The Audubon Societies 



249 



public who bring about convictions of persons 

 who illegally kill wild birds. 



It also presents medals now and then for 

 distinguished achievements along the lines of 

 bird-protection. Of late it has taken up the 

 subject of encouraging the establishment of 

 private bird sanctuaries, and issues metal 

 signs for posting. Five hundred acres of the 

 devastated Mormal Forest have been granted 

 by the Government to the League as a 

 sanctuary. Should the experiment prove 

 successful other grants will follow. 



France has neither National nor Provincial 

 game-warden forces, such as we know in 

 North America. The civil officers alone are 

 responsible for enforcing wild-life protective 

 measures, and, as may be expected, they 

 show scant interest in this aspect of their 

 duties. A hunting license is required. Few 

 of the country people ever hunt or even 

 possess guns. Furthermore, most of the 

 game is found on private estates. Skylarks 

 are legal game-birds. They are killed and 

 sold in enormous numbers in all the cities of 

 the land. Other small birds are trapped 

 illegally and eaten, especially by the inhabi- 

 tants of southern France. 



" 'Tis apple blossom time in Normandy," 

 and I am writing these lines in the beautiful 

 Chateau of Cleres (Clair), the home of M. 

 Jean Delacour, President of the French 

 League for the Protection of Birds. The 



500-acre estate is a magnificent sanctuary of 

 wild life. In addition to the native birds, 

 M. Delacour, who is a great traveler, has 

 brought here 200 and more species of exotic 

 forms ranging from Hummingbirds to Rheas. 

 Many of these now inhabit the surrounding 

 country; especially is this true of the Senegal 

 Palm Doves, Barbary Doves, Australian 

 Crested Pigeons, Ring-necked Parrakeets, 

 Macaws, and various Pheasants. Interesting 

 mammals have the run of the place also, and 

 one may see antelopes, kangaroos, cavies 

 from Patagonia, and various deer. Here my 

 gracious host has introduced me to many of 

 his native feathered friends, such as the Pied 

 Wagtail, the yellow-billed singing Black- 

 bird, the Missel-thrush, the Rook, and the 

 Cuckoo. 



The chateau is one of the most historic in 

 France. It dates from the eleventh century 

 and as it is today so it has stood since the 

 last additions were made in the sixteenth 

 century. Beneath its roof kings of France 

 have been entertained and many times its 

 walls have been bitten by the arrows of 

 the English long-bowmen. 



It is peaceful and very beautiful at the 

 Chateau of Cleres. Just now the chimes from 

 the ancient village church are ringing and 

 they are very sweet — these 'Chimes of 

 Normandy.' — T. Gilbert Pearson, Cleres, 

 France, May 25, 1922. 



A BIRD SANCTUARY IN THE BAHAMAS 



In 1904 Dr. Frank M. Chapman discovered 

 a very large colony of Flamingos breeding on 

 the Island of Andros in the Bahamas. He 

 also found that the birds were being killed 

 and eaten by the natives. At his instance 

 steps were taken which resulted in govern- 

 ment restrictions against the killing of the 

 birds. No adequate means were provided, 

 however, for enforcing the law and the 

 slaughter of the Flamingos has continued 

 until the present time, when late reports 

 indicate that only a pitiful remnant of the 

 vast numbers found by Chapman still 

 remains. 



When this information became generally 

 known, it caused a stir among those inter- 



ested in the protection of birds, with the 

 result that an order by the Acting Colonial 

 Secretary of the Bahama Islands has just 

 been issued creating a bird sanctuary of the 

 southern part of Andros. The wording of 

 this interesting document follows: 



BAHAMA ISLANDS 



H. E. S. Cordeaux, Governor. 



By His Excellency Major Sir Harry 

 Edward Spiller Cordeaux, Knight Com- 

 mander of the Most Distinguished Order of 

 Saint Michael and Saint George, Compan- 

 ion of the Most Honourable Order of the 

 Bath, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in 

 and over the said Islands, Vice-Admiral 

 and Ordinary of the same. 



