The Audubon Societies 



207 



analytically indexed, that is, a reference 

 is given to every separate figure where 

 more than one occurs on a plate, and if it is 

 in colors that fact is noted. Finally all 

 books and magazines reviewed are in- 

 dexed. This document, therefore, besides 



its primary purpose, is virtually an alpha- 

 betic record of progress in bird-study and 

 literature since the opening of the cen- 

 tury. This index has been compiled by 

 Ernest IngersoU, and will be sold at the 

 otifice of this Association at 50 cents, net. 



CONTROL OF CATS IN MONTCLAIR 



It will be recalled that an educational 

 campaign in regard to \agrant cats in 

 Montclair, New Jersey, during the spring 

 and summer of 1915, resulted in a muni- 

 cipal ordinance that attracted wide atten- 

 tion by its novelty both of purpose and of 

 method. Many persons in other towns 

 have been watching hopefully this experi- 

 ment in controlling a menace to bird-life; 

 and it will therefore be of interest to show 

 what has been accomplished under it 

 thus far. 



The Montclair ordinance prohibited 

 "vagrant or unidentified" cats to be at 

 large; ordered that a cat shall be regarded 

 as vagrant "unless it bears a tag furnished 

 (at cost) by the town clerk, or a collar 

 bearing the owner's name and address;" 

 and provided regulations for disposing of 

 vagrant cats. This solved the problem of 

 "protecting the household pet, while 

 permitting the destruction of the outlaw." 

 A later ordinance provided for the appoint- 

 ment of an animal warden, who was 



recjuired to give his entire time to the 

 enforcement of the dog and the cat 

 ordinances, to the keeping of the pound, 

 the making of a census of the dogs ani 

 cats of the town, and the destruction of 

 those not duly licensed or identified. This 

 warden's house-to-house investigation has 

 resulted in the tagging of many cats, and 

 in the destruction of many vagrants. 

 Already the amount of his salary has been 

 returned to the town in license-fees, etc. 

 After duly warning citizens, and explaining 

 to them tactfully the purpose and utility 

 of the ordinances, he began a systematic 

 campaign for the destruction of vagrant 

 cats. On the request of a property-owner 

 he sets a trap on the premises and removes 

 the unidentified cats taken. Any cat duly 

 tagged is at once released unharmed. The 

 plan is locally considered a success, and a 

 bill is now before the New Jersey State 

 Legislature to give broader powers to 

 towns and municipalities in coping with 

 the evil. 



OMAHA'S CEMETERY-SANCTUARIES 



One of the immediate results of a recent 

 enthusiastic meeting of bird-lovers in 

 Omaha was the formation of a local 

 Audubon Society, whose first effort was to 

 establish the cemeteries of the city as bird- 

 sanctuaries. Superintendent H. S. Mann, 

 of the great Forest Lawn Cemetery, had 

 previously been in correspondence with 

 the National Association, and announced 

 that arrangements to that end were under 

 way at Forest Lawn. It was announced 

 that the Prospect Hill and another ceme- 

 tery would do the same. Prizes are to be 

 offered to the boys of the manual-training 

 classes in the city schools for the best 



bird-houses, feeding-tables, etc., made for 

 placing in these cities of the dead. The 

 newspapers and city authorities are lend- 

 ing help and strength to the work. "The 

 Audubon Society of Nebraska," remarks 

 the World- Her aid, editorially, "is making 

 a strenuous effort to increase its junior 

 membership throughout this city and 

 state, which means that there will be many 

 delightful 'field days' in the woods during 

 the summer weeks, and that the feathered 

 folks will discover themselves welcome 

 indeed in these parts. Several bird-clubs 

 have already been organized, and the 

 campaign seems sure of success." 



