^°i904^ J DiJTCHER, Refort of Commitlee on Bird Profectton. I ^ ■? 



"Mrs. J. B. Hudson, of Lake City, again exhibited her collec- 

 tion of birds' nests at the State Fair, while Mrs. Chas. W. Aker 

 exhibited weeds furnishing food for birds. 



"Next year we hope to obtain slides for stereopticon lectures." 



The Duluth Humane Society is taking an active interest in bird 

 protection and offers a reward oi $io for information which will 

 lead to the arrest and conviction of any person killing song birds 

 or robbing nests. 



Mississippi. — Zej^is /a ^ ton. — Section 1134 of the Annotated 

 Code, 1892, protects three species of non-game birds, z. e., the 

 Mockingbird, Catbird and Thrush ; all of the other valuable non- 

 game birds are without protection. 



There is ample reason for the following editorial in ' The Meri- 

 dian (Miss.) State': "Bird protection is going to be made an 

 economic issue in every Southern State before many days, and 

 the army of sentimental advocates will be reinforced by the utili- 

 tarians, who, while caring nothing for the beauty of the feathered 

 songster or the music he makes, are very much alive to his useful- 

 ness in exterminating insects that kill crops, and are determined 

 to stay the hand of the snarer and wanton bird killer before it is 

 too late and the insects have taken possession of the land. 

 Wherever common sense prevails, this cause will find advocates, 

 and the 'State' would like to see bird protection made an issue in 

 Mississippi politics next year." 



The next session of the legislature will commence in January, 

 1904, and it is the imperative duty of the members to pass the 

 A. O. U. model law, which has already been adopted by the fol- 

 lowing Southern States : Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ten- 

 nessee, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, and Texas. 



South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana are the 

 only Southern Coast States that give none or but little protection 

 to their valuable birds. 



Missouri. — LegislatioJi. — None was accomplished. Why the 

 effort for a satisfactory law was defeated is best told by officers of 

 the Audubon Society. 



" And what of Missouri ? Solitary and alone she stands in her 

 humiliation and helplessness. Her general assembly has 

 adjourned with contemptuous indifference toward her needs in 



