270 Bird -Lore 



of mention that National Association of Fish and Game Commissioners, rep- 

 resenting twenty states, while in convention at New Orleans, in February, 

 19 lo, adopted a strong resolution endorsing the plan. These were the men who 

 are ofl&cially charged with the protection of the birds and game of our several 

 states, and their opinions on the subject, therefore, necessarily carry much 

 weight. 



At the National Conservation Congress, held in St. Paul, Minnesota, Sep- 

 tember 5-8, 1910, your Secretary had the pleasure of being a member of the 

 Committee on Platform. There is no non-political organization in the country 

 today, working solely for the public good, which has greater influence than the 

 National Conservation Commission. Its approval of this subject was, there- 

 fore, of the first importance. Your Secretary introduced the following reso- 

 lution, which was adopted as a plank in the platform of the Congress: "We 

 recommend that the Federal Government conserve migratory birds and wild- 

 game animals." 



This was accomplished, despite the fact that there was bitter opposition 

 present. This Association was also officially represented at this Congress by 

 Mr. W. W. Grant, of New York, Prof. D. Lange, of Minnesota, and Mr. Frank 

 M. Chapman, of New York. One entire evening session was devoted to an 

 illustrated lecture given by Mr. Chapman on the "Conservation of Birds." 



At the close of the Congress, the Secretary visited the game-protective 

 ofl&cials, and others in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario, 

 to discuss the possibility of extending still further protection to our migratory 

 birds in those regions. It is a matter of common knowledge that many birds, 

 especially the Ducks and Geese in which there is such large commerical inter- 

 ests, rear their young in Canada, and, upon the approach of winter, come to 

 the United States. Many pass on to Mexico and South America. It is quite 

 apparent, therefore, that Canada, the United States, Mexico and South 

 America must, for the preservation of these birds, legislate cooperatively, 

 and with a full understanding of the habits of the birds. 



PRESIDENT DUTCHER 



President Dutcher, as heretofore, has directed the work of the Association 

 from the New York office, not only developing its various policies, but exercis- 

 ing close supervision over manifold activities, not with financial aid, for he 

 has had comparatively little money to work with, but by the strength of his 

 will power, his enthusiasm, his rare judgment of men, and his sterling character. 



For weeks and months he has worked with infinite pains over the thousand 

 details which came before him. During the past year he rarely left the ofHce, 

 his few trips being to the Legislatures of New York, New Jersey and Virginia, 

 until May, when he sailed for Europe, to attend the meeting of the Fifth 

 International Ornithological Congress, which assembled in Berlin on May 30. 



