BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 65 



the magistrate, alderman or justice of the peace shall give to the per- 

 son producing such animal or bird, a certificate of compliance with 

 the provisions of this act directed to the commissioners of the county 

 in which such animal or bird was slain, which certificate shall con- 

 tain the following facts, the kind of animal or bird killed, when, 

 where and by whom killed, and the date by whom and in the pres- 

 ence of what elector the ears of said animal or head of said bird was 

 destroyed, and upon the production of such certificate, the said com- 

 missioners shall give an order upon the county treasurer for the pay- 

 ment of the premium or premiums provided by this act ; and it shall 

 be the further duty of the magistrate, alderman or justice of the peace 

 taking the affidavit, provided in the second section of this act, to file 

 the same forthwith, or cause the same to be filed, in the office of the 

 commissioners of the county, and upon filing the same, the said mag- 

 istrate, alderman or justice of the peace shall receive from the county 

 stock, the sum of twenty cents, in full compensation for all services 

 under this act. 



- Quite early in 1886, the correspondence of the Board developed 

 the fact that there existed among farmers, taxpayers and the several 

 county officers of the State, a widespread dissatisfaction at the work- 

 ings and effect of the law. It also was evident that in some one of its 

 many forms, this act would be brought to the notice of the present 

 Legislature, and the Secretary of the Board deemed it advisable to 

 collect all possible data on either side of the question, and place it in 

 such a form as would be readily available when wanted. As a step 

 in this direction, a circular was prepared and sent to every board of 

 county officers in the State, asking for information upon the following 

 points, viz : 



u 1. The total amount of bounty actually paid from each county 

 treasury up to November 1, 1886. 



" 2. The effect (in the opinion of the officers) of the repeal of the 

 law so far as it affects Hawks and Owls. 



k ' 3. The effect of the repeal of the whole law. 



" Answers to the first question gives us the following data, which 

 show the amount paid by each county from November 1, 1885. to No- 

 vember 1, 1886. A number of the replies stated that the existence of 

 the act did not become generally known until January 1, 1886, and 

 that it would have been more in accordance with their experience to 

 have fixed the time covered from January 1, 1886, to January 1, 1887. 

 A number state that had this latter date been fixed, they would have 

 increased the amounts paid fully twenty per cent., and in many cases 

 more was paid in the two months ending December 31, 1886, than in 

 any six preceding months. From this we are inclined to suppose 

 that it will be perfectly safe to increase the amounts given below fully 

 twenty per cent., in order to cover the total amount paid by each 

 county. The reports give the following as the amounts actually paid 

 between the dates given in the circular, viz., from November 1, 1885, 

 to November 1. 1886 : 

 Adams, . . .'. . $3,80000 Blair, $80000 



Allegheny, 53 00 



Armstrong 1,255 30 



Beaver, 282 50 



Berks, 607 90 



5 BIRDS. 



Bradford, 1,666 55 



Bucks, 444 30 



Butler 833 75 



Cambria, ..... 1,181 10 



