164 



Bird-Lore 



the circulating libraries of natural history 

 should be sent upon their journeys to 

 the remote school-districts to bring a 

 breath of hope and summer to those of 

 whom winter makes 'shut-ins.' These 

 libraries should not be wholly about 

 birds, but comprise books on other na- 

 tive animals and plants as well, the 

 better to show the interdependence of 

 all nature.— M. O. W. 



The Audubon Conference 



Following the suggestion given in Bird- 

 Lore of a recent date that a conference of 

 Audubon Societies be held in Cambridge, 

 Mass., in connection with the meeting of 

 the A. O. U. November 12-14, the Massa- 

 chusetts Audubon Society announces that 

 it has sent invitations to the secretaries 

 of the various state societies asking them 

 to send delegates to such a conference. 

 The rapid increase in the number of 

 Audubon Societies, and the many methods 

 of working for bird-protection which have 

 been in use by them, suggest that a com- 

 parison of these methods, and a mutual 

 interchange of opinions on this subject 

 would be of benefit to all. There are now 

 twenty-two of these societies and it is 

 earnestly desired that each will send at 

 least three delegates to this conference. 

 The Massachusetts Audubon Society will 

 cordially welcome the delegates, and will 

 make arrangements for their convenience 

 and comfort ; they also herewith extend an 

 earnest invitation to all Audubon members 

 and bird-lovers to attend this meeting. 

 The committee are perfecting arrange- 

 ments to make this first convention of 

 Audubon Societies a pleasant and profit- 

 able occasion, when "members may meet 

 face to face and feel the fellowship that 

 comes from the spoken word." 



For details of the conference and sug- 

 gestions regarding the programme, address 

 Harriet E. Richards, Secretary, care of 

 Boston Society of Natural History. 



The Milliners' 'White-List' 



We have received the following names 

 of milliners who are willing to make a 



specialty of bonnets trimmed without 

 wild birds' feathers: 



BOSTON, MASS.— R. H. Sterns & Co., 

 Cor. Temple Place and Tremont St. ; 

 Caroline, 4S6 Boylston St ; Celeste, 415 

 Boylston St. 



WORCESTER, MASS.— Edith A. Cash- 

 ing, I Chatham St. ; Mrs. Harriet A. Green, 

 ig High St. ; Mrs. Ida S. Richards, 165 

 Pleasant St. 



MILLBURY, MASS.— Mrs. J. M. Cush- 

 ing-Johnson, 271 Main St. 



Reports of Societies 



RHODE ISLAND SOCIETY 



The Audubon Society, in conjunction 

 with the Game Association of this state, 

 succeeded last year in securing the pass- 

 age of a law creating a Bird Commission 

 of five members, authorized to enforce 

 the statutes relating to birds. This year, 

 through the instrumentality of the same 

 societies, and with the help of the Bird 

 Commissioners, the Rhode Island bird 

 laws have been greatly improved and 

 now compare favorably with those of any 

 state. The close season for game birds 

 has been lengthened, and all other birds 

 are protected during the entire year, with 

 the exception of English Sparrow, Hawks, 

 Owls, Crows, and Crow Blackbirds, which 

 "may be killed at any time by any person 

 upon his own land." This last clause 

 was a necessary concession to the views 

 of some of the rural legislators, ard we 

 can only hope that in the near future it 

 will be amended. 



One section of the law imposed a fine 

 of f 20 for every Woodcock, Quail, or Ruffed 

 Grouse sent out of the state The same 

 penalty is imposed for disturbing or de- 

 stroying the nest or eggs of any v;ild bird 

 without a license from some scientific 

 institution. 



In order to give publicity to the new 

 laws, the Audubon Society has had ab- 

 stracts of the same printed upon cloth and 

 posted throughout the state. 



As a novel method of appealing to the 

 public, this Society has recently made 



