Evening star., 1900-10-15

Against the sale anu we9rfhg. of feathers OF
native birds, as the enormous demand for
birds for millinery purtoses is generally
sscSsai.sd S;sS as one of chief causes of
Birds Of Prey.
"In view Of the widespread prejudice
against birds Of prey, 1t is perhaps not SUR
prising that comparatively little protection
is given them. Only a few years ago sew
eral states endeavored to exterminate
hawks and owls by means efibounties. and
although most of the hounr1es have been
withdrawn, protection Is, still withheld even
in states which have the most comprehen-
sive laws. In one respect there is q wide
difference between English and American
laws Under the former all birds are treat
ed alike and are protected only during five
months that cover the Breeding season,
whereas In the United States it is GUS
tomary to divide birds fntof two or more
ing the breeding season. ana the other pro-
tected species at all times Only q few
states, notably Georgia, North Carolina and
Tennessee, treat all birds alike but these
states really protect few species besides
game birds The English law has the ad-
vantage OF being more comprehensive than
most of our statutes, but the principle of
establishing protection only during the
breeding season would be open to serious
objection in many states on account of the
tendency to class a number of insectiverous
birds as game. Under that plan such birds
would be killed for market in large num-
bers during the winter months.
From the standpoint Of the sportsman,
birds are either game birds or non-g game
birds, but from the legislative standpoint:
they may be roughly divided into three
groups: % Species which should be pro-
,tected at all times, as tl1rushes: CD species
which may be killed at certain seasons for
food sport, as quail: (31 species which
are injurious and therefore excluded from
protection. as the English sparrow. The
first group is usually called fnsectivorous'
or song birds. the second game and the
third injurious birds; but these groups are
necessarily arbitrary, and their limits are
by no means certain. About 1.l2o species
and subspecies Of birds inhabit North
America north of Mexico, and of these
only about 800 1s per cent? can properly
be considered game.
Those Exempted.
'"Twenty-seven states, the District of Co
lumbia and four Canadian provinces exempt
from protection certain species which are
commonly considered injurious. These spe
cies include the English sparrow, birds
which destroy poultry and game, as black
birds, crows and rice birds. and birds which
destroy fish. as looms. fish-eat1ng ducks.
herons and kingfishers OF these thirty-two
states and provinces, twenty-eight specific
ally mention the English sparrow. and
South Dakota and Quebec virtually include
1t with other sparrows. thus leaving only
two-Nevada and South Carolina-which
cies.
AN examination of the various state laws
shows that definitions of non-game birds af-
forded protection are in most cases very
loose. The matter of definition is difficult
one in view of the fact that the number of
birds now recognized in North America is
over 110O, and that the list of even so
small a state as knode Island with
,Tafr ,1,- vr&.la s1E.
less than POI species. while 374 species are
known to occur in Colorado and AS in Ne
braSka.
1.-The general term plume birds. is used
by the Agricultural Department to include
not only herons. which are killed for their
nuptial Plumes, but number of water
birds, which are used for decorative pur
poses, such as pelicans, terms, gulls and
grebes. The snowy heron furnishes the
well-known aigrettes. pelcans supply quilts
and breasts, guils and terms are worn in
great numbers on hats. while grebes'
breasts. besides being used for trimming
mats are also made into muffs. coliarettes
and capes. There is an enormous demand
for plume birds by the millinery trade in
years when they are in fashion. and the To-
calities where the birds breed are secured
by hunters, who find ready market for
the skins at prices varying from 10 to 80
cents apiece. AS these birds all nest in
colonies, 1t is a simple matter to destroy
large number on the breeding grounds: and
so thoroughly is the work done that some
of the species particularly the egrets and
terms, have been almost exterfnina ted along
the southern and eastern coasts of the
United States.
Valuable Species. e.,
THE value of herons. terms. and grebes
is not generally apprecia tsa, and even the
services of the gulls as t&a yengers are rec
ognized in comparatively few places. AS a
result birds of plume being neither game,
ordinary game laws. unless by chance they
happen to be mentioned in the list of pro-
tected species. Thus. by a curious perver-
sity of circumstances. the species which are
killed most merclessly and in the greatest
numbers are the very ones which are af-
torded the least protection.
Plume birds We'll inSectiVorouS
birds are protected in states which have
laws prohibiting the killing
of all birds except game birds and certain
designated species commonly considered in
furious. But these states are few in num-
Der, and include only Arkansas, Illinois.
Indiana, Massachusetts. New York, Rhode
Island and Vermont and also the provinces
OF Manitoba and Ontario
The only states that have special legis-
la ton for plume birds are Florida and Tex
as. In law enacted in 1877 Florida pro-
hibited the destruction Of nests. eggs or
young of any sea bird or bird of plume
under fine not exceeding $40; two years
la ter she made the killing of any birds for
the purpose of obtaining plumes by per-
sons who were not citizens of the United
States a crime punishable by a fine of not
more than 500. Later. in 1891. the killing
of cranes, egrets, ibises, curlews or herons
for purposes of sale, or the purchasing or
trading in such birds was made a misde-
meanor punishable by fine not exceeding
500 The plume bird law of Texas de-
clares the killing of sea gulls. terms, shear
waters. egrets. Eerons and pelieans mis-
demeanoc, punishable by fine of from s.