Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-10
STATE HOUSE.
Wearing of Birds on BonnetS
Prohibited by Law.
Exhibits of Horses, Cattle, Sheep and
Swine at County Fairs.
Pardon Asked by Alfred /. M. Joy OF
Brunswick.

| other day, that the law pTolllpit-hS
i the wearing of the piumage, the SIKH
or the body of any wild bird is thor
oughly understood by the milliners and
their lady patrons. | know that 1t Is
no unusual thing to see ladies' hats
adorned with birds and parts OF Dlrds'
regardless of the fact that the law I'M
poses a penalty of s. for each ofence
and 50 for each bird, or part of blrd,
I found in the possession of anyone, OF
to Imprisonment for 10 days, or poth, at
the courts discretion.
After investigating the point raised
bv the gentleman it was found that the
Ilast Legislature made sweeping changes
| in the laws for the protection of birds
other than game birds. There are two
| classes of birds, game and wild. On
al game birds the law provides close
time, as follows:
For wood duck, dusky duck, COM
monty called black duck, teal and gray
duck, the close time shall be during the
months of January, February, March,
May, June, July, August and December
of each year; for ruffed grouse, COM
mCnly called partridge, and woodcock,
from the first day of December to Sep
TENDER 18th next following of each
year: for quail from the first day of
December to the first day of October:
for plover. snipe and sandpipers, from
the first day of May to the first day of
August of each year"
In open time the rules and regula-
tons, governing the NUMBER of birds
each person may catch, kill or have in
possession. are very strict and the pen
alties for violation wise and necessary.
The law protecting wild birds include
every species, excepting crows, hawks,
owls and English sparrows, and is as
follows:
No person shall, within the State
of Maine, kill or catch or have in his
or her possession, living or dead. any
wild bird, other than game bird, nor
shall purchase. offer or expose for sale,
any such wild bird after it has been
killed or caught. No part of the plum
age, skin or body Of any bird protected
by this section shall be sold or had in
possession for sale. Nor shall any per-
son within the State take or needlessly
destroy the nest or the eggs of any wild
bird, nor have such nest or eggs in his
or, her possession. The English, or Eu-
ropean house sparrow, the common
crow and the hawks and owls are not
linciuded among the birds herein pro-
| tected; and for the purposes of this act,
1.-THE following only shall be considered
game birds: the anatidae, commonly
| known as swans. geese, brant, and
river and sea ducks; the rallidae, COM
monty known as rails. coots, mud-hens
1 hA lirninnl1n
| known as shore birds, plovers, surf
birds, snipe, woodcock, sandplpers, tat
lers and curews; the gallinae, common
| " known as wild turkeys, grouse, prai-
RE chickens. pheasants, cartridges and
! uuails Nothing in this section, how
ever, shall be construed to affect in any
way the protection of game birds, as
provided in Sections II and 13 of the act
hereby amended. Any person who vio-
lates any of the provisions of this sec
ton shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
and when convicted therefor, shall be
| ined s. for each offence, and an addi-
tional s. for each bird, living or dead,
or part Of bird. or nest or eggs pos
sessed in violation of this section or to
Imprisonment for 10 days. or BOTH at
the discretion of the court"
| 1t will thus be seen that no part of
the plumage. skin or body of any bird
protected by this law shall be sold or
had in possession for sale. And this
clause of the Jaw must apply to all such
birds whether Maine birds or imported
from other states or countries.
For several years the discussion on
the subject of uprooting the fashion of
h., Dffe. fharpnf fl
bonnet decoration has been going on,
not only in Maine but all over the coun-
try. and most of the states have adopt
ed laws prohibiting their use. The above
law. which may be found in Chapter l42
of the Laws of 1901, is as sweeping as
any in existence. BY its means, the
game wardens or other officials who are
sworn to execute all laws, may in a
short time put a stop to the sale and
wear of wild birds or their plumage.
According to the report of the secre-
tary of the Board of Agriculture. the
exhibits at the county and town fairs
which secured aid from the State, for
the year 1901, We're as follows:
The total number of horses and colts
exhibited was 1866. The total number
of neat stock. which included thorough
1 bred bulls, bull calves, cows, helferS
and heifer calves: grade bulls, bul
calves, COWS, heifers and heifer calves
oxen and steers; cattle shown in herds
and beef animals, was 661l. The tota
number of sheep was 1410: swine. ZIG
and the number of coops of poultry wa:
11l2.
The premiums paid for horses anC
colts We're for trotting bred stallion!
and brood mares, draft stock stallion:
and brood mares, family horses. gen
tlemen's drivers. matched carriag
horses, colts and draft horses, ant
ranged in amount from 81 up to s55 TO
certain classes per society.
Premiums We're paid for all kinds o
neat cattle, sheep. swine and poultry
also for grain and root crops, fruit an
l flowers. bread and dairy products
honey, sugar and syrups, agriculture
implements. household manufacture
and needle work and other objects.
The total amount of premiums an
gratuities paid by these societies 70
the exhibits as classified above wa
So. 097.Se.