The Audubon Societies 



33 



ing and bird-destruction should bear the 

 signature of some one whose word is that 

 of authority. There is too much random 

 pen work. The recent interest in bird- 

 protection in all branches has led the 

 various journals of the country, with a 

 well intentioned interest in current events, 

 to publish an unusual amount of natural 

 history items, either collected at random 

 by the office shears or contributed by 

 the many ornithological Munchausens with 

 all the plausible volubility of little knowl— 



The mis-statements so published, for 

 which no one seems to be exactly respon- 

 sible, give the lie to many carefully stated 

 truths that the protectionists wish most to 

 inculcate. These errors, also, being more 

 in accord with the ideas of feather-headed 

 ladies, are eagerly received, and even after 

 they have been corrected as tar as possible, 

 still continue their influence. 



It is on this point that a new impulse can 

 be given the work of the Audubon Socie- 

 ties. Newspaper publicity of the right sort 

 is what the cause most needs, as the news- 

 paper is the only literature that reaches 

 the greater part of the community with any 

 sort of directness. Do what we will, our 

 appeals and leaflets reach but compara- 

 tively few. 



Let each Audubon Society organize a 

 special press committee composed of two 

 persons, one with a bent for reading, the 

 other to be one who mingles much in so- 

 ciety, observing what the local vagaries of 

 headgear may be. Let the reader go once 

 a week to a public library and look over the 

 papers, with a view of keeping in touch 

 with all that is said in regard to feathers, 

 and let the social member keep note of the 

 forbidden or questionable feathers that ap- 

 pear on bonnets, so that necessary local 

 warnings may be given. By this means 

 flagrant mis-statements can be locally 

 corrected, making the work doubly sure, 

 and valuable statistics as to local feather- 

 wearing can be published from time to 

 time. 



Of course great care must be taken in 

 the choosing of these committees. The 

 members must be well informed as well as 



zealous, for in all reform movements, espe- 

 cially those where sense and sentiment are 

 interwoven, there is but a step from the 

 sublime to the very, very ridiculous. If 

 every Society will form such a press com- 

 mittee, able to do conservative and reliable 

 work in its own state, a committee upon 

 which editors can rely, knowing that it has 

 behind it the authority and advice of 

 Bird-Lore's Advisory Council, the first 

 step will be taken toward the desired Fed- 

 eration of Audubon Societies, with an 

 annual convention where members may 

 meet face to face and feel the fellowship 

 that comes from the spoken word. 



M. O. W. 



An Appeal to Bird-Lovers. 



[The following appeal for the Gulls and 

 Terns has been issued by the American 

 Ornithologists' Union. Copies of it may 

 be obtained, without charge, by address- 

 ing Mr. Abbott H. Thayer, Scarboro, 

 N. Y.— Ed.] 



Fashion has again attacked the Gulls 

 and Terns, and the feather dealers state 

 that the demand for the skins of these 

 birds far exceeds the supply. 



The last moment for saving the surviv- 

 ing Terns has come, and the American Or- 

 nithologists' Union therefore appeals to 

 every bird-lover for money, to be used in 

 hiring wardens to protect the birds while 

 nesting. Contributions should be sent to 

 Mr. William Dutcher, treasurer cf the 

 Union, at 525 Manhattan avenue. New 

 York city, who will furnish all desired in- 

 formation. 



Abbott H. Thayer. 

 William Brewster, 



Pres. Mass. Audubon Society. 



Witmer Stone. 



Chairman A. Ci. V . Com. on Bird Protection 



Robert Ridgway, 



President A O. U. 



C. Hart Merriam, 



Chief U. S Biological Survey; Vice Pres. A. O. U. 



A. K. Fisher, 



Ass't Biologist, U. S. Biological Survey. 



J. A. Allen, 



Curator Vertebrate Zoology, Am. Mus. Nat. His. 



Frank M. Chapman, 



Ass't Curator Ver. Zoology, Am. Mus. N. His. 



William Dutcher, 



Treasurer A. O, U. 



