50 LEGISLATION FOE THE PEOTEOTION OF BIKDS. 



and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Ten daj'S later, on 

 March 24, it was reported by the committee, with amendments, and 

 passed by the Senate/ It was supported by Senator Bacon, who sub- 

 mitted as his remarks the picturesque petition in the name of the birds 

 which had been prepared by Senator Hoar and presented to the legis- 

 lature of Massachusetts in support of the State act of 1897. (See pp. 

 11-12. ) The bill, however, failed to pass the House before adjournment 

 and was reintroduced in the Senate, in essentially the same form, early 

 in the J&tst session of the Fifty-sixth Congress, on December 12, 1899. 

 It prohibits (1) importation into the United States; (2) transportation 

 from one State to another; and, (3) sale within the Territories or the 

 District of Columbia, of birds or feathers for ornamental purposes. 

 This legislation was aimed directly against the feather trade, and 

 naturally aroused the opposition of the millinery interests. The fear 

 has also been expressed that the clause prohibiting the importation of 

 foreign lairds would result in an increased demand for native species, 

 and hence increase, rather than diminish, the destruction of birds in 

 this country. The prohi))ition of the sale of feathers relates only to 

 Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Indian Territory, and the 

 District of Columl)ia, and even if strictly enforced here would have 

 little effpct so long as such sales were unrestricted elsewhere. The 

 text of the bill as it now standi is as follows : 



A Bill (S. 1383) for the protection of soiij,' birds. 



Be it cmicU'd bij (he Setmte ami JIoiiw of JieprcunUoiivcs of the UnU^'d Slalcn i>f America 

 in Coiujre*s nxxcmhkd, Tliat the iiujxjrtation into the United States of binls, feathers, 

 or parti^ of hinlw for ornamental purposes, or for any i>uriM).«e except for food, l>e, and 

 the same is lierel)y, prohiljite<l: I^ovUhd, however, That nothing lierein contained shall 

 be construed a.s prohibiting the im[>«»rtation of birds for museums, zoological gardens, 

 or scientific collections, or the imjiortation of living binls or of feathers taken from 

 living liirds without injury to the bird. The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby 

 authorize<l to nuikt- regulations for carrying into effect the i)rovisions of this sectit)n. 



Skc. 2. That the tninsiK>rtation of ]>irds, feathers, or j>arts of birds, to l>c< usihI or 

 sold, exce]»t sui-h its are excei>te<l in tlie first section of this Act, from any State or 

 Territory of the Unitt-d States to or through any other State or Territory of the 

 Uniteil States, is hereby prohibite<l. Whoever shall violate the provisions of this 

 section shall, uimjh conviction in the district where the offwisi' shall have been com- 

 mitte<l, ])e punished for ea<-h such offense ])y a line of fifty dollars. 



S&.: 3. That the sale, keeping, or offering for sale, within any Territory of tlie 

 Unittnl States, or within the District of Columbia, of birds, feathers, or jiartsof birds, 

 for ornamental jiurjHjses, except such jis are excepte<l in tin- first .><ection of this Act, 

 1h', and the same is hereby, prolubite<l. Whoever shall violate the provisions of 

 this section shall, upon conviction, Ix; jmnished for each such offense by a fine of 

 fifty dollars. 



Til?: TELLEU HILL. 



The Teller bill, 'to regulate interstate traffic in wild game/ was fii-st 

 introduced in the Fiftv-tifth Conirn'ss l»v Senator Ilenrv M. Teller, 



•Cong. Record, XXXI, pt 3, p. 3166; Forest and Stream, L, p. 264, April 2, 1888. 



