1^6 DuTCHER, Report of Committee on Bird Protection. \')^^ 



Audubon Work. — The society reports a membership of 306. 

 About 4000 leaflets and circulars have been distributed during 

 the past year; also 500 copies of the bird law have been posted 

 or distributed. An illustrated lecture has been loaned to all who 

 apply for it, free of cost, the only condition being that the lecture 

 shall be free to the public. During the past year it has been 

 almost constantly in use and has apparently given great satis- 

 faction. One circulating library is in use. The Society has had 

 the cooperation of the very active State Fish and Game Commis- 

 sion, and has in several cases been instrumental in checking vio- 

 lations of the law. Fines have been imposed by the Commission. 

 As there is no appeal from their action, no cases have come into 

 court. The same activities which have engaged the society from 

 the beginning will be continued. These are especially interesting 

 women's clubs in the work, the formation of branch societies, and 

 the distribution of bird literature at grange meetings and teachers' 

 institutes, and furnishing to the public schools an outline of bird 

 study for regular use throughout the year. 



The Secretary adds : " So far as concerns the local and State 

 work of our society, my feeling is one of hopefulness, but when I 

 see, as I did in my recent trip, both in New York and Boston, how 

 regardless both milliners and wearers of millinery are of the exist- 

 ing bird laws and of the feelings of bird lovers, I must acknowl- 

 edge that the work of the Audubon societies is but begun. It is 

 evident that our efforts to influence public opinion in behalf of 

 bird protection must be continued with unabated zeal." 



New Jersey. 



Legislation. — The law is satisfactory and is being actively 

 enforced by the Fish and Game Commissioners, who show no 

 mercy to anyone found guilty of killing a non-game bird at any 

 time, or game birds out of season. 



Warden System. — Two wardens were employed by the Thayer 

 Fund to guard colonies of Laughing Gulls and Terns on the 

 coast. During the coming season these wardens will have the 

 power of arrest conferred upon them by the Fish and Game Com- 

 mission, which will add very much to their eft'ectiveness. Capt. 



