Page 122 - Our Vanishing Wild Life

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100 OUR VANISHING WILD LIFE
"That killing song-birds for food," continues Dr. Bishop, "is not confined to the poor Italians I learned on October 27, when one of the most prominent and wealthy Italian ornithologists—a delightful man told me he had shot 180 skylarks and pipits the day before, and that his family liked them far better than other game. Our prejudice against selling game does not exist in Europe, and this same ornithologist told me he often shot 200 ducks in a day at his shooting-box, sending to the market what he could not use himself. On November 1, 1910, he shot 82 ducks, and on November 8, 103, chiefly widgeon and teal."
An "ornithologist" indeed! A "sportsman" also, is he not? He belongs with his brother "ornithologists" of the roccolos, who net their "game"withtheaidofblindbirds! Bravemen,gallant"sportsmen," are these men of Italy,—and western France also if the tale is true!
If the people of Europe can stand the wholesale, systematic slaughter of their song and insectivorous birds, we can! If they are too mean- spirited to rise up, make a row about it, and stop it, then let them pay the price; but, by the Eternal, Antonio shall not come to this coimtry with the song-bird tastes of the roccolo and indulge them here
The above facts have been cited, not at all for the benefit of Europe, but for our own good. The American People are now confronted by the Italian and Austrian and Hungarian laborer and saloon-keeper and mechanic, and all Americans should have an exact measure of the sentiments of southern Europe toward our wild life generally, especially the birds that we do not shoot at all, and therefore are easy to kill.
When a warden or a citizen arrests an alien for killing any of our non-game birds, show the judge these records of how they do things in Italy, and ask for the extreme penalty.
I have taken pains to publish the above facts from eye-witnesses in order that every game commissioner, game warden and state legis- lator who reads these pages may know exactly what he is "up against" inthealienpopulationofourcountryfromsouthernEurope. Forun- numbered generations, the people of Italy have been taught to believe that it is perfectly right to shoot and devour every song-bird that flies. The Venetian is no respector of species; and when an Italian "ornithol- ogist" (!) can go out and murder 180 linnets and pipits in one day for the pot, it is time for Americans to think hard.
We sincerely hope that it will not require blows and kicks and fines to remove from Antonio's head the idea that America is not Italy, and that theslaughterofsongbirds"don'tgo"inthiscountry. Istronglyrec- ommend to every state the enactment of a law that will do these things
1.—Prohibit the owning, carrying or use of firearms by aliens, and
2.—Prohibit the use of firearms in hunting by any naturalized alien from southern Europe until after a 10-years' residence in America.
From reports that have come to me at first hand regarding Italians in the East, Hungarians in Pennsylvania and Austrians in Minnesota, it seems absolutely certain that all members of the lower classes of southern Europe are a dangerous menace to our wild life.
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