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Bird -Lore 



old lease, which expires April, 1910, and 

 also providing for a ten-year close season, 

 during which the seal herds may breed up 

 to a high point. The resolution further 

 called upon the State Department to make 

 treaties with England and Canada, Japan, 

 Russia and Mexico, to prohibit pelagic 

 sealing. In addition to its work with Sena- 

 tor Dixon's Committee, the necessities 

 of the fur-seals' case were brought directly 

 to the attention of President Taft, the 

 Secretary of Commerce and Labor, the 

 Secretary of State, and the United States 

 Commissioner of Fisheries. 



As the first result of this campaign, at 

 the close of a hearing on the resolution held 

 at Washington, February 26, 1910, the 

 Senate Committee on the Conservation 

 of National Resources directed its Chair- 

 man, Senator Dixo.n, to represent to the 

 Secretary of Commerce and Labor the 

 undesirability of renewing the lease, or 

 of making a new lease, for the killing of 

 seals on our islands. This decision was 

 reached unanimously. There is every indi- 

 cation that Senator Dixon's committee now 

 fully realizes the gravity of the situation, 

 and the necessity for immediate action of a 

 far-reaching nature. 



The National Association stands not 

 only for the conservation of wild birds, 

 but of wild animals, as its name indicates, 

 and the fur-seals are as much our wards as 

 the wild birds. Our benefactor made it one 

 of the conditions of his gift that animals 

 should be protected, as well as birds. 



Every member of the Association and 

 the readers of Bird-Lore are urged to aid 

 in every possible way in the campaign 

 already started to save the fur-seal. Unless 

 drastic action is taken, these interesting 

 and valuable animals will soon have to be 

 classed among the extinct species. 



The Association urges that every reader 

 of this notice will let his congressman hear 

 from him regarding this extremely im- 

 portant matter. — W. D. 



Important Meeting 



The Fifth Bi-Annual Conference of the 

 National Association of State Game War- 



dens and Commissioners was held in New 

 Orleans, February 5-7. Commissioners 

 were present from twenty states, and 

 the Federal Government was also repre- 

 sented. The main topics discussed were 

 "Federal Control of Migratory Birds," 

 "Civil Service for Game Wardens," 

 "Propagation of Game," and "protection 

 of Non-Game Birds." 



Mr. Frank M.Miller, Game Commissioner 

 of Louisiana, arranged a number of enter- 

 tainments and pleasant excursions for the 

 delegates. Among the resolutions passed, 

 was one heartily endorsing the work of 

 the National Association of Audubon So- 

 cieties. The meeting was regarded as a 

 very successful one, and one which will 

 result in much good throughout the 

 country. 



Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson, of North Caro- 

 lina, presided at the meetings, and was re- 

 elected President of the Association. Dr. 

 George W. Field, of Massachusetts, was 

 elected Secretary. — W. D. 



An Appeal to Members 



There is an urgent and immediate de- 

 mand for several additional field agents; 

 but the Executive Ofl&cers cannot enlarge 

 its staff at the present time, because of 

 lack of means. Good trained men should 

 be placed in several states to conduct a 

 campaign of education against the exces- 

 sive slaughter of Robins, which takes place 

 every winter, and during the early spring' 

 while the birds are migrating northward. 

 The sentiment in the territory where this 

 slaughter takes place, which is so abhorrent 

 to the people of the states where the Robin 

 makes its summer home, can only be 

 changed by an active educational campaign, 

 and such a campaign can only be made 

 by placing in the field competent lecturers. 

 If every member will secure only one new 

 member at once, it will give the Society an 

 increase of income sufi&cient to warrant 

 the appointment of three additional field 

 men. This is one of the methods to protect 

 the Robin. Education is better than law, 

 for it creates good sentiment, without 

 which a law is useless. — W. D. 



