St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-04-12
To Protect the Birds.

The bill to extend the jurisdiction OF
the commission OF fish and fisheries over
game birds and other wild birds useful
TO man." which recently passed both
branches OF Congress and went to con-
ference on certain Senate amendments,
promises to be useful. During the de-
bates it was pointed out that in various
parts Of Europe the duties of fish and
game wardens are combined in the same
hands, so that the present measure is
not wholly experimental.
Mr.. Lacey in arguing TOR the bill, re-
called his boyhood days, when "the air
was fairly filled with varieties OF birds
that have since almost entirely disap-
peared," and cited the fate of the buffalo
to illustrate how animals almost incredi-
biz abundant may be swept away by
the million from the earth, when not pro.
tected by timely legislation. Compare
lively lew years ago, he said, railroad
trains in the West had to stop until the
buffalo herds passed, ana now there may
bc perhaps 100 OF those animals III the
whole country. Very striking also was
his statement that a century and hall
ago in Connecticut an apprentices inden-
ture forbade the farmer to make him eat
salmon more than twice a week, while IN
MARYLAND laws prevented masters from
forcing their slaves to live exclusively
upon terrapn. That the song birds and
game birds are fast going the way OF the
buffalo and the seal i'll spite OF the effort
OF the Audubon societies is evidently the
opinion of W. T. Hornaday, who was
cited during the debate as an authority
ON this point
After having stripped our Atlantic
coast, the whole OF Florida and the Gull
coast OF egrets, tens and hundreds OF
thousands of other birds acceptable 10
the milliner for hat trimmings. the plume
hunters are now atwork along the coast
OF Mexico and Central America, Lower
California, aud even upon the head.
waters OF the 0rinoco and Amazon.
throughout about three'ttths OF the
whole area of our country, exclusive OF
Alaska. bird life in general is being ami
hilated In many localities edible birds
OF nearly all species have become rare.
Owing to the disappearance OF the true
game birds. our song aud insectivorous
birds are now being killed tor food pur-
poses Under present conditions, except
in few localities, the practical auuihila-
ton OF all our birds, except the smallest
species, within comparatively short
period, may be regarded as absolutely
certain to occur
A table showing the decrease OF bird
life in so states aud territories exhibits a
maximum OF ~ per cent in Rhode Island
aud minimum OF 10 per cent i'll Nebras-
ka, the average being +6 per cent. ln-
deed, the few opponents OF the bill did
not deny the existing peris to bird life,
hut doubted whether the jurisdiction OF
Congress over navigable waters which
justified legislation upon fish culture
could properly be extended TO the deni-
gems OF the air That protection, they
argued. should depend on state la rs, as,
indeed, the propagation of fish i'll non
navigable streams depends on such legis-
lation. Still the friends OF the bill point
ed out that the fish commission does, by
permission, introduce FISH into uou.navi-
gable streams, and that in the same way
II could supplement state protection OF
bird life, while III the territories and the
public lands il would have tull sway.
Ii was determined, therefore. TO give
the fish commission such powers over
the propagation, distribution, trans
portation, introduction and restoration
of game birds and other wild birds use.
iul to man" as could be lawfully given;
and all lovers OF birds must hope that
these powers will be exercised wisely and
WE'LL New York Sun.