^°^"i9\o^'"] ^«^«s ««^ ^^^^''- 367 



view is a detailed consideration of the habits of the species, and in maldng 

 clear how little is really known in this respect, to "point the way to further 

 research." The subscription price is 10s. 6d. net per section, with also an 

 edition de luxe at 21s. per section; the London address of the publishers 

 is 16 Henrietta Street, W. C. 



Another work on British birds is also announced by Witherby and Co., 

 the well-known natui'al history publishers of London. This belongs to 

 the series of county histories, and is entitled 'The Birds of Dunafriesshire,' 

 by Hugh S. Gladstone, "with twenty-four full-page plates from photo- 

 graphs of typical haunts and notable birds," and a contour map of the 

 county in colors, showing altitude. This will be a volume in demy 8vo 

 of about 600 pages. The edition will be limited to 350 numbered copies, 

 and the subscription price is £1 Is. net. The work promises to be fairly 

 exhaustive in point of treatment, and a valuable addition to the list of 

 county avifaunas. 



The New York plumage bill, knowni as the 'Shea-White Plumage Bill,' 

 passed the legislature of this State at its last session and was signed by 

 Governor Hughes on May 7, 1910. The long-fought contest, waged for 

 four years, by the Audubon Societies and friends of bird protection 

 against the millinery interests of New York City has thus finally resulted 

 in a victory for bird protection, and the precedent thus established we 

 trust will be followed by other States. Some of the special pro\'isions thus 

 enacted are: "No part of the plumage, skin or body of any bird protected 

 by tliis section [Sec. 98], or of any birds coming from without the State, 

 whether belonging to the same or a different species from that native to 

 the State of New York, provided such birds belong to the same family as 

 those protected by this chapter, shall be sold or had in possession for 

 sale. . . .Plumage includes any part of the feathers, head, wings or tail of 

 any bird, and wherever the word occurs in this chapter reference is had 

 equally to plumage of birds coming from without the State, but it shall not 

 be constructed to apply to the feathers of birds of paradise, ostriches, 

 domestic fowl or domestic pigeons. This act shall take effect July 1, 

 1911." 



By this act, therefore, aigrettes cannot be legally sold in the State of New 

 York after it becomes operative. The deferred date of its operation is 

 perhaps a reasonable concession to the milliners to enable them to dispose 

 of their present stock without serious loss. 



The act thus protects not only egrets and other plume-bearing herons, 

 but gulls, terns, albatrosses, eagles, vultures, and other birds slaughtered 

 for their wings or quills, as well as all song and insectivorovis birds. 



The passage of the bill is the crowning reward of the persistent and wide- 

 spread campaign of education conducted by the associated Audubon Socie- 

 ties under the direction of the President of the National Association and 

 his immediate o*?icial staff. 



