q6 Report of Covimittec on Bird Protection. fTa 



Illinois. 



Mr. Ruthven Deane, of the Committee, reports as follows ; 

 " Since rny last report, a year ago, affairs with regard to bird pro- 

 tection have assumed, in most particulars, an encouraging aspect, 

 yet a few statements will show that our Committee, and Audubon 

 Societies still have plenty of work to accomplish. One of the 

 most important features since rny last report has been the organiza- 

 tion of the Illinois Audubon Society on April i, 1897. While 

 the intervening summer months have scattered many of the 

 officers and working committee, yet much good work has been 

 accomplished. Several leaflets have been distributed, schools 

 have been visited, and some already have adopted a Bird Day, 

 and copies of the game laws have been posted in conspicuous 

 places. At the present date the Society has a membership of 500 

 adults and 2500 children in the public schools, and has estab- 

 lished 14 branch societies. On October 28, the first public meeting 

 was held and was well attended. In the past few weeks I have 

 carefully observed the present style of ornamentation for hats and 

 bonnets; I find that not less than 75 per cent, are trimmed with 

 feathers, but only 25 per cent, are those of wild birds, and in no 

 instance did I detect a song bird. The fall fashions here call 

 eagerly for feathers of our game birds and of several species of 

 our Hawks and Owls, yet there are hundreds of styles made up 

 from the feathers of our domestic fowls and pigeons dyed in all 

 colors of the rainbow. Now as to the aigrette, — I am informed 

 by the proprietor of one of our largest wholesale millinery estab- 

 lishments that the demand for these plumes has been greater this 

 fall than for several years, and that the supply was fully equal to 

 the demand, their aigrette sales this fall amounting to ^5,000. 

 It is very discouraging to learn this fact, as more stress has been 

 laid upon this species than any on the list. The general influence 

 of Audubon Societies is, I am sure, having its effect upon the 

 small boy, and many cases are cited where he now loves and 

 respects the bird, when a short time ago, with blow-gun and sling 

 shot, he persecuted them. The heronries on the Kankakee River, 

 which I reported upon last year, have been unmolested the past 

 season, and the birds have been unusually abundant there. Since 



