72 



Bird- Lore 



Mr. Finley's work during the past sum- 

 mer has taken him to the great sea-bird 

 colonies off the Oregon coast, then through 

 eastern and southern Oregon for birds and 

 animals in the lake region, and out in the 

 sage-brush country. Some of his best 

 results were achieved on a trip to the top 

 of Mt. Hood with his moving-picture 

 equipment, and also on an extended tour 

 through Yellowstone Park. His assist- 

 ants have been R. B. Horsfall and Mrs. 

 Finley. He was also accompanied on two 

 trips by T. Gilbert Pearson. 



Inasmuch as Yellowstone Park is the 

 greatest refuge in America for wild ani- 

 mals, these enthusiasts had abundant 

 opportunity for picturing bears, deer, 

 antelopes, elks, buffalos, beavers, and 

 various smaller mammals and birds, such 

 as squirrels, marmots, conies. Jays and 

 Clark's Crows. One of the best features 

 of the summer's work has been to show 

 the splendid scenery amid which these 

 animals live. The films that Mr. Finley 

 has prepared for lecture purposes are 

 therefore not only intimate studies show- 

 ing the wild bird or mammal at home, but 

 they are doubly interesting as travelogues. 



One phase of Mr. Finley's work that he 

 considers of great importance is that by 

 which he seeks to interest children in the 

 love and protection of our song birds. His 

 reels showing children of the Junior 

 Audubon Societies building bird-houses 

 are exceptional from an educational 

 standpoint, as also are those of children 

 mothering orphaned Bluebirds and 

 Thrushes whose parents had been killed 

 by a cat. Later these same birds, after 

 they are fully grown and able to fly, are 

 seen bathing and feeding from the hands 

 of the children. 



Of the animal series, Mr. Finley has 

 many that are most remarkable, especially 

 that of the home life of the wild antelope 

 in the deserts of southern Oregon. Having 

 discovered a water-hole where these 

 animals were accustomed to drink, Mr. 

 Finley and his companions, Mr. Horsfall 



and S. G. Jewett, built a blind of sage- 

 brush in which to hide the camera. Enter- 

 ing the blind before daybreak, they spent 

 four days in these cramped quarters, 

 photographing the wary animals as they 

 came within range. By this means good 

 pictures of herds of them were secured, as 

 were also those of hundreds of Sage 

 Grouse that came daily to the water-hole 

 to drink. It is a lamentable fact that 

 through long and cruel hunting the ante- 

 lope has come to be on the verge of 

 extinction. This picture will undoubtedly 

 tend to secure the preservation of one 

 of the most beautiful of American animals. 



The Enabling Act 



A treaty between Canada and the 

 United States for united action in pro- 

 tecting migratory birds was concluded on 

 December 7, 1916, but this admirable 

 agreement will have little practical value 

 unless means are provided for making 

 sure that the treaty-regulations are ob- 

 served. These 'means' are conscientious 

 and capable officers, who must be paid. 

 This payment must come from the Federal 

 Treasury in each country, and therefore 

 requires, on this side of the boundary, an 

 appropriation of money by Congress. A 

 bill for this purpose (H.R. 20080) was 

 introduced by Representative Henry D. 

 Flood of Virginia. It reiterates in detail 

 the provisions of the treaty prohibiting 

 the killing, capturing, sale or purchase, 

 exportation or importation, of any birds 

 to or from Canada, except under regula- 

 tions to be made by our Secretary of 

 Agriculture; provides for the process of 

 law by which violators may be punished; 

 and appropriates $170,000 for warden- 

 service and other necessary expenses. It 

 is expected that similar action will be 

 taken by the Parliament of the Dominion 

 of Canada. This bill was immediately re- 

 ferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 

 whence it is to be hoped it will be reported 

 speedily. 



