Michigan Ornithological Club 71 



unpleasant criticism, not all of which is justified. We cheerfully take ou: 

 own share of blame and promise to be more discreet in future. 



In this connection it may be well to call attention to the fact that in 

 Michigan the collecting of birds' eggs is strictly illegal except in the case 

 of such species as are themselves outlaws. The scientist or student, after 

 compliance with certain requirements, may obtain from the State Game 

 Warden a permit which allows him to take a certain number of birds pro- 

 tected by law. But the statute makes no provision for the legal collection 

 of their eggs but provides a penalty for each instance in which such eggs 

 "are taken. Under this law^ last year the holder of such a permit might 

 lawfully kill a pair of Kirtland's Warblers or a pair of Robins but were he 

 to take the nest or eggs of these same birds he would be liable to the 

 penalty provided. It has been claimed that the intent of the law was to 

 allow the taking of eggs by persons holding permits to collect the parents, 

 but this is certainly not warranted by anything in the statute- and if the 

 authorities seem to have winked at the technical violation of the law here- 

 tofore it is nevertheless unsafe to expect that they will always do so. Espe- 

 cially unsafe is the action of a permit-holder who collects large numbers of 

 eggs without any pretense of collecting birds, merely taking a bird occa- 

 sionally in order to "authenticate" a set of eggs. Definite provision should 

 be made by law for the collection of eggs for strictly scientific purposes and 

 then the ordinary collector who is robbing for pleasure or especially for 

 profit should be summarily put out of business. An amendment to the present 

 law which will accomplish this end is something which the legislature at its 

 coming season should be asked, and pressed, to enact. — W. B. B. 



The Bulletin recently received much free advertising in Michigan's lead- 

 ing newspaper, from a series of articles penned by a Detroit gentleman. He 

 possibly has the interest of the birds at heart but would do well in th? 

 future . to take up their study before further condemning oriiithological 

 research 



Any one who has studied birds can not help but be impressed with 

 their great value to mankind and all such are, we believe, in favor of sane 

 protection. Our newspapers are one of the protectionist's main helps toward 

 the accomplishment of his unselfish end, but let us hope that the newspaper 

 in question will hereafter select contributors who are students — not faddists. 



The Bulletin stands for the protection of birds, even though it is not con- 

 stantly quoting the views of Beal, Barrows, Fisher, • Merriam and others on 

 their great value to agriculture. The taking of a few birds and sets of eggs 

 is as absolutely necessary to the scientific student of birds as the dissecting of 

 a cadaver is to the prospective surgeon. Yet it is these same "bird killers" 

 and "nest robbers" who have done and are still doing the most for the pro- 

 tection of our birds. 



We doubt if there will be all told five hundred birds taken for scientific 

 specimens in the whole of Michigan during 1904 — and even this would be less 

 than one bird for every hundred square miles of territory. — A. W. B., Jr. 



