^2 Stone, Report of Committee oti Bird Protection. fTan 



in ' Bird-Lore,' the official organ of the Societies. Several new so- 

 cieties have been organized during the year, and at the last session 

 of the A. O. U. at Cambridge, the first step was taken towards an 

 affiliation of the State societies. Delegates from nine State organ- 

 izations took part in the conference, and it was decided to estab- 

 lish the Conference as a regular feature of the A. O. U. Congress. 



The work of the Audubon Societies I find is not fully appreci- 

 ated by the public at large and many persons noting the continu- 

 ance of the feather fashion hastily conclude that they have failed 

 in their object. This however is not so. Like most other reforms 

 the suppression of the feather fashion cannot be accomplished all 

 at once ; it is a gradual work, and the portion already accomplished 

 must not be lost sight of. It is the widespread popular interest 

 in birds which has rendered possible the passage of the many im- 

 proved bird laws and the establishment and maintenance of the 

 Thayer Fund, and for this popular interest the Audubon Societies 

 are directly responsible. 



We should therefore use every effort to encourage those who 

 are active in conducting the work of these societies and give them 

 every possible assistance, for only by keeping alive and spreading 

 the present interest can we permanently stamp out the feather 

 trade. 



In this connection your chairman would suggest to the Audubon 

 Societies the importance of discouraging the use of any feathers 

 except those of the ostrich and domestic rooster, which can be 

 easily identified. 



All secretaries have doubtless been assailed by numerous 

 inquiries whether this or that feather is admissible, and too many 

 members are content with the assurance of the milliners that vari- 

 ous quills, sprays and tufts of feathers now so largely replacing 

 entire birds are manufactured from the plumage of domestic 

 fowls. 



Your chairman recently examined a large series of sample feath- 

 ers from one of the leading milliners in Philadelphia and found 

 that fully nine tenths of the material was not\hit plumage of domes- 

 tic fowls. Part of the dyed, trimmed and bespangled feathers 

 defied more accurate determination, but the plumage of the In- 

 dian Vulture, Nicobar Pigeon, Great Bustard, Baikal Teal, Indian 



