The Audubon Societies 



67 



KILLING DUCKS BY AEROPLANE 



A few weeks ago, the Pathe weekly news 

 film, in moving-picture houses all over the 

 country, showed a Duck-hunt by aero- 

 plane. In the picture two or three planes 

 swooped over the marshes and when the 

 Ducks arose in clouds the planes dashed 

 among them. It was easy to see that many 

 were killed by striking against the wires 

 or other parts of the machines. The picture 

 closed with a statement that it is estimated 

 2,000 Ducks were killed that day in this 

 manner. 



Upon hearing of this the President of 

 the Association secured a copy of the film 

 and it was shown to a number of interested 

 people in the lecture hall of the American 

 Museum of Natural History, New York 

 City. We at once took up the matter with 

 the Biological Survey, for to take Ducks 

 from aeroplanes is illegal under the 

 Federal Law. Dr. E. W. Nelson, the 

 Survey's Chief, replied that the subject 

 was already under investigation, and that 

 agents were on the ground seeking to 

 apprehend these violators of the law. 

 Complaint at the same time was made to 



the California State Board of Fish and 

 Game Commissioners, and the Executive 

 Officer of the Commissioner, Charles A. 

 Vogelsang, replied that he sent a warden 

 to investigate but was unable to get 

 evidence that any Ducks' were killed by 

 gun-fire from the planes, therefore no 

 action was brought by the state authori- 

 ties. We are still hoping for action by the 

 Federal Government. 



In the January number of Popular 

 Mechanics there appeared an extended 

 article, with many illustrations, telling of 

 this and similar big hunts carried on in the 

 rice-fields in the Sacramento Valley, by 

 aviators who it seems are employed by 

 rice-growers to keep the Ducks frightened 

 from the fields. The writer tells of going 

 on one of these trips and how he was con- 

 stantly spattered with the blood of Ducks 

 killed by the propellers of aeroplan^ra. It 

 is a gruesome story and among other 

 things well illustrates the point that there 

 is still vast need for Audubon Society work 

 in this beloved country of ours. 



INDIANA AUDUBON SOCIETY 



We have had a very excellent year and 

 note a marked increase in public interest 

 for bird-protection. Our Society has been 

 instrumental in having established a num- 

 ber of private bird sanctuaries through- 

 out the state, and, in cooperation with the 

 State Conservation Commission, has had 

 every public park and state reservation 

 converted into a bird sanctuary where 

 bird-food is supplied in winter and nesting- 

 sites erected in spring. 



The annual meeting at Martinsville, 

 Ind., May 20-22, was one of the best ever 

 held by the Society. The program consisted 

 of a very interesting illustrated lecture by 

 Hon. Amos W. Butler, a series of dinner 

 conferences, at which matters of vital 

 interest were thoroughly discussed and 

 many helpful suggestions made, addresses 

 in the schools, a bird-walk, and a public 



meeting addressed by Richard Leiber, 

 Director of the Conservation Commission 

 of the state of Indiana, on 'Bird Conserva- 

 tion,' and Miss Roussou McClelland on 

 'Bird Work in the Schools.' 



Our Society desires to acknowledge its 

 indebtedness to our new State Conserva- 

 tion Commission, whose activities in 

 enforcing the laws has done much to call 

 attention to the importance and economic 

 necessity of conserving our bird-life. We 

 cooperate with the Commission in every 

 way possible, and we are encouraged 

 to hope that before long the Commission 

 will secure the services of a trained orni- 

 thologist to supervise bird-conservation 

 work in the state. Our Society was never 

 more enthusiastic or active and we are 

 looking forward to a most successful 

 year. — Frank C. Evans, Secretary. 



