The Topeka state journal., 1902-12-31
SAVE The BIRDS.
Prof. ID. L. Lantz Makes a Plea
For Them.
Says That Only Few Are
Protected.
REING DIFFERENTIATED.
Many of the Varieties Have
Nearly Disappeared.
Also Calls a Halt on Birds Egg
Collectors.
BEING DIFFERENTIATED

The Kansas law for bird protection
Is inefficient, according to the ideas of
Prof D. e. Lantz of the Kansas Agri-
cultural college. who read a paper on
"Better Legislation for Bird Protec-
tion" before the Horticultural society.
His paper was referred to a committee
or needed legislation and his ideas will
BE- placed before the legislature in a
bill bearing the endorsement of the
Horticultural society. Prof. Lantz
would have the law extend general
protection for all kinds of birds, nam
ing only the exceptions which may be
killed by sportsmen. Prof. Lantz said:
So far as game birds are concerned
our law is defective in that it furnishes
no protection to a large number OF
birds usually classed under this head.
In the first section of our present law
only 3 of the protected birds named
are properly game birds and two OF
these are hardly found in the state.
There is another family-the anatidae
comprising ducks, geese and swans,
tnat have no protection whatever. Ci
these there are 81 species found in the
state. Some 20 Of these are common
& nng migration and only eight ever
remain TO breed. There was time
when the Canada goose and about a
dozen species of duck bred regularly
in Kansas. While il may be too late
70 bring back former conditions for
ducks and geese it is not too late to
Interfere with their entire extinction.
What has been said of ducks and geese
fRpplies to our herons, rails, sand
pipers and plover.
In all only % species and varieties
out of 353 found in the state are pro-
tected. There are provisions that sew
eral Of these 80 species maT be killed
in open seasons. The law says nothing
about the protection of OVER l50 Of our
insectivorOus birds, all of which are
unquestionably beneficial to the farmer
and horticulturist. We have in Kan
sas 25 varieties of hawks and vultures
and ten kinds Of owls. OF all these
only three, belonging to the genus ac-
Cipiter can be truthfully said TO have
Objectionable habits. The great ma
1ority feed entirely on insects and
small rodents and no class of birds
merit more careful protection by the
law.
our law is further defective in not
providing for the protection of birds
nests and eggs In our towns the col
lecting of birds eggs has so often be
come a fad among boys that bird life
has suffered to an alarming extent.
There should be a law to strictly pro-
hibit such collecting at least by boys
under twelve years of age. In my
opinion the list of birds excepted from
protection should be short including
the English sparrows the erow.-athe
blue-jay, cOOperis hawk and the sharp
skinned hawk. A section of the law
should provide for a short open season
for few game birds including the
ducks and geese"
Just before the noon intermission a
reconsideration of amendments was
called for and that placing one term
limit upon all offices except that of
secretary was adopted. This amend
ment does not affect the office of trus-
toe.
TIE morning programme contained
several valuable papers on wide vari-
ETY. Of subjects These will be repro
duced during the coming weeks in the
Kansas Farmer. c. A Chandler of
Shaw's Garden, st. Louis. Mo, read a
paper on stone Fruits George A
Blair one on Handling Fruits" A
very interesting article on Conner
cial Gardening" was read by A. Chan
dler Of Randolph. Mo, while some good
advice on the subject Best Horticui-
tural Implements" was given by O. T.
whitney, Shawnee county and Edwin
Snyder Of Jefferson county. The sub
5ect. Marketing Fruit" was ably
handled by B. F. Smith the STRAW
berry king of Lawrence.
The State Horticultural society ad-
Journed at 3 o'clock after the reading
Of few more papers