5o6 Bird -Lore 



REPORT OF WILLIAM L. FINLEY, FIELD AGENT FOR 

 THE PACIFIC COAST STATES 



Special protection has been given for several years to a colony of American 

 Egrets (Ardea egretta) that lived on Silver Lake, Harney County, in south- 

 eastern Oregon. This was the only breeding-place remaining in the state. 

 The Herons lived in a clump of willows on an island in the center of the lake. 

 In the past the surrounding water has furnished some protection, but last 

 summer was unusually dry, and as the lake evaporated the Herons did not 

 return to nest. Only an occasional bird has been seen since last spring, and 

 their nesting-place is unknown. Ten to twelve years ago Egrets nested on 

 Malheur Lake. When the colony was destroyed by plume-hunters the rem- 

 nants took up their home on Silver Lake. In 191 1 there were 21 old birds and 

 10 nests in the colony; in 191 2 we saw 11 nests and 23 mature birds. During 

 the two following years the numbers remained approximately the same, 

 although 30 to 50 young birds reached maturity each year. These showy birds 

 have many enemies; and whenever a species is so reduced in numbers as the 

 Egret has been in Oregon it may be recorded as extinct. 



During the past year legislative sessions have been held in Washington, 

 Oregon, and California. An attempt was made again in California to place 

 Meadowlarks, Blackbirds and Robins on the list as game-birds but it failed. 

 Much credit is due Dr. H. C. Bryant, who is in charge of educational and 

 scientific work for the California Fish and Game Commission, for spreading 

 useful information on the economic status of wild birds. No laws were passed 

 that were detrimental to our song-birds or other non-game birds. It is noticea- 

 ble on the Pacific Coast that during the past few years the complaints have been 

 much less frequent against our wild birds than formerly. There is far greater 

 protection for song-birds because of the increased public interest, and this is 

 largely due to educational work in the schools. For the year ending June 10, 

 1915, 266 Junior Audubon societies were organized in Oregon, Washington, 

 and California, with a total membership of 4,380. 



During the past summer T. Gilbert Pearson, Secretary of the National 

 Association, visited the Pacific Coast States on a tour of inspection. The thirty- 

 third annual congress of the American Ornithologists' Union, which convened 

 in San Francisco in May, brought ornithologists and bird-lovers from the East. 



Conditions on the various wild-bird reservations have been favorable. 

 The bird-residents are becoming more abundant each year. The orders issued 

 by the Biological Survey prohibiting visitors going to the colonies while the 

 nests contain eggs, or when the birds are very young, has had an excellent 

 effect in that thus fewer nestUngs died at the critical time in the breeding-season. 



Special effort has been made by your Agent to collect moving-pictures of 

 wild birds and animals to use in the schools, and moving-picture lectures have 



