^88 Bird -Lore 



The following are estimates. Your Secretary, who visited the colony in 

 the height of the season, regards them as conservative: Boat-tailed Grackle, 

 600 pairs; Louisiana Heron, 1,950 pairs; Little Blue Heron, 3,500 pairs, and 

 White Ibis, 9,000 pairs. This makes a total of about 33,000 birds occupying 

 this one protected area, and, I may add, they were guarded by the Association 

 at a cost of $350, or, at the rate of about one cent per bird. 



In another Florida swamp, discovered by one of our agents early in the 

 year and guarded successfully by wardens through the nesting season, the 

 bird population was found to be as follows: Between five and six hundred 

 Egrets; about 1,000 Wood Ibis; 25 Roseate Spoonbills; 40 Limpkins; 100 

 Ward's Herons, a nimiber of pairs of Swallow-tailed Kites and Wood Ducks, 

 as well as several thousand of the small Herons. 



We have experienced a most successful and prosperous year in our endeavors 

 to protect White Egrets. But for the efforts of the Association of recent 

 years, these birds doubtless would today be on the very verge of extermina- 

 tion. If the sale of their feathers can be prohibited and the colonies guarded 

 for a period of years, there appears to be no reason why they should not again 

 become numerous, even as the Gulls and Terns have prospered under similar 

 conditions. 



LEGISLATION 



The year 191 2 saw comparatively few state legislatures in session. Our 

 most active efforts were put forth in Massachusetts and Virginia. Something 

 of the Titanic struggles between the friends and foes of wild life in these 

 states will be found in the report of the field agents. The two big points, how- 

 ever, which shone out clear and distinct after the dust of battle had blown 

 away, were these: 



The sale of native wild game is no longer permitted by law in Massachu- 

 setts, and Virginia has inscribed on its statute books the statement that no 

 longer may Robins be legally slaughtered within the boundaries of her 

 commonwealth. 



The subject of legislation looking to the federal protection of migratory 

 birds was again before Congress the past year. Several representatives of 

 the Association visited Washington in the interest of the three bills being 

 considered, and your Secretary addressed the committees of the House and 

 Senate having these bills in charge. At this time these measures are still 

 pending. 



MRS. RUSSELL SAGE FUND 



The work in the southern states has for the second year had the support 

 of a fund of $5,000 given by Mrs. Russell Sage for the special object of arous- 

 ing public interest in the future protection of Robins, which have long been 

 regarded as game-birds in that territory. It was by means of this fund that 



