Michigan Ornithological Club 7 



This amendment will give protection to the beneficial hawks and 

 owls, therefore it becomes necessary to except from protection 

 those hawks and owls that are harmful, i. e., Cooper's and sharp- 

 shinned hawks and the great horned owl. 



Another feature of the amendment is that it will impose a 

 legal bar to the use of the plumage of any protected bird, or any 

 part thereof, for millinery purposes. 



The amendment defines by scientific and common names the 

 birds that can properly be considered game. 



As the legislature of Michigan will probably be in session for 

 some weeks after the publication of the first number of the Bul- 

 letin of the Michigan Ornithological Club, it will give an oppor- 

 tunity to the members of the club to use all of their personal 

 and club influence to secure the passage of the proposed amend- 

 ment. If it is not adopted at the present session the law cannot 

 be changed until 1905, and in the meantime much harm may be 

 done the valuable and interesting birds of Michigan. 



If a special committee of the club will take this matter of 

 legislation in hand, and bring it intelligently before the press of 

 the state, and thus secure their influence, it will be of marked 

 advantage. 



Citizens in all parts of the state should be asked to write let- 

 ters to their representatives and senators urging the passage of 

 the amendment, on the ground that it is an economic measure of 

 great value to the agricultural interests of the state. 



A second line of work is enforcement of the bird law. 



There is absolutely no more important work that can be done 

 by the members of the club than to see that the bird laws are 

 absolutely enforced. The membership of the club comes from all 

 parts of your state ; each member should take a personal interest 

 in seeing that the law is strictly enforced in his locality, and to 

 that end he should be thoroughly posted as to its provisions, and 

 to the legal methods for its enforcement. 



A third line of work will be to introduce nature study into the 

 public schools of Michigan ; this is an important innovation and 

 may be somewhat slow of accomplishment. However, a strong 

 committee should be appointed to take the matter up with the 

 State Superintendent of Public Instruction. 



Within the last few years the subject of nature study has been 

 brought so prominently to the front, that undobtedlv it will soon 



