The Audubon Societies 



^etts declares that game artificially reared 

 shall be the exclusive property of the per- 

 son raising it, but forbids the owner to sell 

 it for food during close seasons. Illinois 

 exacts a fio hunting license from non- 

 residents, even though they lease or own a 

 game preserve within the State, and Wy- 

 oming in the famous ' Race Horse case,' 

 carried up to the Supreme Court in 1896, 

 has successfully maintained her right to 

 compel Indians to obey her game laws 

 (163 U. S. 504). 



During the last fifty years, the sentinient 

 in favor of bird protection has developed 

 rapidly. Many laws have been enacted, 

 amended, and sustained by the courts. 

 That these laws are still imperfect is partly 

 the result of carelessness and partly of 

 strong opposition due to ignorance or sel- 

 fishness. Our game laws, unlike those of 

 Europe, are maintained for the good of the 

 people as a whole, not for the benefit of 

 ^ly one class, and their enforcement de- 

 pends very largely on a general apprecia- 

 tion of the principles upon which they are 

 based. 



Reports of Societies 



MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



rhe Massachusetts Audubon Society is 

 now five years old. There are abundant 

 proofs that it has been an important agent 

 in increasing an interest in the study and 

 protection of birds; and it is rapidly ac- 

 quiring an etpiipment of permanent service 

 to bird students. While there are many 

 friendly critics who protest that our methods 

 are too general and that we lack aggressive 

 force, we are convinced that the society has 

 made for itself a firm place in the affections 

 of a large number of people, and is alreadv 

 a respected institution of the state. 



Last winter the society tnok .ictiM- 

 measures to ;ii(l the passage nl the legis- 

 lative bill for "making Suiuhu close sea- 

 son for birds and game." This winter 

 a bill was presented to repeal tliiv \er\ 

 beneficent law; again the six i(i\ made 

 earnest effort to defeat the measure. liu- 

 society has also done exiellent dutv in in- 

 riuencitig the legislature, iillcctin^ two 



other important bills relating to bird pro- 

 tection. 



Our register now numbers 3,334 persons: 

 of these 42 are life associates, having paid 

 $2^; 530 are associates, paying $1 annually, 

 and 502 are junior members, persons under 

 sixteen years, and having paid 10 cents; the 

 others are life members, having paid 25 

 cents. 



We have issued thirty-three different pub- 

 lications; many of these have been freely 

 distributed throughout the country; other 

 publications dealing with bird protection 

 we have secured by purchase or gift for dis- 

 tribution. Our two Audubon Calendars 

 have been favorably received; a third is in 

 preparation with original drawings by the 

 same artist; this will be issued in time for 

 the 1901 Christmas sales. We issued the 

 second chart of common birds last August. 

 The sale of the charts had not been as large 

 as was anticipated, probably because we 

 have not been able to properly advertise 

 them. 



Last winter the society arranged with Mr. 

 Frank M. Chapman to give his lecture 

 "Bird Studies with a Camera." His large 

 audience greatly enjoyed the lecture, the 

 proceeds of which added to our treasury. 

 This winter the society secured Mr. Ralph 

 Hoffmann for a course of six lectures; his 

 subjects are, Winter Birds; Early Spring; 

 The Month of May; Nesting Time; Sum- 

 mer Ornithology; Birds and Man. The 

 lectures are well attended by an apprecia- 

 ti\e audience. We expect that a ii-cture 

 course will be an annual feature of the 

 societies' work. 



February i, of this year, our traveling 

 lecture started on its journeys. The lec- 

 ture is entitled "An Invitation to Bird Ac- 

 (|uaintance," and was written ami donated 

 liv Mr. Hoffmann. A lantern and fifty 

 slides make up the outfit. The slides were 

 niatie troiii negatives presented bv Messrs. 

 Ildlxrt K. Job, Lvman I'nderwood, Her- 

 lurt W. (ileason, James II, I'liierton. 

 Rnlxri -S. Mciirison. .AlreaiK it has \isite»l. 

 ni is booked to visit, over fiftv schools, 

 iliibs and societies. Lhe lecture is sent 

 free to anv responsible person in NLissaclui- 

 ^ett^ who guarantees its safe return and will 



