Vol. xxn j^otes and News. QQ 



•903 J 



indebtedness of Canadian ornithologists to Mr. Thomas Mcllwraith of 

 Hamilton, one of the founders of the A. O. U. and the oldest as well as 

 the foremost Canadian in the science. 



The papers read at the meetings of the Mcllwraith Club are usually 

 published in the 'Ottawa Naturalist,' but a few have appeared in 'The 

 Auk.' The officers of the Club are : Chairman, J. E. Keay ; Secretary W. 

 E. Saunders. 



The Third Annual Conference of the Audubon Societies was held 

 in Washington November 19 and 20, in connection with the A. O. U. 

 Congress, a joint meeting of the Audubon Society delegates and the 

 American Ornithologists' Union being held on the morning of Decem- 

 ber 20, to hear the report of the Chairman of the A. O. U. Committee on 

 Bird Protection, and an address by Dr. T. S. Palmer on the results of the 

 enforcement of the Federal law for the protection of birds. A public 

 meeting of the Aududon Society delegates was held on the evening of the 

 19th, and the annual business meeting on the evening of the 20th. Dele- 

 gates were present from sixteen of the different State Societies. At the 

 public meeting a number of formal papers were read relating to various 

 phases of the work of bird protection, and at the business meeting the 

 special work to be undertaken by the National Committee of Audubon 

 Societies was outlined, this including an attempt to secure the passage of 

 proper laws for the protection of birds in a number of States which have 

 thus far failed to take such action. A Committee was also appointed, 

 consisting of William Dutcher, Frank M. Chapman, T. S. Palmer, and 

 Witmer Stone, to examine the sample stock of wholesale millinery dealers, 

 with a view to systematic and intelligent cooperation between the whole- 

 sale millinery trade and the Audubon Societies. Mr. Dutcher was re- 

 elected Chairman of the National Committee, and funds were guaranteed 

 to defray the cost of employing a clerical assistant to enable the Chairman 

 to carry on the arduous duties that are inseparable from this important 

 position. The educational side of bird protection work was deemed of 

 the highest importance, and steps were taken to bring the Societies in 

 closer touch through cooperative publication of educational leaflets and 

 the establishment of a bureau for the exchange of lantern slides for use in 

 lectures on bird protection. 



In furtherance of this plan the Chairman has prepared the following : 



"appeal for bird negatives. 



" One of the most effective methods of educational work employed by 

 the Audubon Societies is the illustrated lecture. 



" Very few of the Societies, however, have been able to secure illustra- 

 tions owing either to lack of means or of suitable negatives from which 

 to make slides. 



