Page:Bird-lore Vol 08.djvu/283

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Legislation 233 ties, viz.: "Prohibiting hunting, trapping or other trespass on bird refuges" (Pub. No. 314), and "Prohibiting hunting in the District of Columbia except on the marshes of the Eastern Branch and the West side of the Potomac River" (Pub. No. 401). The former was a much-needed statute to enable the wardens of this Association to prevent trespass on the bird reservations set aside by President Roosevelt at the request of this Society, and the latter practically makes another reservation of the District of Columbia. Work for 1907. — The legislative work of 1906 is done, and we must turn our faces to the future and try to formulate some plans for the season of 1907 now so near at hand. There will be sessions of the legislature in forty- two states and also a short session of Congress. This means that a trusted representative must be secured in each of the forty-three capitals who will watch legislation and furnish us promptly with all bills, and amendments to the same, introduced in both branches of the several legislatures. Good legislation, no matter by whom introduced, must be aided by every means in our power, while bad legislation must be fought with all the means at our command. If the members will give this matter a few moments' thought, they will at once realize the magnitude of the work that has to be done, and that it can best be done by the National Association because of its equipment. When action on good or bad bills is necessary in a state, the Audubon Society is at once communicated with, for its local influence is greater and more effective than that of an outside Association. In a few states the Model Law must still be passed. Of these the most important are : Maryland, West Virginia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and the two Dakotas. In some of these states, persons who are interested in bird protection work have already been found, but the passage of this important statute in eight additional states means a great amount of hard labor. Control of Alien Hunters. — The effective control of this class of foreign- born residents is a matter of the greatest importance at the present moment. Certain races of uneducated emigrants are a positive menace to the non- game birds of this country. The game-birds do not suffer in the same degree, for this class of hunters do not possess the skill to shoot many of the fast -flying birds like Quail, Grouse or Snipe, but content themselves with such spoils as Robins, Flickers, Bluebirds, Sparrows, and such of our smaller birds as they can pot in a tree or on the ground. Many of these people are so ignorant that they cannot read warning notices unless they are printed in their own language. Thousands of them are employed in all parts of the country on all the great public and private improvements. These laborers usually live in camps, and every wild bird that they can gather in represents just so much saved in their outlay for food. Many of them have cheap guns,