Do 6 Notes and News. 



LOct. 



NOTES AND NEWS 



William Dutcher, a Fellow and Councillor of the American Orni- 

 thologists' Union, died at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, on July 1, 

 1920, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. To him, more than to any one 

 individual, is due the present interest in wild bird conservation; the organi- 

 zation and development of the National Association of Audubon Societies, 

 of which he was president from the time of its conception until his death; 

 and the manifold activities that have grown out of this organization. 

 His life is an illustration of what can be accomplished by one who is willing 

 to devote his entire energy to a cause and to persevere in spite of all ob- 

 stacles. Mr. Dutcher had no backing, save such as he provided himself 

 when, as chairman of the A. O. U. Committee on Bird Protection, he 

 became seriously interested in what was to be his life work, but through 

 his earnestness he interested one influential person after another in the 

 cause unt'l he had built up the organization which will be his monument 

 for all time. 



The last years of his life have been particularly sad, since on October 19, 

 1910, on the eve of a testimonial banquet intended to celebrate the achieve- 

 ment of his greatest ambition, the establishment of an endowed organi- 

 zation for wild bird conservation, he was stricken with paralysis which 

 rendered him speechless and made further active work impossible. 

 He recovered his physical health to some degree but was unable to move 

 about freely, although he did attend the meeting of the Union in New 

 York City in 1918 and some of the meetings of the National Association 

 of Audubon Societies. His power of speech was never regained. 



Beside the splendid work that he accomplished as Chairman of the 

 A. O. U. Committee on Bird Protection, before this was taken over by 

 the Audubon Societies, he rendered valuable service as Treasurer of the 

 Union from 1887 to 1903, and as a member of the Council. 



In his earlier years he was also an active field student, specializing on 

 Long Island, and published many important papers of the birds of this 

 region besides forming a valuable collection which is now in the American 

 Museum of Natural History. 



In those who, like the writer, were closely associated with him in the 

 beginning of his life work, his kindliness, generosity and earnestness of 

 purpose inspired a love and admiration that grew stronger as the years 

 passed by; while to the world at large so intimately has his name become 

 associated with the cause of bird protection, that mention of the one at 

 once recalls the other. This in itself is a monument of which one might 

 well be proud. 



The president of the A. O. U. has appointed Dr. T. S. Palmer, who was 

 closely associated w ; th Mr. Dutcher in his work, to prepare a memorial 

 address to be read at the meeting of the Union in November and published 

 in 'The Auk' for January, 1921.— W. S. 



