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Bird- Lore 



essee Audubon Societies have combined in 

 advocating a rather unique plan for ex- 

 tending interest in bird protection. Cir- 

 culars have been issued which, supple- 

 mented by appeals in the public press, 

 call upon "all farmers and other persons 

 who wish to aid in bird and game pro- 

 tection," to proclaim their lands, if of 

 five or more acres in extent, as "Audubon 

 Bird Refuges," and to post notices em- 

 bodying such declaration. On these "bird 

 stations" the owners are encouraged to 

 allow no bird nesting by boys or promis- 

 cuous shooting by irresponsible persons. 

 It is also urged that bird-boxes, drinking- 

 fountains, and shelves for feeding birds 

 be placed in suitable localities. A plan 

 similar to this has been sanctioned by law 

 in Indiana, and the results in that state 

 indicate that the idea is a perfectly prac- 

 tical one. Details of the plan in question 

 may be obtained from President H. 

 Tullsen, Knoxville, Tennessee. 



California. — When the Legislature of 

 California adjourned on March 27, 191 1, 

 there was a distinct feeling of relief in the 

 minds of many of the friends of bird pro- 

 tection, for some very strenuous efforts 

 had been made to adversely amend the 

 state law protecting non-game birds. The 

 bill of this character which attracted most 

 attention was designed to remove pro- 

 tection from the Western Meadowlark. 

 Its advocates charged this useful bird with 

 being a serious menace to agriculture and 

 horticulture; in fact, some even contended 

 that it was a voracious eater of grapes! 

 The California Audubon Society combated 

 this bill with great vigor and at length it 

 was defeated in the Assembly by a vote of 

 forty-nine to twenty-three. 



In the Senate a bill made its appearance 

 which provided for removing protection 

 from Kingfishers, Grebes, Terns, Night 

 Herons, Bitterns, Pelicans and Cor- 

 morants. The Senator who was respon- 

 sible for this startling undertaking decided 

 subsequently not to push his bill and 

 allowed it to remain uncalled on the 

 calendar. This happy change of plans on 

 his part was undoubtedly brought about 



largely through the untiring efforts of 

 Miss Gretchen L. Libby, School Secretary 

 of the California Audubon Society. Miss 

 Libby spent nearly two months in Sac- 

 ramento in the interest of bird-protective 

 legislation, and the outcome of the cam- 

 paign was chiefly due to her work. There 

 is a deserved tribute to Miss Libby's 

 ability and success as a public speaker in 

 the fact that a position as field worker and 

 lecturer has recently been provided for 

 her by the State Board of Fish and Game 

 Commissioners. — T. G. P. 



Levy Plumage Bill 



The Levy Plumage Bill which the friends 

 of the millinery interests have been seeking 

 to push through the New York Legis- 

 lature this year, failed of passage on the 

 night of June 29, 1911. The object of this 

 proposed measure was to seriously cripple 

 the Shea- White Plumage Law enacted by 

 the Legislature last year. This Associa- 

 tion backed by many other organizations 

 in the state, as well as thousands of pa- 

 triotic individuals, has most earnestly com- 

 bated the Levy Bill since its introduction 

 several months ago. It was late at night, 

 just two days before the new plumage law 

 was to go into effect, that Assemblyman 

 Levy called for a vote on his bill. Appa- 

 rently the Democratic organization in the 

 Assembly chamber drew the line as tightly 

 as possible over the Democratic members, 

 but when the roll was called, only sixty- 

 six responded in favor of the passage of the 

 measure. As seventy-two votes are re- 

 quired, the bill "failed of passage." It 

 now remains to be seen whether Mr. Levy 

 will be able to muster enough votes at a 

 later date in order to secure the enactment 

 of his bill. On July 21 the Legislature took 

 a recess until September 6. The Levy 

 Plumage Bill can, of course, again 

 be voted on at the adjourned session. 

 In the meantime, it is now illegal to sell 

 Heron aigrettes and the feathers of many 

 other birds which were formerly offered 

 in abundance in the millinery markets 

 of New York state.— T. G. P. 



