THE ROLL CALL
The Roll Call ON MEN AND MEASURES Our Feathered Friends Game and Insect-destroying Birds are to be Protected by Uncle Sam under a Law Just Passed by Congress "WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD" EVERY...
...and they have not been successful in keeping even with the increased activities of the crop-destroying insects...
...It was to attach it to the agricultural appropriation bill...
...Notable members of this class are robins, black birds and bobolinks...
...Nation and States Co-operate REPRESENTATIVE McLaughlin said: "This is not a drastic measure, as stated by the gentlemen who are opposing it...
...A single child had been known to come in at night with a hundred eggs...
...The Roll Call ON MEN AND MEASURES Our Feathered Friends Game and Insect-destroying Birds are to be Protected by Uncle Sam under a Law Just Passed by Congress "WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD" EVERY YEAR insect pests destroy agricultural products to the value of $800,-000,000...
...Two months later scarcely an egg cluster would be found...
...The matter will be entrusted to the Biological Survey, which is a bureau of the Department of Agriculture, and while much of the requisite data has already been collected in connection with the Survey's other activities, it will at least be necessary to compile available information on migrations and breeding habits in different sections of the country, and coordinate it with the proposed regulations in view...
...but if in any State there be no law, or if it is not executed, it is incumbent upon Congress, in line with its duty to advance and protect the welfare of the entire country, to enact such a law as this and see that it is executed by its officials...
...When Utah was settled the first year's crop was almost utterly destroyed by myriads of crickets that came down from the mountains...
...Forty-four out of the forty-eight states were represented at the committee hearings by letter or in person through their governors or their state game commissioners or through representatives of sportsmen's associations, National Associations of Audubon Societies, the American Game Protection and Propagation Associations, the League of American Sportsmen, farmers, and national associations interested in the protection proposed by the bill...
...Many fields were saved with but slight loss by the work of blackbirds, plover, quail, and prairie chickens...
...Our Helpful Feathered Friends SCIENTISTS have spent years of study upon the value of birds in saving the farmers from losses due to insects...
...The campaign against the birds was so successful that not only were the sparrows destroyed, but many other birds were either killed or driven away...
...Here is the provision concerning the birds: "All wild geese, wild swans, brant, wild ducks, snipe, plover, woodcock, rail, wild pigeons, and all other migratory game and insectivorous birds which in their northern and southern migrations pass through or do not remain permanently the entire year within the borders of any state or territory, shall hereafter be deemed to be within the custody and protection of the Government of the United States, and shall not be destroyed or taken contrary to regulations hereinafter provided therefor...
...The Department of Agriculture, after the preparation of said regulations, shall cause the same to be made public, and shall allow a period of three months in which said regulations may be examined and considered before final adoption, permitting, when deemed proper, public hearings thereon, and after final adoption shall cause the same to be engrossed and submitted'to the President of the United States for approval: Provided, however, That nothing herein contained shall be deemed to affect or interfere with the local laws of the States and Territories for the protection of nonmigratory game or other birds resident and breeding within their borders nor to prevent the States and Territories from enacting laws and regulations to promote and render efficient the regulations of the Department of Agriculture provided under this statute...
...The bill provides that when these regulations are prepared they shall be made public and that a period of three months shall be allowed before final adoption, in order that they may be examined and considered, and that public hearings may be granted if this is deemed advisable...
...This coincidence is significant at least...
...This happy result was attributed to the titmice and creepers, which were seen busily running up and down the tree trunks...
...This bill to place the game and migratory and insectivorous birds in the United States under the protecting wing of the federal government was championed in the House by Representative Weeks and in the Senate by Senator McLean...
...In the fight to secure this legislation it was plainly shown that the better sentiment in those states which now allow spring shooting, and the slaughter of song birds, is decidedly against these practices, and it was made evident that all real sportsmen and all thinking people will welcome federal action to put a stop to them where it has been impossible to secure state action...
...At this juncture sea gulls came by thousands, and before the crops were entirely destroyed these gulls devoured the crickets, so that our fields were entirely free from them.' Several times afterwards the crops were attacked by the crickets and were saved by the gulls...
...THE KILLING OF SUCH BIRDS IS NOT A LOCAL, IT IS A NATIONAL, A CONTINENTAL LOSS...
...Some of the States have enacted effective laws on this subject, and in such cases this measure would in no way interfere with their execution by State authorities...
...In Glen Thompson district several large flocks of ibis were seen eating the young locusts in a wholesale manner...
...If one-half of the eggs had hatched the following spring scarcely a leaf would have remained in these favorite places of public resort...
...It will indeed be a sad dag for the American agriculturist when the last insect-destroying bird is brought fluttering and dead to the ground...
...At the present time it is impossible to say how much time will be required to draw up these regulations...
...Thousands of acres of woodland were devastated, and great damage was done to the sugar-maple orchards of New York and Vermont...
...Although the crop had to be replanted, it was due to the birds that a crop was raised at all...
...The damage done to crops in the Mississippi Valley by the chinch bug reached the high figure of $100,000,000...
...Before such persecution the birds were rapidly disappearing...
...There is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of carrying out these provisions the sum of $10,000...
...But there was a way of getting this measure through Congress...
...The states of the Northwest suffered from the Rocky Mountain locusts, in years of their greatest activity, more than $150,000,000...
...If proper protection is given by State laws and State officials, the spirit of this measure will be satisfied...
...About this time blackbirds appeared in large numbers and made this field their feeding ground...
...George Q. Cannon said: 'Black crickets came down by millions and destroyed our grain crops, promising fields of wheat in the morning were by evening as smooth as a man's hand—devoured by insects...
...The legislatures of several states including Oklahoma, New York, Massachusetts and "Wisconsin passed resolutions urging the enactment of this legislation...
...A severe outbreak of forest tent caterpillars occurred in New York and parts of New England in 1898...
...Just as it was feared that all the sheep would have to be sold for want of grass, starlings, spoonbills, and cranes made their appearance, and in a few days made so complete a destruction of the locusts that but a few acres of grass were lost...
...In 1892 Australia was afflicted with incursions of immense clouds of locusts...
...they have been all but exterminated in every State of the Union, until now there is but a small remnant of those millions of game birds left to the country...
...The bill is framed to encourage the several States to enact laws and regulations for the protection of birds and to enable the Department of Agriculture to cooperate with the States for the protection of the birds...
...State Regulation Unavailing OBJECTIONS were raised by those who manifested a vehement solicitude for the "rights of the states...
...The trees were defoliated by caterpillars and other insects, and the King, seeing his error, imported sparrows to take the place of those that had been killed...
...As these birds mate earlier in some parts of the United States than in others, hard and fast rules governing open and closed seasons cannot be made for the whole country, but zones will have to be created and shooting seasons determined in accordance with conditions in each zone...
...Now that the principle of federal protection of migrants has been recognized, it should logically be extended to international protection...
...It may be found advisable to make more exhaustive investigations of these problems to supplement those which have been carried out for other purposes...
...The locusts gradually disappeared...
...Besides the one already mentioned, another amendment was made just before the bill became a law...
...It is only one of many which might be instanced...
...Said Representative Weeks: "It has been argued that the States should make proper restrictions to prevent the destruction of birds in the nesting season...
...then, if never before, will he appreciate the value of the allies he has lost forever...
...March 30, there...
...This is a terrible loss to the farmers and to the nation...
...In Europe, in 1848, there was a great outbreak of gypsy moths...
...The crop promised well, but when the crickets appeared the people were in danger of starvation...
...This map which I hold here indicates the flight (indicating the location) of the Wilson snipe, a well-known bird, and its location at different dates during the spring...
...HORNADAY, director of the New York zoological park and recognized as one of the great naturalists of the world says: "Every one of the perching birds is worth its weight in gold to the farmer...
...Applause...
...It was done under the belief that the blackbirds were damaging the corn crop, but a great number of birds of other species were destroyed as well as the blackbirds...
...cut-worms is estimated at $100,000,000...
...I hope the House will agree to this provision that has been inserted in the Senate and give effect to a measure that has been demanded by both the agriculturalists and the sportsmen of the country...
...The greatest losses from the ravages of the Rocky Mountain locust were coincident with or followed soon after the destruction by the people of countless thousands of blackbirds, prairie chickens, quail, upland plover, curlew, and other birds...
...The number of eggs of birds destroyed in the country annually was estimated to be from eighty to one hundred millions...
...The moths swarmed like bees in the summer...
...April 20, there...
...The bill expressly provides that nothing contained in it shall be so construed as to affect or interfere with local laws for the protection of migratory game, or other birds resident and breeding within the borders of the State...
...it is not an attempt of Congress to over-ride or interfere with local laws of the States...
...A few years since, the harvests of France began to fail...
...In Dakota County, in Nebraska, in one autumn not less than 30,000 birds must have been destroyed...
...In a general way it is safe to say that migratory game birds such as ducks, geese, swans and shore birds, will be protected from the time they mate in the spring until their young are full grown...
...Clearly here is a problem of tremendous importance to the whole nation...
...Besides gratifying such people, the new measure will remedy a great injustice which is at present suffered by sportsmen in states which have adequate game laws through the fact that gunners in neighboring states have greater opportunities to shoot and, therefore, get more than their rightful share of birds...
...The loss to the wheat-growing states in 1904 due to the Hessian fly was about $50,-000,000...
...As an apparent result of the destruction of the birds the vines, fruit trees, forest trees, grain and field crops were suffering much from destructive insects...
...The bill is intended as a co-operative measure and to enable the Federal Government to act only in case the laws of a State are not sufficient for the protection of migratory birds, or in case officials charged with executing State laws fail in the performance of duty...
...The regulations imposed will prohibit, absolutely the killing of those song and insectivorous birds whose value to agriculture greatly outweighs their food value...
...But it was pointed out repeatedly that this measure interfered not in the slightest with the state's regulation of wild life that remained within its borders...
...The annual loss to farmers caused by...
...Within two years cherries and most other fruits were wanting...
...Professor AUGHEY tells how this slaughter was accomplished...
...Near Victoria swarms of locusts were seen in a paddock...
...Foe-bush, who cites the following instances of crops saved from destruction by birds: "In Pomerania an immense forest was in danger of being utterly ruined by caterpillars and was unexpectedly saved by cuckoos, which though on tie point of migrating established themselves there for weeks and so thoroughly cleared the trees that next year neither depredators nor depredations were seen...
...March 20, on that...
...Keep the Birds on the Job...
...Here is a State, the State of Oklahoma, where the law goes into effect May 1, and every Wilson snipe is hundreds of miles north of Oklahoma on May 1. The result is that the law is so ineffective that the Wilson snipe is being rapidly destroyed...
...Senator Root has introduced a resolution requesting the President to propose to other North American countries the negotiation of treaties for the mutual protection of migratory birds...
...A Popular Measure SELDOM has a measure been presented to Congress with such general support as was given to this measure to protect the migratory birds...
...This color on the map shows the States where legislation has been passed prohibiting the shooting at different periods...
...This was done in the closing days of the session...
...then, indeed, when it is too late trill he be willing to exchange any quantity of berries or cherries for just one pair of living robins, catbirds, or other birds so despised and neglected today...
...And the appropriation bill passed both houses overwhelm ingly and received President Taft's signature...
...Our New Federal Law A LAW was enacted by the last Congress for the protection of game and insect-eating birds...
...An edict was issued ordering sparrow extermination...
...Senators Weeks and McLean are in favor of this proposal...
...An important provision in the bill says: 'That nothing herein contained shall be deemed to affect or interfere with the local laws of the states and territories for the protection of non-migratory game or other birds resident and breeding within their borders, nor to prevent the states and territories from enacting laws and regulations to promote and render efficient the regulations of the Department of Agriculture provided under this statute.' As most states already have laws which will fulfill the requirements of the federal law, no new restrictions will be placed on their citizens, unless in the matter of better enforcement, and as the laws were made to be enforced there can be no logical objection to this...
...In this connection one of the most able lawyers in the country expressed the opinion that the supreme court would sustain the Weeks-McLean law when he heard the decision it has just made in favor of the constitutionality of the white slave law which was passed in July, 1910...
...It seems that the French people had been killing and eating not only the game birds but the smaller birds as well...
...I have here an example which I want to call to the attention of the House...
...Likely candidates for this special consideration are the woodcock, in many localities, the woodduck, trumpeter swan, whooping and sandbill cranes and many varieties of shore birds...
...A number of striking illustrations have been prepared by Mr...
...It was concluded that by no other agency than the birds could the ravages of insects be kept down, and the commission called for prompt and energetic remedies to prevent the destruction of birds...
...The wild pigeons, the ducks, and the geese that used to be counted by the millions in this country have been pursued and hunted from the time of their flight from the North to the South all during the winter, and then on their return in the springtime flight from the Gulf of Mexico to the Lakes and watercourses of Canada in the mating season...
...According to 'Reaumer,' the larvae of the gypsy moth were at one time so numerous on the Limes at Brussels that many of the great trees were nearly defoliated...
...Many of the States have legislated on this subject, but frequently have not legislated intelligently, and many of them have not legislated at all, the result being that the destruction of birds is going on which will mean the elimination of many species within a reasonable time...
...Here is a State where the law goes into effect on the 15th of April, the State of Tennessee, and on the 15th of April practically all the Wilson snipe are outside of the United States—are in Canada...
...Birds' eggs had been taken in immense numbers...
...Additional protection in certain zones, or for the whole country, will probably be given to some species which are now threatened with extinction, until they have increased beyond the danger point...
...Worth Millions Yearly" REPRESENTATIVE Anthony said: "To my mind there is no more important section in the bill than this one, which protects the insectivorous and weed-seed eating birds of this country from the destruction that now follows them from the northern to the southern borderof this country...
...THE BIRDS are the great destroyers of harmful insects...
...In any case, it will be impossible for the new law to take effect in time to protect the birds during the breeding season which is at hand, and unless unforeseen difficulties arise it will unquestionably be in operation before the migrations of 1914...
...It passed the Senate unanimously and was reported by the House Committee on Agriculture without change—but it was permitted to repose upon the unanimous consent calendar...
...And as the insectivorous birds are gradually being killed off, the yearly damage to crops is steadily increasing...
...How may this appalling destruction be stopped...
...This was to satisfy constitutional objections, and it provides that the imposition of fines or imprisonment for violation of the act shall be in the discretion of the court instead of the Department of Agriculture...
...The birds have been, are now, and will be, without question, one of the most important agencies in stopping the terrible devastations of insects...
...The first crop having been almost destroyed, they had sowed seed for the second year...
...Birds—warblers, orioles, sparrows, robins, cuckoos, cedar birds, and many others — attacked the caterpillars vigorously, and by 1900 the plague had been so reduced that the injury was not seen...
...A large field of corn near Dacotah City was literally covered with locusts, and there were indications that not a stalk would escape...
...The hand of man seemed powerless to work off the affliction, but on the approach of the winter titmice and wrens paid daily visits to the infested trees, and before spring the eggs of the moths were entirely destroyed...
...Increase of insects and damage by them follows destruction of birds...
...Vast numbers of them were poisoned with strychnine in and around the cornfields...
...April 10, there...
...In describing the condition Mr...
...This commission took counsel with experienced naturalists, and the deficiency was attributed to the ravages of insects that it is the function of birds to destroy...
...Professor Aughby writes thus of this destruction: 'Supposing that each of these 30,000 ate 150 insects daily, we then have the enormous number of 135,000 insects saved in this one county in one month that ought to have been destroyed by the agency of birds.' When we consider that most of these birds were migratory, and that they would have been busy in other regions the rest of the time in helping to keep down the increase of insects, the harm that their destruction did is beyond computation...
...This is a measure that will be Worth millions of dollars yearly to the farmers of this country, and, aside from its economic value, the element of protection to the game birds of this country should not be overlooked...
...Some fields of corn and wheat were entirely destroyed by them...
...The Department of Agriculture is hereby authorized and directed to adopt suitable regu-lations to give effect to the previous paragraph by prescribing and fixing closed seasons having due regard to the zones of temperature, breeding habits, and times and line of migratory flight, thereby enabling the Department to select and designate suitable districts for different portions of the country, and it shall be unlawful to shoot or by any device kill or seize and capture migratory birds within the protection of this law during said closed seasons, and any person who shall violate any of the provisions or regulations of this law for the protection of migratory birds shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than $100 or imprisoned not more than 90 days, or both in the discretion of the court...
...The protection of these migratory game and insectivorous birds is of immense importance to the people of the entire country...
...Farmers have been fighting their insect enemies for years, in one way or another, but all their efforts have merely succeeded in holding the annual loss down to $800,000,000...
...In 1865 locusts Hatched out in countless numbers in Nebraska...
...Frederick of Prussia, being particularly fond of cherries, was annoyed to see the sparrows destroying his favorite fruit...
...How the Law Operates SO MANY questions have been asked by interested people throughout the country concerning the effect and operation of this new law directing the Department of Agriculture to draw up rules and regulations to protect migratory birds that the American Game Protective and Propagation Association has prepared the following explanation: "An amendment to the Weeks-McLean bill which was made just before final passage makes mandatory the adoption by the Department of Agriculture of suitable regulations prescribing closed seasons, having due regard for zones of temperature, breeding habits, and times and lines of migratory flight...
...A commission to investigate the cause of the deficiency was appointed by the minister of agriculture...
...For instance, March the 10th it is on this line (indicating...
Vol. 5 • April 1913 • No. 14
