“_No person shall kill_, catch, or have in possession, living or dead,
at any time, any wild bird other than a game-bird, nor any part thereof,
except the English Sparrow, Crow, Great Horned Owl, or the Hawks, other
than the Osprey or Fish Hawk. No person shall take, destroy, or disturb,
or have in possession the nest or eggs of any wild bird, and the sale of
these birds or shipment out of the state is forbidden.
_Hunting or shooting on Sunday is forbidden._
“It is _unlawful_ to kill Fish Hawks, Eagles, Gulls, Terns, Loons,
Divers, Grebes, Doves, Wild Pigeons, Yellowhammers, Meadowlarks, or
Herons at any time. (These are not game-birds in the reading of the
law.)
“We are living in the state of Connecticut, but this is the substance of
the law concerning the taking of eggs or birds other than game-birds
(except when the Wise Men need them for Museums and have special
permission) in the greater number of states.
“Tommy Todd, will you kindly go to the coloured map hanging on the door
yonder and point out as I read, those few states that allow the killing
of song-birds. This will be much easier than for you to learn the names
of those wise states that, like our own, give citizen birds full
protection.
“The east and middle west stand solid for protection, so you must begin
on the Canadian boundary with North Dakota, then follow Nebraska,
Kansas, Oklahoma, and Indian Territory, a bad blot in the centre of the
map, but perhaps some day soon, if all the school children there learn
about the birds, they will beg their fathers and uncles who go to the
legislature to make laws to protect their birds also. For if they wait
until they themselves grow up, some kinds of birds may have gone forever
and it will be too late.
“Fortunately, you see, there are states next that form a sort of bird
bridge of refuge; and then comes New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada,
Idaho, and Montana, without good laws; but fortunately for the coast
birds, Washington, Oregon, and California are on our side, and it is the
duty of every boy and girl as well as every man and woman to learn the
laws of the state where they live, and keep them.