Ctje ^utiubon ^octetie0 



EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT 



Edited by WILLIAM DUTCHER 



Address all correspondence, and send all remittances for dues and contributions to 

 the National Association of Audubon Societies, 141 Broadway, New York City 



President Dutcher's Departure for Europe 



President William Dutcher sailed on 

 May 17 for Europe aboard the steamer 

 Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. He goes to 

 attend the Fifth International Ornitho- 

 logical Congress, which will be held in 

 Berlin, May 30 to June 4. Mr. Dutcher 

 will address the section on Bird Protection, 

 and present a plan for a world-wide 

 organization among the nations which 

 shall work for the conservation of wild 

 bird and animal life.— T. G. P. 



The New York Plumage Law 



On May 7, 1910, Governor Charles E. 

 Hughes, of New York State, signed the 

 Audubon Plumage Bill. Thus ended the 

 most prolonged and hard-fought legisla- 

 tive battle which the Audubon Societies 

 have ever waged for bird protection. 

 For four successive years attempts have 

 been made to secure the enactment of 

 this statute, but in every instance hereto- 

 fore the opponents of the measure have 

 been able to prevent its being reported 

 favorably by the Committees of the Legis- 

 lature, to which it was assigned for con- 

 sideration. 



During the past year, a wide and sys- 

 tematic campaign was conducted by the 

 National Association in every county of the 

 state. This educational effort at length so 

 thoroughly aroused public interest that 

 the legislature became aware that the 

 people were strongly for the bill and de- 

 manded its passage. 



From early in January until the sig- 

 nature of the Governor was secured, the 

 officers of the National Association were 

 in close touch with the progress of the bill, 

 the Secretary, in fact, remaining in Albany 



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nearly one-half of the time. The Forest 

 Fish and Game Commissioner was thor- 

 oughly in sympathy with the effort, which 

 added great strength to the cause. Much 

 assistance was also rendered by the Audu- 

 bon Society of New York State, the Camp- 

 Fire Club of America, representatives 

 of many game protective clubs, and hun- 

 dreds of individuals working privately. 



The opposition to the measure appar- 

 ently emanated entirely from the whole- 

 sale milliners of New York City, who de- 

 clared that their business would be seri- 

 ously impaired. The dealers in aigrettes 

 were especially active, being represented 

 by attorneys and others at the hearing 

 given before the Senate and Assembly 

 Committees and the hearing given by 

 Governor Hughes in his reception room 

 on May 3. The milliners also maintained 

 a lobbyist at Albany. 



The te.xt of the amended game laws now 

 reads as follows: 



"Sec. 98. Certain wild birds protected. 

 Wild birds other than the English Sparrow, 

 Crow, Hawk, Crow Blackbird, Snow Owl, 

 Great-horned Owl and Kingfisher, shall 

 not be taken or possessed at any time, 

 dead or alive, except under the authority 

 of a certificate issued under this chapter. 

 No part of the plumage, skin or body of 

 any bird protected by this section, or of 

 any birds coming from without the state, 

 whether belonging to the same or different 

 species from that native to the state of New 

 York, provided such birds belong to the 

 same family as those protected by this 

 chapter shall be sold or had in possession 

 for sale. The provision of this section shall 

 not apply to game birds for which an open 

 season is provided in this chapter; except- 

 ing that Quail, English pheasants and Hun- 

 garian Partridges shall not be taken at any 



