﻿Ctje &utiubon i^ociettes 



" You cannot with a scalpel find the poet's soul, 

 Nor yet the wild bird's song." 



Edited by MRS. MABEL OSGOOD WRIGHT and WILLIAM DUTCHER 



Communications relating to the work of the Audubon and other Bird Protective Societies should 

 be addressed to Mrs. Wright, at Fairfield, Conn. Reports, etc., designed for this department, should be 

 sent at least one month prior to the date of publication. 



In Memoriam 



It is our painful duty to announce the 

 death on July 2 of Mrs. Edward Robins, 

 secretary of Pennsylvania Audubon Society. 



To all who knew Mrs. Robins, her work 

 in behalf of birds and animals for a number 

 of years is familiar. Ten years ago entirely 

 through her energy the Pennsylvania Audu- 

 bon Society was established at a time when 

 only one other organization of the kind was 

 in existence, and she continued actively in 

 charge of its work until failing health com- 

 pelled her to relinquish it. Mrs. Robins 

 was also active in the Pennsylvania Society 

 for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 

 and was President of the Spencer Baird 

 Ornithological Club. — W. S. 



Legislative Season. 



New York. — Whenever the legislature is 

 in session in this state it is a season of 

 anxiety to the Audubon Society, as the game 

 and bird laws are always subject to attack. 

 During the session of 1906 a number of very 

 bad bills were introduced which required 

 the most determined and energetic efforts to 

 defeat. No one who was not on the fight- 

 ing line can begin to realize how much hard 

 work had to be done to prevent the passage 

 of these bills, and had any one of them 

 become a law it would have been a decided 

 setback to the work of bird and game pro- 

 tection. It is only by eternal vigilance that 

 the good laws now in force in nearly all the 

 states can be maintained. Should the Audu- 

 bon watchfulness be relaxed for a moment, 

 great harm could be done. The regular 

 annual attempt was made to repeal the anti- 



spring duck-shooting law, which is now 

 best known as the " Brown Law," as it was 

 originally introduced by Senator Elon R. 

 Brown, of Watertown, who has successfully 

 maintained its integrity to the present time. 

 Senator Burr, of the 1st District (Long 

 Island), introduced the repeal bill. This 

 year there were no hearings held on the bill 

 as there had been in the past. No new 

 arguments could be advanced by the advo- 

 cates of the bill, but, on the other hand, those 

 opposed to the bill could point to an increased 

 supply of wild fowl last fall, due, without 

 doubt, to the prohibition of spring shooting. 

 The activity of the Audubon forces was con- 

 fined to letters written to members of the 

 legislature and personal appeals to commit- 

 tees in charge. The last circular letter sent, 

 which undoubtedly had considerable weight, 

 is given herewith : 



"Senator Burr's Plea May Win 



Spring Duck-shooting Said to Be Factor in His 



Political Fate. 



Special Dispatch to the Evening Post. 



Albany, April 27. — The present plan of 

 the Senate, so far as it is possible to de- 

 termine, is to report from committee and 

 pass the Burr bill for "spring duck-shoot- 

 ing" on Long Island. Senator Burr has 

 made the plea that the passage of the bill 

 is essential to the carrying of his district 

 by the Republican party this fall, and that 

 it is necessary to him for securing his re- 

 nomination. This appeal always wins 

 much sympathy among fellow legislators, 

 and seems to settle the fate of the measure. 

 Notice has been given of the purpose to 

 suspend all rules and pass the bill, and there 

 is grave danger that it will be passed, 

 despite the widespread objection to permit- 

 ting wholesale slaughter over a long period of 

 time. — From Evening Post, April 2J , iqo6 . 



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