective law has had a 

 markedly beneficial effect upon the abundance not only of 

 game birds but of the non-game species as well. Mockingbirds 

 and cardinals are no longer trapped and sold as cage birds, 

 the reckless shooting of nighthawks ("bull-bats") for food or 

 sport has practically ceased, and gulls and terns, formerly con- 

 sidered legitimate marks for the sportsman who wished to 

 try his skill as a wing shot, are now afforded the same pro- 

 tection that is given to the small insectivorous species. 



On March 4, 1913, a Federal law protecting migratory birds 

 was enacted by Congress and on October 1 of that year, under 

 its provisions, regulations prescribing closed seasons on all 

 migratory birds were promulgated by the President. By the 

 terms of these regulations spring shooting of all migratory 

 game birds was abolished, the open seasons on certain species 

 were shortened, and complete protection for a term of years 

 was afforded a number of vanishing species, including sand- 

 hill cranes, swans, curlews, and all shorebirds except the 

 black-bellied and golden plovers, Wilson snipe, woodcock, and 

 greater and lesser yellowlegs. 



Ift 1918, upon the passage of the migratory-bird treaty act, 

 giving effect to a convention between the United States and 

 Great Britain for the protection of migratory birds in the 

 United States and Canada.f full jurisdiction was assumed by 

 the Federal Government in the protection of migratory birds. 

 The regulation promulgated under the terms of this act short- 



*In 1919, the Department of Game and Fish was merged into a new Department of 

 Conservation, Hr. Wallace being continued as Commissioner of Conservation. 



fRatiflcation exchanged December 7, 1916 ; proclaimed December 8, 1916 ; constitu- 

 ti6nalit7 sustained April 19, 1920. 



