Off. Doc.] Pennsylvania State Board of Agriculture. 
3 
in communication with those who had information to give. Bulletins, 
pamphlets and reports were sent broadcast with the aim of educating 
the people. The Department of Agriculture at Washington received 
thousands of birds’ stomachs, together with their contents. Individual 
birds were studied by ornithologists and the result of their investiga- 
tions made public. The Audubon Society flourished until now its 
numbers count about fifty thousand. The Agassiz Society indorsed 
the Audubon movement and in turn instructed its youthful members 
to study, but never to wantonly destroy the birds. The bird laws in 
certain States were modified and in some States entirely new ones 
were passed, which were practically in accord with the recommenda- 
tions of the bird experts. 
When the subject of legislation was before our committee for weeks 
and months together, we unanimously, and we think wisely, decided 
to make two divisions of the birds, viz : game birds and non-game 
birds. Each of these classes requires vastly different laws, and more- 
over the game birds throughout the United States and Canada are 
pretty well protected and can be watched by the societies, wardens, 
etc., appointed for the special purpose. The non game birds were 
generally poorly protected and should we tack on to already existing 
laws such changes as our song and insectivorous birds demanded, we 
should endanger the game bird law, create a division of sentiment, 
and probably ovei throw the purpose desired. With this division 
there is perfect accord, and the workers in each class heartily cooper- 
ate with each other. 
From the fact that your ornithologist’s report is so earnestly read 
and sought for, that your granges, agricultural societies, horticultural 
societies and your own meetings discuss the birds eagerly and intel- 
ligently, and that your secretary has asked for this special paper, I 
am sure there can be no question as to the fitness of this present 
time for intelligent bird legislation. 
Now, then, from the nature of these winged and wonderful creatures 
who play such a prominent part in the necessities, comforts, luxuries 
and pleasures of mankind, it is apparent to all that there should be a 
unanimity as far as possible in the bird laws of the various States. 
In an economic sense birds may be divided into three classes, viz : 
good, bad and questionable. Good birds are those most useful to man 
in fertilizing trees and plants, in feeding chiefly or wholly upon ob 
noxious insects, and in causing comparatively little injury to seeds, 
flowers, and fruits. They are by far the greatest in number and are 
generally correctly judged. These, to our shame be it said, must be 
legally protected from the thoughtless, malicious, cruel and greedy 
hands of men and boys. 
The bad birds are those who do infinitely more harm than good and 
when so denounced by proper authority, should be outlawed by com- 
mon consent and their numbers held in check by the most efficient 
means known. To this class the English sparrow {Passer Domesticus) 
has alone been adjudged, and that after years of study and considera- 
tion of testimony from thousands of witnesses in all parts of the land. 
The questionable birds are those whose habits are sometimes good 
and sometimes bad, and against whom at best not enough testimony 
has been brought to light to warrant in condemming. In this class are 
the crows, blackbirds, jays and a very few of the birds of prey. For- 
merly most, if not all, of the birds of this class, were denied the 
benefit of the doubt and shot; but in recent carefjl and more 
