3 
DEFINITIONS. 
Although the law names the more important game birds, a regu- 
lation defining the groups is necessary to show definitely the kinds 
of birds included under the term “ all other migratory game and 
insectivorous birds.” In framing these definitions the statutory defi- 
nitions of the various State laws have been followed as closely as 
possible in so far as they relate to migratory species; the birds have 
been arranged in natural groups, and the common names adopted by 
the American Ornithologists’ Union have been followed when the 
birds have more than one common name since it is obviously imprac- 
ticable to include all the local names. 
NIGHT SHOOTING. 
The regulation prohibiting night shooting is intended to bring 
about uniformity in provisions now in force in most States protect- 
ing waterfowl or other birds at night or within certain hours between 
sunset and sunrise so that the birds may be unmolested on their 
roosting grounds and may have time to feed after sunset or before 
sunrise. It will make no change in existing law in about one-fourth 
of the States; it will make existing regulations clearer in 9 States; 
it will add an hour’s protection, more or less, in the morning and 
evening in about one-fourth of the States; and it will regulate night 
shooting in 14 States which now have no restriction of this kind. 
INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 
This regulation simply makes uniform the protection now accorded 
these birds in more than 40 States. It protects the robin, the lark, 
and other birds in the few States in which they suffer from an 
open season. It attempts no change in existing regulations regard- 
ing the issue of permits for collecting birds for scientific purposes. 
FIVE-YEAR CLOSE SEASONS. 
A close season for several years is provided in an effort to harmon- 
ize the absolute protection already given some birds in certain States, 
the demand for five-year close seasons on shore birds, and the neces- 
sity for greater protection on other birds which have been hunted 
beyond the margin of safety. The protection accorded woodcock and 
rail is already existing law; that on swans has been made uniform 
throughout all the States, and that on wood ducks extended from a 
few States in the Northeast to most of the States in Zone No. 1 east 
of the Mississippi River. The only important additions are the 
additional protection given band-tailed pigeons in a few States and 
the close season placed on avocets, cranes, curlew, godwits, killdeer, 
stilts, upland plover, willet, and the smaller shore birds. 
