ee | Recent Literature. 231 
Birds are also given considerable credit as predators upon the common 
cabbage worm. The species which “are known to feed upon cabbage 
worms are the chipping sparrow, English Sparrow, and house wren. It is 
certain, however, that other species eat them, and in one case it was found 
that during the winter the number of pup of the cabbage butterflies was 
reduced more than 90 per cent by birds feeding upon them.” ! 
This is high praise for the birds and gives them commanding rank among 
predacious enemies of the cabbage worm. In the case of another injurious 
insect also, the velvet-bean caterpillar, it is said that the red-winged 
blackbird is the most important predatory enemy. Other birds feeding 
upon the pest are the mockingbird and field sparrow.2— W. L. M. 
Annual Report of the National Association of Audubon Soci- 
eties.— The Annual Report of the Audubon Societies? is a revelation to 
those who labored in the cause of wild bird protection twenty or more 
years ago, before public sentiment was aroused, and we think it is safe 
to say that the present development of the movement is far beyond their 
most sanguine expectations. 
While the reports of the Secretary and the various special agents, are 
exceedingly interesting reading and the long list of members and contribu- 
tors, most encouraging, we think the most significant feature is the series 
of reports from local societies of which nearly 100 are listed. These show 
how widespread is the interest in bird protection and what a tremendous 
hold it has upon the people of the country. 
Another point in the development of the work is the apparent passing 
of the State Audubon Society except where it is well endowed or else purely 
local in character. Independent local clubs, conducted in accordance with 
the needs of the local community and working in affiliation with the 
National Association, seem to be the more natural form of development. 
While the State Societies did excellent service at the start it is impossible 
now to meet the demands made upon them without independent endow- 
ment, and the local organizations seem to turn naturally to the National 
Association as the central or affiliating body. The number and size of the 
units engaged in the work however are simply matters of organization, the 
objects attained are the same in any case. 
In the introduction to his report Secretary Pearson calls attention to a 
very significant feature in the development of bird protection; that is the 
growing tendency of sportsmen’s organizations to take up the cause of 
the non-game birds. These societies were established originally for the 
protection of game birds for food and for recreational shooting, and this 
extension of their activities is a recognition of the broader principle of the 
1Chittenden, F.H. The common cabbage worm. Farmers’ Bull. 766, Nov., 1916, p. 9. 
2Watson, J. R. Life-history of the velvet-bean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatilis 
Hiibner), Journ. Ec. Ent. 9, No. 6, Dec., 1916, pp. 526-7. 
3 Annual Report of the National Association of Audubon Societies, Bird-Lore, January, 
1917. 
