132 



Bird -Lore 



and its friends on April 19, in the Teach- 

 ers' Club Room. 



Another plan acted upon was the send- 

 ing of notices to the principals of the pub- 

 lic schools, proposing the celebration of 

 Bird Day in conjunction with Arbor Day. 

 With these proposals there were compli- 

 ances, and some of our own members took 

 part in the exercises held in the suburbs 

 on that day. Later, a committee called 

 the School Committee, was appointed to 

 personally visit school districts where 

 interest in the purposes of the Audubon 

 Society seemed lukewarm, and a knowl- 

 edge of the Society and its aims was still 

 further extended. At the September meet- 

 ing, another step onward was taken when 

 the members voted to consider some sub- 

 ject of ornithological interest at each 

 monthly meeting. 



It may be stated in conclusion, that 

 while this Society has avowed one of its 

 purposes to be the prevention of cruelty 

 and wanton destruction of birds and their 

 nests, eggs and haunts, it aims to do so, 

 not by prosecuting but by educating. 



One of the fondest hopes of its founder, 

 Miss Russell, was that a wide dissemina- 

 tion of a knowledge of birds would evoke 

 such an interest and friendliness for them, 

 that women could not thoughtlessly wear 

 their plumage and men and boys could not 

 wantonly destroy them. 



And when we consider that the majority 



of the Society's members are educators in 



either morals or intellect, it seems possible 



for right efforts to lead to its achievement. 



Respectfully submitted, 



Harriet H. Hastings. 



WISCONSIN SOCIETY 



{T/iitd AmiKai Repoit) 



Very early in the history of the Wiscon- 

 sin Audubon Society the executive officers 

 decided that in no other way could they do 

 such good work for bird protection as by 

 arousing the interest of children in the 

 matter, and finding that Mr. L. D. Harvey, 

 the State Superintendent of Public In- 

 struction, stood ready to assist them, they 

 threw most of their energy into this chan- 



nel After three years they feel that re- 

 sults have justified this policy. By April 

 I, 1900, 380 school branches had been or- 

 ganized, with an aggregate membership of 

 10,290. In this way the Society is reach- 

 ing not only the children but their parents, 

 and although there has been scarcely any 

 increase in the adult membership, there 

 can be no question that a very wide-spread 

 sentiment of opposition to the fashion of 

 wearing feathers has sprung up, and that 

 many hundreds of women who have not 

 joined the Society have resolved to act 

 hereafter in accordance with its princi- 

 ples. 



The children are controlled and directed 

 through Miss Boynton's little nature 

 study paper, "By the Wayside, for 

 which every school branch must subscribe. 

 Each issue of this paper contains the de- 

 scription of some common bird, and prizes 

 for observations and good reports are given 

 to teachers and children. 



Through the generosity of Mrs. George 

 Gordon, of Milwaukee, it has been possible 

 to purchase a small library of bird books, 

 which have been placed in charge of Miss 

 Bossert, 719 Franklin St., Milwaukee, who 

 will be glad to receive gifts of additional 

 volumes These books are intended for 

 the use of school branches. 



In March a series of illustrated lectures 

 upon birds and wild animals was given un- 

 der the auspices of the Society, in different 

 towns of the State, by Mr. Ernest Inger- 

 soll. 



All persons interested in bird protection 

 are urged to become Associates, since it is 

 upon thip, class of members that the So- 

 ciety depends for its income. 



The different classes of membership are 

 as follows : 



Patrons, paying $25. 



Life Associates, paying $5 



Associates, paying $1 annually. 



Life Members, paying 25 cents, and not 

 subject to further assessment. 



Teachers and children paying no fee. 

 Elizabeth Gifford Peckham, 



Secretary. 



Milwaukee, April 20, 1900. 



