I 04 DuTCHER, Report of Committee on Bird Protection. ff"'' 



During the past year, after two meetings of delegates, one held 

 in Cambridge, Mass., in November, igoi, and a second in New 

 York in April, 1902, the idea culminated in the formation of a 

 federation known as the National Committee of Audubon Societies. 



The primary work of this Committee is to look after legislation, 

 the formation of new Audubon societies, and the distribution of 

 uniform literature, in conjunction with the work of the A. O. U. 

 Protection Committee. As the work done by these two bodies is 

 so closely related, and as the same person acts as the chairman of 

 each, but one report is deemed advisable. Before, however, 

 detailing the actual results accomplished during the past twelve 

 months the Chairman takes this opportunity of suggesting certain 

 lines of activity for the coming year, as well for members of the 

 American Ornithologists' Union as for the members of the various 

 Audubon Societies. 



Every ornithologist should be the center of bird knowledge in 

 his locality, not working for his own pleasure only, but seeking to 

 gather about him all of the bird lovers in his section to instruct 

 them in the life history, and especially the economic value, of birds. 

 He should especially seek to interest the young people and chil- 

 dren, for he may thus be educating and developing a learner who 

 will some day develop into an Audubon or a Baird. These local 

 groups will enlarge, their influence spread, and soon may result in 

 an Audubon Society, if one does not already exist, or in 

 strengthening the one now at work. The ornithologist should also 

 make himself thoroughly acquainted with the game and bird laws 

 of his State, and if they are satisfactory and comprehensive, 

 should never in the slightest degree violate them, either in spirit 

 or in deed, and he will thus be in a position to exact from every 

 other citizen a like strict conformity with the bird statutes. If the 

 bird laws are not satisfactory he should at once agitate the subject 

 of adopting the American Ornithologists' Union model law for his 

 State, and should by every means in his power seek to create 

 public opinion in favor of a new bird law. 



Besides his knowledge of the distribution and migration of the 

 birds of his vicinity he should acquire a comprehensive knowledge 

 of the food habits of the birds, in order that he may intelligently 

 direct the attention of the agriculturists of his locality to the good 



