The Audubon Societies 



143 



FEEDING THE BIRDS 



On P'ebruary 16, two days after the great 

 storms of February-March, 1914, began, 

 telegrams authorizing the expenditure of 

 funds were sent from the office of the 

 National Association to Audubon workers 

 throughout the snow-bound states, ask- 

 ing them to call on the public to feed the 

 birds. Agents were authorized to expend 

 sums varying from $10 to $100, to start 

 the work. Responses were immediate, 

 as the following brief statements show: 



Connecticut. — Appeals for personal 

 service and financial aid were printed in 

 newspapers throughout the state, and 

 were followed vigorously by subsequent 

 articles in some papers, especially those 

 of Bridgeport, thanks to the energy of 

 Miss Spalding and her fellow-members of 

 the local Audubon Society. Large quan- 

 tities of bird-food were purchased and dis- 

 pensed by the Society and by private 

 means. Many mail-carriers in the Rural 

 Free Delivery service cheerfully carried 

 bags of buckwheat, and scattered it 

 along the routes with special reference to 

 the Quail. Another striking evidence of 

 public spirit was evinced by a water- 

 company, which provided hundreds of 

 pounds of grain, suet, and ground bone, 

 and had its workmen distribute it intelli- 

 gently throughout the large wooded area 

 surrounding its reservoirs. 



Illinois. — The newspapers spread far 



and near the State Society's appeal for 

 help for the birds, and its president sent 

 out 2,000 instructive post-cards. 



Indian.^. — Under the impulse of the 

 secretary of the State Society, Elizabeth 

 Downhour, patrols of Boy Scouts at Fort 

 Wayne, the students at Teachers' College, 

 Indianapolis, and many other helpers, 

 were soon busy, proving that the people 

 of Indiana generally were wide awake to 

 their duties and privileges. 



Maine. — The State Society's appeal to 

 the press, with instructions, was widely 

 published. 



Massachusetts. — The press and peo- 

 ple responded generously to the call for 

 work, the Boy Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, 

 and other clubs of young people exerting 

 themselves everywhere, as the records 

 show. 



New Hampshire and Vermont.— 

 Similar methods and kindly energy 

 brought excellent results. 



New York. — A widespread and urgent 

 appeal was voiced by the press, and a 

 vast amount of rescue-work was done, 

 especially in reference to Ducks and 

 upland game-birds. 



Vermont. — The press repeated the 

 warnings sent them, with good effect. 



Virginia and West Virginia. — Great 

 publicity was obtained and much bene- 

 ficial work promptly accomplished. 



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THOUSANDS OF SCAUP DUCKS WINTERING IN SAFETY AT DAYTONA, FLORIDA 



