The Audubon Societies 



73 



Sources of Endowment Fund of the National Association 

 OF Audubon Societies 



The Endowment Funds are all carefully invested in compliance with the strict 

 laws of New York State governing membership organizations. For the most part the 

 Association holds as securities first -mortgage bonds on New York City real estate. 



MRS. RUSSELL SAGE 



It was in the summer of 19 10, appar- 

 ently, that Mrs. Russell Sage first became 

 deeply interested in the subject of the 

 protection of wild birds; or, it would be 

 more correct to say, perhaps, that it was 

 then that she began her series of generous 

 contributions to the cause of bird-protec- 

 tion. In July of that year, in response to 

 a request made by the Secretary of the 

 National Association, she subscribed $500 

 lor the work of Robin protection. A little 

 later she sent her check for $5,000 for bird- 

 study and bird-protective work in the 

 Southern States, with special reference to 

 arousing a better appreciation on the 

 p;ut of the people for that much-abused 

 bird. She also contributed $1,500 in the 

 same summer to the Mary Dutcher Me- 

 morial Fund, then being collected as an 

 addition to the Endowment of the Asso- 

 ciation. Since that time she has given 

 nnnually to the Audubon work, her total 

 ■subscriptions to the Association now 

 amounting to $27,000. She contributed, 

 also, on one occasion, to the California 

 State Audubon Society. 



In 191 2 Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny, one of the 

 members of the Association, interested 



her in purchasing ]Marsh Island on the 

 coast of Louisiana as a bird-refuge. The 

 total cost of that island was about $150,000. 

 Some time ago she also contributed 

 $10,000 to the wild-life-protection fund of 

 the New York Zoological Society. 



These splendid gifts have resulted not 

 only in making possible many notable 

 accomplishments for bird-protection, but 

 have stimulated others to contribute to 

 the cause. 



The Audubon Association has received 

 $41,000 from two interested members who 

 were moved to provide these funds as a 

 direct result of seeing what Mrs. Sage had 

 done, and what the Association had accom- 

 plished with the funds she had intrusted 

 to its hands. 



Mrs. Russell Sage is greatly interested 

 in everything that makes for the up-build- 

 ing of the human race; and among her wide 

 range of benefactions has not neglected the 

 wild birds and animals, which she often 

 enjoys in her walks afield within Central 

 Park, where she is on intimate terms with 

 the squirrels, or at her country place, 

 where no doubt the birds know her as 

 well as she knows them. 



