Reports of Field Agents 277 



to remove all protection from these birds. To forestall such action, 1 have 

 recently addressed a number of farmers' institutes in the Sacramento valley, 

 as well as general audiences and bodies of school children. During February 

 and March I gave twelve stereopticon lectures in California. 



In conjunction with the College of Agriculture of the University of Cali- 

 fornia, we are now prejjaring to arrange for a bird exhibit on the demonstra- 

 tion train which is sent out under the auspices of that institution and the 

 Southern Pacific Railroad. The National Association will be allowed a third 

 or half of one of the cars, and we shall arrange for a lecturer to go with the 

 exhibit. By visiting every small town or railroad station in the state, and com- 

 ing in contact with from sixty to eighty thousand people through the farming 

 and fruit-growing sections, a vast amount of good can be done. 



During the latter part of June, in conjunction with the work of the Bio- 

 logical Survey, I visited the Salt River Reservation, in Arizona, and the Rio 

 Grande and Carlsbad Reservations, in New Mexico. These are three of the 

 seventeen reservoir sites that were set aside as bird reserves on February 

 25, 1909. These places are sure to be of great importance in future years 

 in the saving of our wild fowl. 



To one who has traveled through the great arid stretches of Arizona and 

 New Mexico, it is easy to imagine the importance of having a large body 

 of water such as is stored up by the Roosevelt dam in the Salt River project. 

 Here is a great basin of water about twenty-five miles in length, where the 

 wild fowl gather in great numbers to spend the winter. Just across the Mexi- 

 can border, no legal protection is given them. Already such birds as Herons, 

 Killdeer, Avocets and Coots are breeding on these reservoirs, and their num- 

 bers will doubtless increase. 



After visiting several of the largest cities in the Pacific coast region, and 

 making an extended investigation of different millinery stores, I made only 

 three arrests the past year for the illegal selling of aigrettes. One of these 

 was in Portland and two were in San Francisco. Two of the parties were 

 fined, while the other was allowed to go with a reprimand. Not only has the 

 selling of plumage of our native birds ceased in the Pacific coast cities, but 

 comparatively few aigrettes are now seen. Even on the streets, one sees but 

 few in comparison to the numbers worn a few years ago. 



Recently I consulted the Secretary of the Board of Regents of the Uni- 

 versity of California, and found that he favors giving birds proper protection 

 on land owned by the University. The Regents have a number of estates, 

 some of them containing thousands of acres, and these would make valuable 

 bird reserves if the arrangements can be completed. 



Our Audubon work in this territory has been conducted in conjunction 

 with the state authorities for the protection of game. Mr. Babcock, Chief 

 Deputy of the Fish and Game Commission, has offered to help financially 

 in making a campaign for the better protection of wild birds. 



