382 Bird - Lore 



which met in January last, failed to make provision for enforcing the laws. 

 The resident hunters' license bill failed of passage by nine votes, and no sub- 

 stitute was offered. 



The Audubon Society was divorced from connection with enforcing the 

 laws by the act creating a Chief Game Warden, passed at the session of 1910. 

 The Chief Game Warden was given control of the Game Protection Fund, 

 consisting principally of the non-resident license. This has amounted to only 

 about $600 during the present year. This officer was also given entire charge 

 of the warden force; but he was especially barred by statute from creating 

 any debt, and hence could promise to pay only when funds were in the treasury. 

 The effect of all this was to disorganize the warden force effectually, for the 

 time at least, and it will have to be reorganized ab initio. 



South Carolina has again fallen into the throes of a political upheaval, 

 to which it is periodically subject, and the cause of bird-protection has suffered. 



The campaign of education has gone on without abatement, and the cause 

 is stronger in the minds of the people than a year ago. There have not been 

 wanting object lessons in insect outbreaks, and the minds of the farmers have 

 been impressed as never before with the value of birds in checking such scourge. 



The pine bark beetle (Dendrodonus frontalis) has riddled the pine trees 

 in the western counties of the state, and is moving rapidly eastward. The 

 United States Bureau of Entomology has established a station for combating 

 this pest, and several of their best men are in the field. The pea curculio 

 caused extensive damage to cotton by cutting off blooms in the early summer. 

 At the present time, there is a general invasion of the cotton leaf cater- 

 pillar (Argillacea Alabama), and the late crop of cotton is being ruined. 



These things, with the advance of the cotton-boll weevil eastward at 

 an accelerated rate, have caused acute anxiety, and the rural districts are 

 stirred over the need of bird-protection to an extent hitherto unknown. 



Entirely through the help of the National Association, a campaign was 

 carried on for the protection of American Egrets and Snowy Egrets along the 

 coast, and there were but four birds known to have been killed during the 

 season. It is gratifying to relate that the miscreants who killed them are in 

 jail, and have been there for nearly two months, being unable to give bail. 

 The trial was postponed on account of the illness of their lawyer, and will 

 not come off until next spring. All the Egret colonies did well, and there will 

 be a noticeable increase next season of our slender stock of these fine birds. — 

 James Henry Rice, Jr., Secretary. 



East Tennessee. — On September 2, 1910, a few bird-lovers met in serious 

 consultation, hoping thereby to lend a helping hand toward the preservation 

 of our wild birds. The result was the organization of the East Tennessee 

 Audubon Society. There were present nine adults and three children, the 

 latter being received as junior members. 



