24 REPORT OF 
XEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
The Public Laws of Yew Jersey, 1895, sections 7 and 8, page 
476, provide: 
7. That it shall be unlawful to. capture, kill or injure or have in possession 
after the same have been captured, killed.or injured any night hawk, whip- 
poor-will, thrush, meadow lark, finch, martin, barn swallow, woodpecker, robin, 
oriole, red or cardinal bird, cedar bird, tanager or other insectivorous bird, 
under a penalty of twenty dollars for every bird so captured, killed, injured or 
had in possession; provided , that nothing in this section shall be so construed 
as to prevent the taking or killing of English sparrows, cranes, hawks, crows, 
ravens, crow-blackbirds, kingfishers or red-winged blackbirds. 
8 That it shall be unlawful to rob or destroy the eggs or nests of any wild 
bird whatever, under a penalty, of twenty dollars for each and every nest so 
robbed or destroyed. 
THE SONG BIRDS’ PETITION. 
One of the most remarkable documents ever placed in a State 
House is the petition-prepared by United States Senator George F. 
Hoar, of Massachusetts, which resulted in the law prohibiting the 
wearing of song birds’ feathers for ornament. The petition ap¬ 
pears to be signed by thirty-seven song birds, and it was so grace¬ 
fully worded that the members of the Legislature passed the law 
almost as soon as it was read. 
l\Ir. Rufus Wade, Chief of the Massachusetts District Police, 
has sent to all milliners and dealers in birds’ feathers a circular 
containing a copy of the act passed by the last State Legislature, 
and which says in substance that neither the body nor the feathers 
of Massachusetts song birds shall be used for the purpose of orna¬ 
menting hats or bonnets. The members of the State police in all 
parts of Massachusetts have also had the text of the law called to 
their attention. 
Here is the petition: 
To the Great and General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: 
“We, tbe song birds of Massachusetts and their playfellows, make this, our 
humble petition. We know more about you than you think we do. We know 
how good you are. We have hopped about the roofs and looked in at 
your windows of the houses you have built for poor, sick and hungry people 
and little lame and deaf and blind children. We have built our nests in the 
trees and sung many a song as we flew about the gardens and parks you have 
made so beautiful for your children', especially your poor children, to play in. 
Every year we fly a great way over the country, keeping all the time where 
the sun is bright and warm. And we know that whenever you do anything the 
