Vol. XVIII 

 igoi 



I Report of Committee on Bird Protection. 6q 



regular scale of prices for the birds were sent to postmasters all 

 along the Gulf Coast, with requests to place them in the hands 

 of gunners or fishermen. 



Through the agency of Dr. T. S. Palmer of the U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, this matter was brought to the attention of 

 the Secretary of Agriculture, who in turn reported it to the Post- 

 master General, and a warning was issued in the regular postal 

 instructions to all postmasters in the United States not to lend their 

 aid to such trade, as it was in many States unlawful. 



This matter, thanks to the public press, was well advertised 

 throughout the country and attracted considerable attention. 

 Shortly afterward Mr. Abbot H. Thayer, a member of the Union, 

 communicated with your chairman, and learning that the Com- 

 mittee was unable to take active measures toward protecting the 

 terns and gulls, owing to lack of funds, generously offered to 

 raise money for this purpose. An appeal prepared by Mr. 

 Thayer, was signed by a number of prominent members of the 

 Union and widely published. This brought immediate response, 

 and a substantial fund was soon at the command of your Com- 

 mittee. Being unable to personally attend to the details of this 

 work your chairman enlisted the services of Mr. William Dutcher 

 who kindly undertook the entire work and who will report on the 

 results that have been accomplished. 



Early in the year millinery activity also manifested itself in 

 Delaware where the services of gunners were enlisted to obtain 

 crows and blackbirds for the trade. While the existing laws did 

 not protect these species, the danger of killing other protected birds 

 and game was pointed out in a circular issued by your chairman, 

 and citizens of Delaware were called upon to do what they could 

 to prevent this outrage. These circulars were sent to every post 

 ofhce in the State. Mr. A. D. Poole of the Delaware Game Pro- 

 tective Association took an active interest in the matter and in 

 company with your chairman visited Gov. Tunnell who heartily 

 endorsed what had been done and assured us of his cooperation 

 in case the laws were transgressed. 



The way in which the newspapers of the country took this 

 matter up and spread it from the Atlantic to the Pacific with 

 more or less elaboration is an instance of the work of the Audu- 



