Vol. XXI 

 1904 



I DuTCHER, Report of Committee on Bird Protection. I^'? 



cultural Experiment Station nearly $200 worth of rodent poison 

 sold to the fanners at actual cost of the materials. This was used 

 to kill pocket gophers and prairie dogs. There -is certainly need 

 for educational work among the farmers of Kansas who permit and 

 probably themselves kill every hawk and owl they see, not knowing 

 that these birds live very largely upon the very rodents that they 

 buy poison to kill, at the rate of almost $200 per day. It would be 

 a far wiser and more economic movement to spend this daily sum 

 in bird literature to circulate in the rural districts in order that the 

 agriculturist may learn the good that the 354 species of Kansas 

 birds are doing for the farm interests. Let some of the bird lovers 

 of the State take this matter to heart and organize for the protec- 

 tion of the birds and the conservation of one of the most important 

 assets of the Commonwealth. The press should also take up this 

 matter, for Kansas is far behind some of her sister States whose 

 agricultural interests in no way compare with hers. 



Kentucky.— Legislation. — The A. O. U. model law is in force. 

 The next session of the legislature will be in 1904. 



Warden system. — '^o wardens were employed by the Thayer 

 Fund. 



Audubon work. — The society is small and rather inactive. 

 However, there are some individuals in the State who are doing 

 excellent work for the birds. Mr. C. W. Wilson of Mayfield writes 

 as follows : " I am resolved to remain, or get in close touch with 

 your grand work, and to do at all times all I can for the protection 

 of our birds ; I want to be used. When our County Teachers 

 Institute convenes this summer I want to distribute some suitable 

 literature and get one of the teachers to make a talk on the sub- 

 ject. We must reach the children of Kentucky in the common 

 schools. I feel sure of this." 



Mr. R. H. Dean of the U. S. Weather Ofhce, State College, 

 writes: "I have been requested by the Dean of the State Normal 

 School to lecture before the school on birds. There are teachers 

 in the school fi-om over the State generally, and such a lecture 

 properly prepared will no doubt do much good." Later he wrote : 

 "Much interest was taken in the talk and the pictures. It is my 

 intention to obtain as complete a set of bird slides as possible and 

 to repeat the lecture at intervals in this institution. State College, 

 and at other places." 



