Il8 DUTCHER, Report of Committee on Bird Protection. \j^n 



and phint culture. Many of the trees which beautify our grand 

 old State were planted by our fathers — let us, in our turn, plant 

 trees, in whose branches song birds may build their nests and 

 whose grateful shade coming generations will enjoy. 



" I further request that the teachers in our schools endeavor to 

 stimulate their pupils to an interest in the study of ornithology. 

 It is surely an imperative duty to impress upon the boys and girls 

 of to-day the sinfulness of robbing birds' nests and snaring wild 

 birds. Such acts of wanton cruelty should not go unpunished." 



North and South Dakota. — Legislation. ■ — Non-game bird 

 laws in both the Dakotas are lacking. A few birds are protected, 

 but the present statutes are entirely inadequate. The citizens of 

 these two States, which are so prolific of bird life, should awaken 

 to the necessity for their preservation. The next session of the 

 legislature will not be held until 1905. 



Will not the press of these two great agricultural States in the 

 interim awaken the citizens to the value of birds to all classes of 

 agriculture ? The National Committee holds itself in readiness to 

 furnish information, on request, to the editors of the Dakotas, 

 regarding the economic value of birds. 



Delaware. — Legislation. — No change in the bird law, the A. 

 O. U. model law being in force. 



Warden syste7n. — No wardens were employed under the Thayer 

 Fund. 



Audubon work. — The Secretary reports as follows: ''The 

 County Superintendent of schools, Mr. A. R. Spaid, gave his bird 

 lecture at Dover during July and succeeded in obtaining the names 

 of 25 teachers as members of the Audubon Society. 



"Two arrests have been made during 1903 for shooting robins; 

 the fines and costs in each case amounting to over $10.00. 



" The State Board of Agriculture has expressed its intention of 

 sending literature on birds to the teachers of the Delaware schools 

 and asks their cooperation in distributing it among the children. 



"The Society has had copies of the bird laws of the State 

 placed in all the stations of the Delaware railroads, and in all the 

 post offices of those towns and villages where we have members, 

 and permission to post the laws could be obtained. 



"Our Society thinks that constant agitation through the press 



