Reports of Field Agents 349 



of Common Terns nest there. They have been decimated from time to time 

 by cats kept on the island, but the cats can be eliminated. If, during the 

 breeding season of the Terns, an efficient guard could be placed on Penikese to 

 keep down the natural enemies of the birds and to forbid landing, no doubt the 

 Terns would continue to occupy it indefinitely. It is far from shore, no steamers 

 stop there, and no better location could be desired. On this island Louis 

 Agassiz maintained his famous School of Natural History. If the state of 

 Massachusetts will not retain Penikese, it should be placed in charge of the 

 National Association of Audubon Societies for all time. 



INCREASING DESTRUCTION OF SMALL BIRDS BY GUNNERS 



In all his experience in New England, your Agent never has received so 

 many complaints regarding the destruction of small birds by gunners as during 

 the past year. The number of gunners is increasing rapidly. When Massa- 

 chusetts first began to issue hunters' licenses, the number issued was about 

 30,000. In a few years it has increased to over 100,000. As soon as the shooting 

 season for shore birds opened in August, reports began to come in to the effect 

 that gunners were shooting Gulls, Terns, and small shore-birds, Swallows, 

 Sparrows, and birds of many kinds protected by law. When the Duck season 

 opened, these complaints increased, and when the general hunting season 

 "began, there were more reports of the killing of Robins, Flickers, and other 

 small land-birds. Much of this destruction, it is said, was done by automobile 

 parties which scour the country in all directions. Government and state 

 wardens have apprehended some of these people, but the number of wardens 

 is insufficient to cope with this element, and they are not provided with ade- 

 quate means for transportation. With the constantly increasing number of 

 gunners, if the song-birds are to receive any adequate protection, the National 

 Association may be obliged to secure the appointment of additional wardens 

 for this purpose. 



REPORT OF \A^INTHROP PACKARD, FIELD AGENT 

 FOR MASSACHUSETTS 



In summing up the activities of the past year, your Massachusetts agent is 

 pleased to find that, in spite of hard times, total receipts of the ofiice have 

 actually exceeded disbursements by a modest sum. Through lectures and 

 other personal activities, many newspaper articles and a very vigorous and 

 persistent use of the mails, the work and needs of the National Association of 

 Audubon Societies have been continually kept before the people of the state. 

 Seventy-three new Sustaining Members and three Life Members have been 

 added to the rolls, and 18,231 Juniors joined the bird-study classes in the 

 public schools. The demand for the Junior Class leaflets thus used exhausted 

 the supply early in May. Notice was sent immediately to superintendents 



