REPORT OF SECRETARY 



October 3, 1916 



The sixth year of its existence, through which the New Jer- 

 sey Audubon Society has just passed, has been in certain re- 

 spects a pecuharly difficuh one. The world-wide disturbance 

 of business and social conditions, due to the European war, and 

 the innumerable new demands on philanthropy arising from the 

 same cause, have conspired to make of the past year the most 

 difficult in our experience in the matter of securing new mem- 

 bers and of retaining the support of those already enrolled. 



During the year there have been new members enrolled as 

 follows: Patrons, 1; Life Members, 1; Sustaining Members, 30; 

 Members, 199; Associate Members, 10; Junior Members, 7,8l4. 



During the same period the Society lost by death, 3 Sus- 

 taining Members, 9 Members ; by resignation, 9 Sustaining Mem- 

 bers, 37 Members, 1 Associate Member, also two Associate 

 Members who removed and left no address; by delinquency, 11 

 Sustaining Members, 79 Members. This leaves a net gain for 

 the year of 1 Patron; 1 Life Member; 7 Sustaining Members; 

 74 Members; 7 Associate Members; 7,814 Junior Members. 



It would seem that the chances of individual solicitation for 

 membership succeeding were far better than in the case of gen- 

 eral circularizing. Almost every member know^s one or more 

 persons who would readily lend their aid to the cause and be- 

 come a member, if the matter were personally laid before them 

 in a persuasive manner. Solicitation of this sort is not agree- 

 able to many people, but surely the cause is worthy and worth 

 while. Some of our members have loyally done their part in 

 the securing of new members. Much more of this good work 

 is greatly needed. An adequate business office and an assistant 

 to attend to detail work would render it possible for the Sec- 

 retary to devote a good deal of attention to personal solicita- 

 tion for new members and increased support of the Society's 

 work. 



Legislation : A cat license bill, identical with the one that 

 was lost last year, was introduced on behalf of the Society by 

 Assemblyman Simpson, and our bobolink bill of last year was 

 re-introduced by Assemblyman Herrick. Despite the fact that 

 a very active campaign was waged on behalf of the Society, in 

 seeking the promotion of these measures, it seemed impossible 

 to secure prompt consideration of either of them. The cat 



