Evening star., 1901-10-30
DISTRICT BIRD LAWS
DEPARTMENT BULLETIN OF ENACT
MENTs NOW IN FORCE.
National Capital Cannot he Made %
Market for Birds Illegally
Killed Elsewhere.
wASHINGToN:
1909
Pennsylvania Ave.

Killed Elsewhere.
The division of biological survey OF the
Agricultural Department has just issued
bulletin on Laws for the Protection OF
Birds and Game In the District of Column
bia,'' in which it is stated that the laws for
the protection of birds and game now in
force here are contained I'm three acts Of
Congress, passed at different sessions.
These statutes regulate not only the cap
ture, sale and transportation OF game. but
also the sale and transportation Of birds
and plumage for millinery purposes
These laws are intended not only to pre-
serve the birds which naturally breed
within the District and II possible to in
crease their abundance but also to pre-
vent the national capital from being made
a market for birds Illegally killed I'm neigh
boring or distant states. Thus II happens
that seasons are fixed for the sale of deer.
prairie chickens and other game never seen
in the District except in the markets or in
captivity.
The list of birds known to make
their homes Ia the vicinity OF the capital
includes nearly 800 species, of which 100
or more remain to breed. OF these last
species about % has been found nest
ing within the city limits. At certain sea-
sons of the year gulls and other water
birds may be seen along the river. In
early autumn reed birds and ortolan visit
the marshes in great numbers, and during
migration the woods are thronged with MI
grants passing north or south. In the
month of May one observer has found
about sixty-five species OF birds in sin
gle day in the Geological and Rock Creek
parks. These native birds form very
valuable addition to the other natural at
fractions of the public parks, but their
be assured only Dy adequate
protection.
The general plan OF the law is simple.
All the birds which occur in the District
or which may be brought In for sale are
divided into three groups: % Game birds,
protected only at certain seasons; (2) nom
game birds, protected throughout the year,
and 90 Injurious birds. as the English
sparrow, the crow, two species Of hawks
and the great horned owl, which are given
no protection.
The Open Seasons.
The game birds are clearly defined and
include all the species which can be con-
sidered legitimate game or which should
be killed for food. The open seasons, or
times when game may be killed or exposed
for sale, are greater in length than those
In many state, and are as long as the
requirements Of modern game protection
will permit
The seasons. arranged according TO OPEN
ing dates, are as follows: Woodcock. July
to January /; deer, September L to Janu-
ary i: rail or ortolan, reed bird, marsh
blackbird, September / to February j;
prairie chicken, September TO March 10;
duck. goose, brant plover, snipe, Septem-
ber 1 to April 1; ruffed grouse or pheasant,
wild turkey, November i to December 70;
ra bbit squirrel, November L to February
1; quail or partridge, November to March
'.The provision of the game law that wild
birds other than game birds shall not be
killed or exposed for sale" says the re-
port. protects not only the species gener-
ally known as song and insectiYorous birds,
fiickers and robins, which are sometimes
killed for food but also various native
birds that are utilized for millinery pur-
poses The killing or sale OF these species
is absolutely prohibited at all times, eN-
cent under permit for scientific purposes.
The law does not apply tC the sale OF plum
age of domesticated bir6s, such as chick
ems, pigeons, peacocks fr osuiches ana IL
is generally understood --ot TO prevent the
sale of parrots Of birds OF paradise and
other species that do not occur in this
country.
Law is Comprehensive.
"The native birds most used by the MILL
merry trade at the present time are grebes,
gulls, terms or sea swallows. pelicans, her
ons and owls. Gulls. terms and owls are
often used entire for hat ornaments; the
breasts of grebes and pelicans are utilized
for trimmings, while herons furnish
aigrettes and pelicans quilts. The law COW
ers not only whole birds. but parts OF birds
as we'll such as heads breasts and wings
or single feathers made into pompons or
sold separately as quilts. The fact that
plumage has been made up by being dyed,
by having bones removed from the wings,
by having the breast feathers mounted on
a strip of cloth, or by being combined with
other plumage, does not exempt Ii from the
operation of the law, provided any OF the
feathers originally came from birds which
''The law prohibits nest robbing, trap
ping. hunting with big guns, shooting birds
at night and all hunting on Sunday. 1t
likewise prohibits possession and sale OF
BIRDS under the same penalties as those
which apply to killing. These prohibitions
apply to birds offered for sale in the Dis
trict whether such birds are captured
within or without Its limits.
The enforcement of the law affects not
only sportsmen, but also all persons who
have occasion to buy or sell game, whether
for hotels and restaurants or for household
use, and likewise those interested In the
use of feathers for millinery purposes. Ii
therefore concerns. directly or indirectly
.rict. Where museums and libraries are as
accessible they are in Washington the
requisite knowledge can be acquired with
very little trouble. and there is no reason
why robins and shore larks should be sold
for reed birds or sea gulls for pigeons. In
formation concerning birds can be readily
obtained from the Smithsonian Institution
Or the Department OF Agriculture through
the Fish and Game Protective Association
Dr. the Audubon Society. Copies of the To-
cal laws may be had free OF charge. and
may be obtained concerning
The laws of states from which birds are
received on application to the Department
Of Agriculture. Under these circumstances
there should be no difficulty In strict ob-
servance OF the game laws OF the District.
Customers well as dealers should be IA
miliar with the close seasons and with the
Kinds of birds which can or cannot be sold
ignorance OF the Identity of birds bought
and sold is apt to lead to violations OF
some important provisions of the law to
which severe penalties are attached"