102 DuTCHER, Report of Commifiee on Bird Protection. \\ 



lie for financial support with which to establish a warden sj'stem 

 for the protection of the breeding sea birds, that anything of a 

 national character was attempted. 



How very successful has been the result of Mr. Thayer's appeal 

 to preserve the bird life of the seashore for posterity is shown by 

 the annual reports of this Committee. While the ornithologists of 

 the country are investigating the habits, food and distribution of 

 birds, they note and call attention to their disappearance, both 

 by natural and artificial causes, and sound the alarm which is 

 responded to by the Audubon Societies that are at the present 

 time doing such energetic, systematic and effective work in bird 

 protection. In this connection it is interesting to note how closely 

 Audubon societies and work for the protection of birds follow in 

 the steps of scientific ornithological work. 



The accompanying map (PL III) shows that in the States where 

 the American Ornithologists' Union has the largest membership, 

 Audubon societies have been established, and that where there are 

 no working ornithologists, no Audubon societies exist, and none are 

 likely to be founded. This is notably the case in the Gulf States 

 and in some parts of the West. This may in some degree be 

 accounted for by the smallness of the population in these localities ; 

 happily, however, where the smallest number of people live is the 

 least need for protection work, the greatest need being in the most 

 densely populated centers, especially near the great cities and 

 towns having a large foreign element among their citizens who will 

 kill anything that flies, be it large or small. 



The two great bodies of bird-lovers should go hand in hand, 

 one for the purpose of obtaining an intelligent insight into bird 

 life, and the other for the protection of the life of the bird. 



During the past few years Audubon Societies have been organ- 

 ized quite rapidly, so that now thirty-two are in existence, some of 

 them doing excellent and valuable work, while others are merely 

 organizations in name, being small, and their influence almost re- 

 stricted to the town in which they are located ; however, these latter 

 will serve as the nucleus from which to expand in the future. Many 

 of the most active Audubon workers have for a long time agitated 

 the subject of a national body composed of representatives from 

 each State society who could give attention to all subjects of a 

 national character. 



