Vol. XXI 

 1904 



DuTCHER, Report of Committee on Bird Protection. I So 



work, though the "EngHsh Sparrow" was the first bird mentioned 

 in the exckided hst. My only recourse was to have the bill 

 referred again to the committee, and we began all over. To pre- 

 vent opposition from those bound to consider certain species 

 harmful, I revised the section and put in a clause legalizing the 

 killing of birds when in the act of catching domestic fowls or 

 destroying growing crops, throwing the burden of proof on the 

 defendant ; this pleased the committee and passed the bill." 



Warden work. — No wardens were employed by the Thayer 

 Fund. 



Audubon work. — The State Society still continues its activity^ 

 especially along educational lines, as its report shows: "The A. 

 O. U. model bird law has passed the legislature this year and 

 Oregon is now one of the States whose bird laws are entirely sat- 

 isfactory. It is largely due to the efforts of Mr. Clarence Gilbert 

 and Mr. A. W. Anthony that this improvement has become 

 possible. 



" A large number of notices have been placed throughout the 

 country giving a list of birds protected by the model law ; these 

 have proved particularly effective. During the occasional storms 

 along the coast towns the Alaska Thrush and Meadowlarks are 

 driven to the tide lands where formerly they were slaughtered in 

 great numbers. This year very few were killed, the Alaska 

 Thrush being seen in numbers about the homes. 



"Six Bird Clubs are in active work in the State. In several of 

 these societies prizes have been offered to the school children for 

 the best essays on Oregon birds and their habits. The John fjur- 

 roughsClubof Portland offers an annual prize to all school chil- 

 dren of Oregon of the ninth grade for knowledge of native birds, 

 and has, within the past few weeks begun a regular department in 

 the ' Club Journal ' ; other literary work is also in progress. 



"The State Society was this year handicapped in its work, but 

 hopes next year to carry out the following plan : to reach by per- 

 sonal correspondence the teachers of the rural districts, so widely 

 scattered throughout the State, and to offer special prizes to the 

 pupils for the best essays on personal observations of the birds.. 

 The writer of the best essay is to receive a special prize. 



" In regard to work in rural districts and small towns, it is sug- 



