State Audubon Reports 303 



Auduhon Sociely. Over one ihousaiid CDlori-d pkuc-- and i-diK alioiial Lealk-ls 

 urrc i^ivcn the teachers, with the suggestion dial ihc pupih he allowed to coin- 

 the colored pictures and write l)ird stories; also thai the i liildren he I'licouraged 

 to make note of the dale of the arrival of the different \arielies of hird->, during 

 the s])ring migration. In many instances thesi- suggestions wen- followed, with 

 the result that in tin- animal t'xhihil of school work, the hird hooklets were of 

 especial interest. 



In June, two ])ui)lic meetings were held, one in eacli lihrary, the interesting 

 programs heing given i)y the |)U])ils of the different schools and the elder memhers 

 of the Society. 



Through the elTorts of our Secretary, Prof. John Cameron, of Kansas City, 

 was secured by the local Chautauqua Association for the presentation of three 

 illustrated lectures on the subjects of Nature and Birds. These lectures were 

 practically interesting and profitable. — Mrs. W. B. Small, President. 



Kansas. — It i> most singular that Kansas, one of the greatest agricultural 

 states of the Union, with such a vast number of progressive citizens, should be 

 among the last to recognize bird life as one of its chief assets. This territorv 

 is a portion of the great inland highway for bird migration to the northward 

 in the spring and southward in the autumn, and immense hosts stop here for 

 the summer sojourn. 



With some misgivings, an elTort was made to combine the protests of bird- 

 lovers and sportsmen against the appalling destruction of l)irds into a recogniz- 

 able force. Happily, all doubts were dissipated by a unanimity that justihcd 

 preliminary action in August to effect a regular Society for the ])rotection of birds. 

 On October 2, 1908, a permanent organization was founded, with a charter 

 membership of forty-five, which may run uj) to sixty or seventy by the time 

 we are ready to print our by-laws. A charter from the state of Kansas is now 

 in process of completion. 



Among the things we hoj)c to accompUsh is the amendment of the present 

 state bird laws to conform to the established standards elsewhere, and to pro- 

 vide for the absolute protection of all harmless wild birds and animals. 



That there are several species of birds that are destructive to horticultural 

 interests there is no doubt; but we hope to put a stop to the indiscriminate 

 slaughter that is going on simply because a few species are harmful. Recently 

 a man stated to me that he had used 2,400 gun shells during a single season, and 

 I have been told of another that used 6,000 shells, directed against all classes 

 of birds. 



Indifference to the crying evil of egg-stealing, skin-stutifing, summer shoot- 

 ing (especially by the youth) and other vandalism against bird life is much 

 more difficult to contend with than the instances quoted above. This state pos- 

 sesses a full quota of bird-lovers, and a strong effort will be made to enlist their 

 influence to make it possible for the feathered friends of the agriculturalist. 



