Bird Clubs 285 



ment of sanctuaries in a flexible and compre- 

 hensive way. The sanctuaries are intended 

 for both game and game bird protection and 

 also for the protection of song and insectivor- 

 ous birds. In its practical application from 

 the latter standpoint, splendid opportunities are 

 open to individuals and bird clubs all over the 

 state to secure the needed protection for their 

 feathered friends. The state has many old 

 farms as its property scattered in almost every 

 county. A list of these is published by the 

 State Comptroller in book form. These lands 

 were acquired by tax sale, escheat, by fore- 

 closure of mortgage, given by the United States 

 Loan Commissioners, and in other ways. 



"Suppose there was a bird club located in the 

 town of Hillsdale, Columbia County. By con- 

 sulting the Comptroller's list, they would find 

 that the state owned the old Dutcher farm of 

 one hundred and twenty acres in that town, 

 and running parallel into the town of Austerlitz. 

 The club would appoint a committee to investi- 

 gate the farm from the standpoint of its availa- 

 bility for a bird sanctuary. Armed with the 

 facts they could send a concise description of the 

 property to the Conservation Commission with 

 the request that it be dedicated as a sanctu- 

 ary under the provisions of Section 366 of 



