167 



SECTION THIRD-LEGISLATION AFFECTING THE ENGLISH SPARROW 

 IN THE UNITED STATES. 



fn order to obtain trustworthy information as to all legislation affect- 

 ing* the Sparrow in the United States, a letter was sent in the fall of 

 1837 to the Secretary of State of each State and Territory of the Union, 

 asking for copies of all laws in force in that State relating to game, to 

 birds or mammals, and especially to the Euglish Sparrow. To date, 

 replies have been received from a majority of the States and Territo- 

 ries, most of the secretaries sending the desired documents or giving 

 references to the volumes in which they could be found. In cases where 

 no response was made, recourse was had to the latest revised statutes 

 on tile in the libraries, but it is feared that in this way some of the 

 latest acts have escaped notice. By combining the information received 

 from all sources, however, the following epitome of legislation affecting 

 the Sparrow has been compiled, and may be assumed to be measurably 

 complete, except for such changes as may have occurred within the last 

 few months. 



It should be noted that the appearance in this place of any law which 

 merely mentions "sparrows," "song-birds," "insectivorous birds," 

 u undomesticated birds," aud the like, must not be construed as evi- 

 dence that we believe such law to affect the English Sparrow ; such 

 points must be determined by the courts, and the attempt made here is 

 simply to show what laws may have a bearing on the case. A brief 

 discussion of these laws will be found in a previous section under the 

 head of recommendations for legislation. (See page 150.) 



LAWS AFFECTING THE ENGLISH SPARROW. 



Alabama. — No law bearing on the question. 



Alaska. — No law beariug ou the question. 



Arizona. — No law bearing on the question. 



Arkansas. — It shall be unlawful to destroy, disturb, or rob, tho nests of any wild 

 birds whatsoever, except those of crows, blackbirds, hawks, owls, eagles, aud birds 

 of prey. * * * Any person violating auy of tho provisions of this act shall be 

 deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upou conviction thereof, shall be tiued in any 

 siim * * * not less than three dollars, nor more than ten, for each nest of eggs 

 destroyed as aforesaid, together with the costs of prosecution. (Act of February 23, 

 1885, sections 3 and 6.) 



California. — No law bearing on the question. 



Colorado.— No person shall kill, ensnare, net, or trap, within this State, auy * 

 sparrow * * * or other insectivorous birds. * * * Any person who 

 shall violate any of the provisions of the first section of this act shall be guilty 

 of a misdemeanor, aud upon conviction thereof shall be fined in a sum not less than 

 five dollars, nor more than fifty dollars, with costs of suit, and shall be prosecuted and 

 punished in the same manner as in other cases of misdemeanor. One-half of the fine 

 in such cases shall be pai I to the person informing against such offender, aud the 

 other half to the treasurer of tho county in which the offense was committed, and be- 

 Qoino a part of the school fund. * * * (Laws, chap. XLV, sections 1 and 2.) 



