News and Views

Abstract

THE most important legislation affecting the welfare of migratory birds, since the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 between the United States and Canada, was passed by the U.S. Senate on Feb. 11, and signed by President Coolidge on Feb. 18. This was the Norbeck-Andresen Migratory Bird Conservation Act, which has been fought for eight years in eight sessions of Congress, and finally succeeded when the matter of a Federal license, to which objection had been taken, was omitted from the Bill. The Act is a direct sequel to the Migratory Bird Treaty of 1918, for it was found that, useful as that Treaty had been, much of its potential value seemed likely to be lost if provision could not be made for a system of refuges or sanctuaries in the areas traversed by the birds in their migratory flights, and on their wintering grounds. The purchases of such reserve areas demanded large sums of money, and it was to meet this outlay that the Federal license, which proved to be the stumbling-block of the original Bill, was proposed. The difficulty of finance has been removed by proposed State grants. Although the Act makes no appropriation, it authorises a schedule of appropriations amounting in all to some eight million dollars, and settling down after ten years to an annual sum of 200,000 dollars. The first year's sum of 75,000 dollars is to be devoted to a survey of the area to determine the places best suited to become bird-refuges, and, this completed, the selected areas will be purchased and henceforth guarded by an appropriate staff. The American Game Protective Association, which has strongly advocated the proposals of the bill in its bulletin, American Game, is to be congratulated on the success of its campaign.