I l8 DuTCiiER, Report of Commitlee on Bird Protection. \_}t-a. 



sent to all who have applied for them, and to many who have not. 

 This Society feels that its most effective work has been accom- 

 plished in its educational efforts, through the schools and frequent 

 meetings and lectures in the winter months, and field meetings 

 during April and May, for the past three years. Classes for 

 teachers have been formed and courses of six weeks' study given. 

 All milliners and dealers have been warned against selling the 

 plumage of native birds. Occasional inspections of markets, 

 millinery establishments, and live bird stores have been made. 

 The Society has not directly made any prosecutions but lias 

 furnished evidence that has led to convictions in a number of 

 cases. 



A reference library of bird books is owned, to which additions 

 are made from time to time. 



Florida. 



Legislation. — The law is satisfactory and is being enforced. 



Warden Work. — Florida contains so much wild land, especially 

 in the southern portion, and is the home of so many interesting 

 and beautiful birds, that the Thayer Fund employs a special 

 officer who has legal authority to make arrests and who devotes 

 his entire time to the work of bird protection. As the territory 

 that he has to cover is very large, and the methods of travel are 

 slow and uncertain, it would be a great help in the work if the 

 Society could secure the funds with which to purchase a light- 

 draft naptha or electric launch. This would enable our warden 

 to move rapidly from place to place and readily overtake plumers, 

 who have to depend on sails as a motive power while visiting the 

 breeding grounds when pursuing their nefarious business. Our 

 warden, Mr. Bradley, is well known to several members of the 

 A. O. U., and also to members of the Florida Audubon Society. 



How very necessary this special work in Southern Florida is, 

 can best be shown by a letter dated April 30, 1902, addressed to 

 the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Florida Audubon 

 Society by one of the members, a resident of the southern section 

 of the State, to whom the question was referred for investigation. 



"I did not at once answer your letter in reference to rookeries 



