I o6 DuTCHER, Report of Committee on Bird Protection- I j^^^ 



committee should never be a large one, but one harmonious in 

 feeling, easy to get at and responsive to an urgent call. The 

 president of the society need not necessarily be an ornithologist, 

 but should be a man or woman well known in the State and of 

 widespread influence. The larger the list of vice-presidents the 

 better; these should be well known and influential persons from 

 all portions of the Commonwealth, and should include teachers, 

 preachers, legislators, agriculturists, etc., but only those who are 

 heartily and earnestly in sympathy with the work of bird pro- 

 tection. With this equipment for the work let us consider briefly 

 "what the work of an active, energetic Audubon Society is. 



First. — As rapidly as possible the State should be organized 

 into small districts and in each one should be established a local 

 board, with a secretary to carry out the plans suggested by the 

 parent society, and also to secure members for the society and to 

 create local sentiment in favor of bird protection, and the enforce- 

 ment of the laws. 



Secotid. — A number of illustrated lectures should be kept 

 actively in circulation among the local branches. These lectures 

 should not be too scientific in character, but the narrative of bird 

 life, explaining the laolern /Silides, should deal briefly with the food 

 habits, and especially witfr the song and home life of the bird. 

 Everything in the lecture should induce a desire in the hearer to 

 continue the study of the bird as a fellow citizen, entitled to love 

 and protection. The lectures may be efficiently supplemented by 

 bird charts, if scientifically correct in drawing, and by well selected 

 libraries of bird books, to be loaned for stated periods to the local 

 clubs or branches. 



Third. — In the United States at the present time there are 

 enrolled in the public and private schools nearly 18,000,000 

 children. It is with this vast body of plastic minds that the 

 Audubon Societies must deal and must bend every energy to see 

 that they are early taught to know and love the birds. The hope 

 and promise of bird protection in this country lies in the education 

 of this vast army of young people. If they can be brought into 

 sympathy with the Audubon movement, as it now exists, there will 

 not be so much need of legislation, nor will so many wardens be 

 needed in the future. The Societies in each State should get in 



