The Emu. 143 
done and describing the success achieved. Up to 1901 only five 
States had satisfactory laws for the protection of non-game birds, 
but during- that year eleven more Legislatures were induced 
either to amend their old laws in the desired direction or pass 
new ones on the lines of a bill which had been drafted for the 
Union by Dr. T. S. Palmer, who (acting for the Biological 
Survey of the U.S. Department of Agriculture) has so vigor- 
ously and efficiently enforced w^hat is known as the Lacey Act 
that a great deal has been done towards suppressing the trade 
in birds for millinery purposes. This Act is said to have "spread 
consternation amongst illicit game dealers throughout the 
country." In the district of Columbia retail dealers who had 
been served with printed extracts from it refused to keep or 
sell plumes, and returned them to the New York wholesale 
houses. In that city, dealers who had protected birds in their 
possession were prosecuted, and " paid the fines rather than 
defend the suit." 
Along the Atlantic coast wardens visit the various breeding 
grounds of Gulls, Terns, &c., and keep so keen an eye on 
illegal shooters and egg-collectors that those birds have 
greatly increased in number, and in one district the leading 
supplier said " he guessed shooting birds for hats was over." 
The work has not been confined to the eastern coast. In 
Chicago the trade in American cage-birds has been prac- 
tically suppressed, and from California it is reported that, as 
far as known, no birds are now collected there for the millinery 
trade. Over a large area of the States considerable activity in 
the matter is shown, more particularly when the ladies have been 
enlisted in the cause. In Atlanta one lady had, "unaided, 
secured the pledges of over 3,000 of the best women of her State 
that they would not in the future use the plumage of wild birds 
as millinery ornaments .... and through her efforts over 
2,500 school children of Atlanta were subscribers to a pledge 
not to harm or annoy wild birds." Much of the success achieved 
is due to Mr. Abbot H. Thayer, who alone collected what is 
known as the " Thayer Fund," used principally for the expenses 
of wardens and the posting of warning notices in conspicuous 
places, and still more perhaps to the aid of the various Audubon 
societies, who seem very earnest in the cause. 
That the movement in favour of bird protection is spreading 
from the new to the old world is evident by the fact that a 
cablegram has appeared in the newspapers announcing that 
His Alajesty King Edward and Queen Alexandra have strongly 
deprecated the killing of birds in order to secure their feathers 
for trimmings for ladies' hats. Their Majesties were prompted 
to take this action on being informed that a milliner had entered 
into a contract for 10,000 Seagulls' wings for London and Paris 
orders. Australasia should lose no tim.e in falling into line in 
this matter. 
