State Audubon Reports 317 



The fishing laws were considerabl}- improved. The Michigan Association 

 is making a special effort, with the aid of the Audubonists, to arouse sentiment 

 in favor of more stringent law, especially in regard to spring shooting. 



There is a strong feeling that the game warden should have no connection 

 with politics. If it were not for the popularity of Game Warden Pierce, the question 

 would be agitated wth more vigor. Michigan is greatly influenced by New York, 

 and we are in hopes we can show the advantages of a Commission, or at least 

 of non-partisan appointments. 



Our Society has given fifty prizes to schools during the year, and the Audubon 

 Leaflets are now used in sixty-eight schools in the state. We have three good 

 workers in this line. Our Vice-president, Mrs. Anna Walter, a club woman and 

 newspaper writer, is endeavoring to discourage the wearing of feathers among 

 the women members of the press and Women's Clubs, and is doing a splendid 

 ■work. 



A farmers' organization, known as the Grange, is strong in Michigan. The 

 Secretary of the Audubon Society has spoken at a number of their meetings 

 during the year, and outlined a plan of bird study, which was published in the 

 Grange papers and taken up for study and discussion. There are 800 local lec- 

 turers or divisions. They asked to be supplied with Audubon literature, which 

 was a greater task than we could meet. It we could secure their united support, 

 the whole question of bird protection would be settled. 



Our Society has cooperated with the Michigan State Humane Association, 

 and is in hopes that by working together they can reach those portions of the 

 state that are without organized effort in child, animal and bird protective 

 work. — Jefferson Butler, Secretary. 



Minnesota. — The jVIinnesota Audubon Society has, during the last year, 

 confined itself to establishing school branches through the state. We have been 

 aided in this by the County Superintendent of Schools in each county. In this 

 way a large number of children have become interested, and have formed branch 

 Societies in the more remote parts of the state, as well as in the cities. We have 

 also interested the Humane Society of the state in bird protection, and have 

 put up warning notices of prosecution for violation of our bird laws. Many 

 persons, mostly boys, have been brought before the courts and fined and cau- 

 tioned. We also have a department in the Institute of Science and Arts, with 

 monthly lectures and frequent meetings. A large amount of literature has been 

 sent out by ourselves and through the State Humane Society, and many letters 

 answered from all parts of this state and western Wisconsin and northern low^a 

 and Dakota. 



For want of funds, our work has been more limited than we could wish. Our 

 Secretary has done good work and accomplished much by her correspondence, 

 under really trying circumstances, being able to work only when through with 

 her regular dailv duties as teacher. On the whole, we can report progress of a very 



