11 
THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE Birp Laws. 
Until the year 1896 our game laws were rather ineffective, for 
there was no one who considered it his duty to enforce them. In 
1896 the Commissioners of Inland Fisheries were given by law the 
powers of game commissioners. This was the most important step 
taken for the protection of birds and game up to that time, for it 
assured, in some measure, at least, the enforcement of the law. The 
powers and duties of the commissioners have been extended from 
time to time, and their efficiency has been increased. 
In 1894 a resolve was enacted providing for the introduction of 
Mongolian pheasants. The species introduced was the ring-neck. In 
1895 the commissioners were authorized to propagate birds and animals, 
and the sum of $500 was appropriated for the purpose of purchasing and 
propagating pheasants. While the introduction of the pheasants may 
not have been an unmixed blessing, the experience gained in propa- 
gating birds will be of value to the Commonwealth, for unquestionably 
the time has come for Massachusetts to experiment, with a view of 
eventually propagating and distributing native game birds to supply 
her depleted covers. 
NEEDED LEGISLATION. 
This necessarily limited and imperfect review of our legislative 
enactments for the conservation of birds exhibits clearly the main 
reasons why protection has, in many cases, failed to protect. The 
principal reasons for this failure are four in number: (1) legislation 
has been spasmodic and vacillating, (2) laws and penalties have not 
been sufficiently stringent, (8) until recent years the laws have not 
been enforced, (4) protection has come too late. 
Protection will always be ineffective if it is held back until the need 
for it is generally recognized. It should become operative before it 
becomes necessary to save a bird from extermination. Its laws should 
not be enacted merely with the purpose of maintaining the present 
number of birds. Its province should be to increase their numbers 
before they are in any danger of extinction, and legislation with this 
end in view is needed now. 
In 1904 it was stated in my report on the decrease of birds! that 
at least six species of game birds, waterfowl or shore birds had dis- 
appeared, and that the wild pigeon was then practically gone from 
Massachusetts, and also that several other species were then nearly 
extirpated or driven out. Among these latter the Eskimo curlew 
was mentioned. To-day the belief obtains among ornithologists 
“that both the passenger pigeon and the Eskimo curlew are extinct. 
It may be already too late to save the vanishing species, and the 
wood duck and the upland plover are in great danger. 
The question arises, What more can be done to conserve and in- 
crease the birds that remain? 
First, WE Must stop ALL SPRING AND SUMMER SHOOTING. 
Evidently it is most important to allow all birds to breed unmolested. 
Bobolinks, blackbirds and robins which are protected on their northern 
breeding grounds maintain their numbers well, though slain in great 
1 Forbush, Edward Howe, ‘Special Report on the Decrease of Certain Birds and its 
Causes, with Suggestions for Bird Protection.” Fif ty-second report of the Massachu- 
setts State Board of Agriculture. 
