The Audubon Societies 



39 



A Tribute to the Late Mrs. Henry T. Grant 



The Audubon Society of Rhode Island 

 has recently suffered a severe loss in the 

 ■death of Mrs. Henry T. Grant, who 

 organized the society in October, 1897, 

 and for nine years was its cflicient and 

 •devoted Secretary. Possessedof good judg- 

 ment, great patience and unbounded 

 enthusiasm, together with a quick-seeing 

 eye and a musical ear, she came well 

 equipped to the study of birds. 



Nominally she held but the one ofHce, but 

 those who worked with her from the be- 

 ginning knew she was always the guiding, 

 compelling force that helped to override 

 all difficulties and to carry the Society 

 over many discouragements by sheer force 

 of her enthusiasm. 



She saw clearly from the beginning the 

 need of good laws and the wisdom and 

 advisability of a campaign for education 

 to awaken public sentiment and insure 

 their enforcement. 



After failing health and strength com- 

 pelled her to resign from the secretary- 

 ship, her interest never flagged and her 

 counsel was always sought on matters of 

 importance to the Society. — Mrs. J. N. 



BOWNE. 



Miscellaneous Notes 



As the domestic cat is one of the most 

 destructive agencies to our wild-bird life, 

 it is encouraging to know that the Amer- 

 ican Society for the Prevention of Cruelty 

 to Animals is constantly on the lookout 

 to destroy vicious and worthless cats. 



In reply to our request of President 

 Wagstaff for a statement as to the number 

 destroyed during the past two years, we 

 learned that in 19 10 the Society put to 

 death 257,403, and during the year 191 1 

 303,949- 



Dr. Eugexe Swope of Cincinnati, a 

 recently appointed field agent of this Asso- 

 ciation, has arranged a long series of lec- 

 tures in Ohio schools for the spring. During 

 February, his school audiences numbered 

 200 adults and about 1,500 children. 



He is also engaged in organizing Junior 



Audubon Classes in llic schools, and we may 

 expect to hear good rcjxjrts of his efforts. 

 Miss Katharine H. Stuart, field agent 

 for Virginia, while in Richmond in the 

 interests of the two Audubon bills pending 

 in the legislature, found time to give bird 

 talks to 9,713 children assembled in the 

 various schools. 



A BILL for the establishment of a State 

 Game Commission, supported by resident 

 and non-resident hunters' license fees, was 

 introduced some weeks ago in the Virginia 

 legislature by the request of the State 

 Audubon Society. Mr. J. C. Wise and 

 Mr. M. D. Hart of the Audubon Legis- 

 lative Committee have been devoting 

 much time and energy to the passage of 

 the measure. 



As we go to press we learn that the bill 

 has been favorably reported, and that it 

 will probably shortly come to a vote in 

 the lower house. 



It would be difficult to overestimate the 

 benefit which would accrue by the passage 

 of this bill. 



The subject of placing the protection 

 of migratory birds under federal control 

 is again a live issue. Several bills looking 

 to this end have been introduced during 

 the present session of Congress. 



On March 6, a large delegation of men 

 interested in bird and game protection 

 from all over the country, assembled in 

 Washington and was given a hearing on 

 the McLean Bill before the Senate 

 Committee on Forest Reserves and 

 Protection of Game. 



The same day the Committee on Agri- 

 culture gave a hearing on a similar blil 

 introduced by Congressman Weeks. It 

 was a striking fact that every one present 

 favored the proposition under consider- 

 ation, for it has been rare in our experience 

 to attend a legislative hearing where no 

 opposition developed. 



At this writing, the Committees have 

 not yet taken action, but if they do not 

 report the bills favorably it will probably 

 be because of the question existing in the 

 minds of some of the members as to 



