344 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
“4. All laws are liable to abuse and violation, and this one is no exception to the 
general rule. 
“5. The etfect of a continuance of the law as it now is will be to increase the pro- 
duction of poultry and decrease its price.” 
From letters kindly sent by the commissioners of the several counties hereafter 
named, I am enabled to show part of the animals on which bounty was paid tor a 
period of some six months, i. e., from January 1, 1886, to July 1, 1886. From reliable 
informants 1 find that the “Scalp Act” was not generally known to be in existence 
until about January 1, 1886 : 
Allegheny . — 4 “cat” owls, i. e.. Great-horned Owls. 
Armstrong . — 167 hawks; 49 owls, “also quite an amount for foxes, minks and 
weasels.” 
Adams . — “We have paid since the first of October, 1885, to July 3, 1886, for 1,716 
hawks, 402 owls, or ^858.00 for hawks, and 1201.00 for owls ; total, ^1,059.00. The 
premiums on weasels, minks and foxes are about one-third of the above. A bad 
feature about the act is the apparent manner in which the counties are imposed 
upon, in farming hawks, owls, foxes, etc.” 
Bucks . — 138 hawks ; 16 owls. 
Bradford . — Total amount paid for all animals from January 8, 1886, to August 1, 
1886, inclusive, 1996.00. “ One-half for hawks and owds, balance for weasels, minks 
and foxes.” 
Blair . — 123 hawks ; 13 owls. 
Beaver . — 25 hawks ; 12 owls. 
Clarion.— IQb hawks ; 20 owls. 
Centre . — 119 hawks ; 26 owls. 
Cameron . — 3 hawks ; 2 owls. 
Clinton . — 34 hawks ; 8 owls. 
Crawford . — “ Bounty account not kept so as to show' how many of each kind paid 
for; the first five months they were very equally divided, but in May and June 
hawks, weasels and owls predominated ; hawks leading the list. We paid the first 
bounty on a fox November, 1885, |1.00; December, $275.90; January, 1886, $279.20; 
February, $182.00 ; March, $207.00 ; April, $236.40; May, $347.60; June, $1,079.00; 
total, $2,608.10, including justices’ fees.” 
Chester. — 1885 — 11 hawks ; 6 minks ; 5 weasels ; 1 fox. 1886 — from January 1 to 
December, inclusive, 666 hawks ; 60 owls ; 107 foxes ; 208 minks ; 248 weasels. 1887 — 
from January 1 to March 18, inclusive, 289 hawks ; 79 owls ; 84 minks ; 7 foxes ; 
199 weasels. 
Delaware . — 3 hawks; 3 foxes. 
Erie. — 414haw^ks; 225 owls ; 107 foxes. “It is rapidly on the increase; one-fifth 
of the whole number has been within the last two w'^eeks.” This letter was dated 
July 13, 1887. 
Fayette. —278 hawks ; 80 owls ; 82 foxes ; 24 minks ; 6 wild cats. 
Forest . — 110 foxes ; 37 hawks ; owls 2. 
Franklin . — In 1885, 24 wildcats; 278 foxes; 97 minks; 22 hawks; 9 weasels; 2 
owls. In 1886, from January 1 to July 1, 9 wild cats ; 287 foxes ; 76 minks ; 123 hawks ; 
22 weasels ; 30 owls. 
Huntingdon . — 64 owls ; 347 hawks ; 56 minks ; 38 weasels ; 362 foxes ; 12 wild cats. 
Indiana . — 350 foxes ; 250 weasels ; 300 hawks ; 150 owls. 
Juniata . — 150 hawks ; 70 foxes ; 20 owls. 
Lackawanna . — 70 foxes ; 30 hawiis ; 5 weasels ; 7 wild cats ; 25 minks. 
Lycoming . — 700 hawks and owls ; 250 foxes. “We pay about $115.00 per month for 
destroying the above-named animals,” 
Mifflin . — 71 hawks; 14 owds ; 17 weasels; 14 minks. 
Montour . — “Paid for all animals $161.40.” 
Mercer . — “Our people did not become apprised of the passage of the act to which 
you refer until some time after its approval, and as a result we did not have any cer- 
tificates presented until after the first of December, 1885. Since that time we have 
