Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-17
The Shooting Of Birds.
,itor of The Evening Star:

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
An article in Tuesdays Star entitled
'Gun-dring in the District" signed by w.
Lee White. has given me quite a surprise.
In the first place, ! am surprised at any
one shooting our beautiful birds for few
berries which form their natural food and
In return for which they destroy the in
sectS which would otherwise ruin the fruit
crop. I have raised berries Of all sorts in
this locality and have never yet had occa-
sion to kill wild bird for destroying my
fruit. An old colorcd man on an adjoining
place used to shoot the birds constantly,
just as Mr.. White admits he does, until l
she wed him the folly and wickedness of
destroying these beautiful and harmless
creatures. He had to admit that the shot
and powder cost him more. in connection
with the fruit mutilated by the shot than
the few berries the birds consumed. Per-
haps Mr.. White may likewise see the error
OF his ways. l have not the least doubt
that the main reason for the failure of
many sorts of fruit to thrive and mature In
this locality is due to the indiscriminate
and 'merciless slaughter of insectivorous
birds Almost every day parties of boys
and even adults may be seen leaving the
city with small rifles for the sole purpose
Of shooting at song birds. Bean-shooters
are used with deadly effect also. Some
time ago while returning from q walk over
a negro boy ahead of me at the west end
of the Pennsylvania avenue bridge, and
every little while they would stop and
laugh. On reaching these stopping places I
would find several of the most beautiful
little birds that I ever saw. The boys had
killed them in the region named and on
reaching the city merely pulled the birds
heads OF and threw them away They en-
joyed this bit of brutality hugely. OF
course l looked everywhere for an officer.
but without success, else their fun had cost
them just S per bird. We have more rob-
ms with US this season than for many
years and every one enjoys looking at and
listening to them. pair built their nest
in front of my house, and we certainly en-
joyed them, but as soon as the young left
the nest gang OF boys climbed the tree,
broke up the nest and made way with as
many of the young possible. An officer
was present part of the time and said, SO
am informed, that he would have arrested
the boys had any one made a complaint to
him. Mr.. White and the others l have
mentioned are liable, In my opinion, not
under the law governing the discharge OF
firearms. but under the game laws. which
are perfectly clear in their provisions as
approved March 3, 1901.
The law reads: THAT no person shall
KILL catch, expose for sale or have in his
or her possession, living or dead, any wild
bird other than a game bird. English spar
row, crow, cooper's hawk. sharshinned
hawk or great horned owl; nor rob the
nest of any such wild bird of eggs or
young; nor destroy such nest except In the
clearing Of land of trees or brush, under a
penalty of 50 for every such bird killed.
caught, exposed for sale or had in his or
her possession. either dead or alive. and
for each nest destroyed, and in default
thereof to be imprisoned in the workhouse
for a period not exceeding thirty days,
etc.
II Mr.. White will invite our game war
den better known as our able superintend-
emit of police. Major Sylvester. to one Of
his bird slaughters, as he says he invited
the sergeant Of police, 1 can safely assure
him there will be something doing" for
him In the Police Court.
Mr.. White cannot with impunity violate
any more than ON any other land. and am
surprised that tho sergeant referred to DID
not take him down, not for firing his gun.
which was entirely lawful. but for killing
birds, which was an unlawful act. .
GEORGE w. EVANS.