Report of the Secretary 395 



strategic centers during the summer. As heretofore, almost the entire cost of 

 this work the past summer was borne by one of our life members, Miss 

 Heloise Meyer. 



LEGISLATION 



Forty-three state legislatures convened during the year. In these we have 

 been, in many cases, active in wild-life legislation. Some of the more impor- 

 tant ones may be mentioned: 



In California the usual flood of game bills was introduced, many of which 

 were of an adverse character to wild-bird protection. For the sixth consecu- 

 tive session, attempts were made to take protection from the Meadowlark, 

 and this year the Flicker came in for condemnation. Mrs. Myers tells us that 

 the chief complaint against this bird was that it makes holes in buildings. 



Through the strenuous activities of our California friends, practically all 

 harmful bills were killed, although protection was taken from Blackbirds in 

 three of the northern counties. 



The Florida Audubon Society was very active in endeavoring to secure the 

 establishment of a state game commission. Your Secretary visited Tallahassee 

 in the interest of the measure and, with Dr. Blackman, President of the 

 Florida Audubon Society, stood in the lobby of the Senate when that body 

 passed the bill, after it had passed the lower House. The Governor, how- 

 ever, being of different political faith from that of the Legislature, vetoed 

 the bill. 



In New York State we were much interested in the passage of the bill to 

 establish a rural state police, which was advocated by one of our members, 

 Miss Katherine Mayo, of Bedford Hills. This bill became a law. 



Another splendid measure enacted was a law requiring nature-study and 

 humane education in the schools of the state. This was a great compliment 

 to Mrs. H. Clay Preston, of Buffalo, who for so many years worked for 

 this measure. 



We were glad to support a bill appropriating $15,000 and providing for the 

 establishment of a course in wild-life conservation at Cornell University. The 

 fight for this was led by the American Game Protective Association. 



In Ohio, bills to continue the protection of Quail for one, two, and five 

 years were introduced. This met with our hearty support, and Dr. Swope 

 was very active in working for them. In the end, a bill was introduced by the 

 farming element of the Legislature to put the Quail on the song-bird list and 

 give it protection at all times. This bill became a law. 



In North Carolina, a bill to establish a state game commission was intro- 

 duced by the State Audubon Society, but failed of passage by a narrow margin. 



In Oregon there was estabhshed, by legislative enactment, a wild-game 

 refuge which includes the greater part of the counties of Multnomah and 

 Clackamas. 



