6 Massachusetts Audubon Society 



Britain and Canada came actively into being. This is believed to be the 

 most important and far-reaching bird legislation that the world has ever 

 seen. It gives the Federal Government at Washington, acting through the 

 Biological Survey, complete charge of the migratory game and insectivorous 

 birds of the country. For fifteen years the forces of bird protection have 

 been working for this. The President of the Society, Mr. Edward Howe For- 

 bush, made a trip to Washington in the interests of the Act early in the year. 

 He was followed later by the Secretary-Treasurer, who made two trips. 

 Through their efforts every New England Congressman was appealed to and 

 in the final vote every one of them voted for the Act. 



In local legislation it is a pleasure to report that the better class of 

 sportsmen and their associations throughout the State have come to recog- 

 nize that their interests are the same as those of the Audubon Society and 

 have worked in harmony with it. No bills harmful to the cause of bird 

 protection have been passed by the Massachusetts Legislature. The Legis- 

 lative Committee have, however, carefully watched the legislation proposed at 

 the State House and will continue to do so. 



SANCTUARY. A most important work of the Massachusetts Audubon So- 

 ciety during the past year has been the promotion of its 

 model bird Sanctuary at Moose Hill, Sharon. Last June Mr. H^rry G. Hig- 

 bee, a naturalist of repute, was engaged as a Superintendent and entered 

 enthusiastically upon the work. The picturesque old farmhouse on the hill 

 has been fitted up as his headquarters, and many of his collections of birds 

 and other nature material have been intalled there, and he has ever since 

 kept careful record of the bird life of the Sanctuary. There is space in 

 which to quote only a few things from his voluminous and carefully detailed 

 report which may be seen and consulted at the Society's office. The birds of 

 the past seven months have been card-catalogued and the records filed in 

 alphabetical order in such shape that they may be consulted at the Sanctu- 

 ary by interested bird students. Ninety-six species have been recorded, also 

 lists of species visiting the dooryard, nesting, etc. Forty-one nests have 

 been under observation during the season. Preliminary lists have been made 

 of other forms of wild life within the Sanctuary, two hundred different kinds 

 of flowers and plants having been observed. During the winter extensive 

 bird feeding work is being carried on and results recorded both in note and 

 in photograph. The promotion of the local sanctuary movement is an im- 

 portant part of the work of our Society. The establishment of many such 

 sanctuaries throughout the State will go far towards solving the problem of 

 preserving our wild bird life. The Society has constant inquiries as how 

 best to equip and plan a Sanctuary. At Moose Hill we are already able 

 to demonstrate some of these methods and other opportunities will be added 

 as the work goes on. 



It is impossible in the space allotted to this report to describe all the 



