Report of the President 337 



Utah, and Vermont. There are 2 in Colorado and the same number in Ken- 

 tucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Louisiana, North Dakota, Rhode 

 Island, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Iowa has 4; and Florida, Indiana, 

 Ohio, and Washington, each has 5. Six are in Illinois and Michigan; 7 in 

 New Jersey; 8 in Connecticut; 12 in Massachusetts; 14 in Pennsylvania, and 

 29 in New York state. Also there is one in the District of Columbia and 4 in 

 the Dominion of Canada. 



A complete list of affiliated organizations, together with the names and 

 addresses of the president and secretary will be found published elsewhere 

 in connection with this report. 



WARDENS AND RESERVATIONS 



The idea of designating areas of land or water in which wild birds may find 

 sanctuary apparently had its distinctive beginning when, on March 14, 1903, 

 some of the founders of this Association induced President Roosevelt to declare 

 Pelican Island, Florida, a United States Bird Reservation. Today there are 

 more than seventy Government bird reservations, some of which are very 

 extensive in area. In the neighborhood of eighty other breeding colonies of 

 water-birds are guarded by wardens of this Association. There are now many 

 state bird reservations, embracing within their boundaries several millions of 

 acres of forest and swamp-lands. Various Audubon Societies and bird clubs 

 have their bird sanctuaries. City parks, cemeteries, hospital grounds, and 

 numerous other territories have been dedicated to the un trammeled use of 

 wild-bird life. Many of these, of course, are sanctuaries only in so far as they 

 protect the birds from hunters, for to be in reality Cities of Refuge for wild 

 feathered life, they should be free from the presence of the domestic cat. The 

 bird-reservation idea has gathered greater momentum in this country than in 

 any other region in the world, unless it be in areas of India where for religious 

 reasons the natives regard it advisable to leave the birds undisturbed. The 

 Birdcraft Sanctuary at Fairfield, Conn., still maintains the lead as the most 

 perfect exemplification of the bird sanctuary idea. 



During the year, three additional Federal reservations have been established, 

 and the boundaries of the one at Indian Key, Fla., have been extended. The 

 greatest addition to the reservations cared for by this Association unexpectedly 

 came to us as a present from the Legislature of the state of Texas. In 1919 

 and 1920 your President engaged in making some observations of the bird- 

 life of the lower coast of Texas. As a result of this, and of friendly connections 

 made with some of the citizens of Texas, the Legislature of that state, at a 

 recent special session, passed as an 'emergency measure' a bill authorizing 

 the leasing of six islands in Laguna Madre to the Association, without cost, for 

 a period of fifty years. The water-birds resorting to these islands are estimated 

 to be not less than 100,000. Here are found, not only Snowy Egrets, Ward's 

 Herons, Louisiana Herons, Laughing Gulls, Brown Pelicans, and four species 



