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 effect 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 $201.00 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, $996.00. “ One-half for hawks and owls, balance for weasels, minks- 
and foxes.” 
Blair .—123 hawks ; 13 owls. 
Beaver .—25 hawks; 12 owls. 
Clarion .—165 hawks ; 20 owls. 
Centre .—119 hawks ; 26 owls. 
Cameron. —3 hawks ; 2 owls. 
Ctinton .—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 haw'ks ; 6 minks ; 5 w'easels ; 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 haw-ks; 79 owls ; 84 minks ; 7 foxes ; 
199 w'easels. 
Delaware .—3 hawks; 3 foxes. 
Erie .—414 haw 7 ks; 225 owls ; 107 foxes. “It is rapidly on the increase; one-fifth 
ot the whole number has been within the last two weeks.” This letter w'as dated 
July 13, 1887. 
Fayette. —278 hawks; 80 owds; 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 ow r ls. 
Huntingdon. —64 owls; 347 hawks; 56 minks; 38 weasels ; 362 foxes; 12 wild cats. 
Indiana .—350 foxes ; 250 weasels ; 300 haw'ks; 150 owls. 
Juniata .—150 hawks; 70 foxes ; 20 owds. 
Lackawanna .—70 foxes; 30hawxs; 5 weasels; 7 wild cats; 25 minks. 
Lycoming .—700 hawks and owds ; 250 foxes. “ We pay about $115.00 per month for 
destroying the above-named animals.” 
Mifflin .—71 hawks ; Howls; 17 w'easels; 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 
