^"iQ^S^^J Recent Literature. 101 



Annual Report of the National Association of Audubon Societies for 

 1907.' — As usual, the annual report of the President of the National 

 Association of Audubon Societies, Mr. William Dutcher, is an important 

 docmnent, ornithologically as well as from the standpoint of bird protection. 

 It consists of four parts, the Report of the President (pp. 285-300), in 

 which he gives a general summary of the work of the year, with recom- 

 mendations for future lines of action; the Report of the Secretary (pp. 

 300-303), in reference to his own personal work in the South and elsewhere 

 as an official representative of the Assodation. Reports of Special Agents 

 (pp. 303-327), — of Edward Howe Forbush on his work in the New Eng- 

 land States; of H. H. Kopman, in the Gulf States; of WilUam L. Finley, 

 in Oregon and Washington; of John B. Watson, on the condition of the 

 Noddy and Sooty Tern Colony on Bird Key, Tortugas, Florida; of A. C. 

 Bent, on the condition of bird colonies on Cobb's Island, Va.; of Arthur H. 

 Norton, on the protected bird colonies of the coast of Maine. The Reports 

 of State Societies (pp. 328-361), in alphabetic sequence, relate to the work 

 done by local societies in 30 States and the District of Columbia. Then 

 follow a list of Members and Contributors, and the Treasurer's report. 



The President, in his summary of 'Results Achieved' during the year 

 thus refers to the subject of animal refuges or reservations: "One of the 

 most important results secured by this Association since its organization 

 has been the large number of reservations set aside as bird refuges and 

 breeding homes by President Roosevelt. During the present year six 

 have been added, all of which are the ancestral homes of birds, and they 

 will, in the future, be under the direct supervision of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture. It is our function to investigate and discover 

 bird-breeding islands, rocks and keys; the locality and nmnber and species 

 of birds is reported to the Department of the Interior, at Washington, and, 

 if the property still belongs to the Federal Govermiient, an order is pre- 

 pared for the signature of the Chief Executive. This Society then selects 

 a suitable person to act as a guard, who is recommended for appointment 

 as warden. He is then officially commissioned by the Department of 

 Agriculture at a nominal salary, which is supplemented by additional 

 compensation from this Association .... 



" The plan of bird and animal refuges is destined to be a great factor in 

 the future in the preservation of the wild life of the country. How-ever 

 good the laws are and however well they inay be enforced, killing will go 

 on, and there should therefore be refuges established in all parts of the 

 country where shooting is absolutely prohibited. It is astonishing how 

 soon birds and animals learn to know where they are undisturbed, and 

 how little fear of man they display within such bounds. The reservations 

 we are securing are the beginning of the plan of refuges, but the Federal 

 Government owns no land in any of the thirteen original States, nor does it 



iBird Lore, Vol. IX, 1907, pp. 285-372, with full page half-tone plates and text 

 illustrations. 



