Report of T. Gilbert Pearson 285 



Clerk in New York Office, in New Jersey; Mr. Chapman, our Treasurer and 

 Editor of Bird-Lore, in many of the eastern states, and President Dutcher 

 at various points in New York and New Jersey. These addresses have been 

 given usually with a view of arousing interest in securing better feeling to sup 

 port advance legislation for bird and game protection. In some states, notably 

 Connecticut, Massachusetts and Louisiana, the legislative results have been 

 most gratifying. 



The power of the press as an educational agent has long been recognized 

 and used by the Association. Through a news agency twelve syndicate arti< lo- 

 on various phases of the work have been sent to over three hundred of the leading 

 papers in the United States. These articles have been copied in many hundreds 

 of local papers, even getting into the "patent insides" and reaching the most 

 remote corners of our rural communities. In addition to these, articles and inter- 

 views have been given out by the various officers and agents, while notices and 

 comments of lectures and editorials inspired by these have combined to keep 

 the Audubon work well before the American public. 



The collection of stereopticon views illustrating wild-bird life ha- been en- 

 riched, and several sets of these have been sent out to be used by interested work- 

 ers, many of whose names do not appear in this brief report. The Association 

 also sends 1,200 copies of Bird-Lore to members and contributors. 



LEGISLATION 



During the year sixteen states held either regular or special sessions of their 

 legislature. We kept in close touch with all these, and when any changes in the 

 bird protective laws were contemplated, either an officer or agent of the Asso- 

 ciation was present in person. In Georgia, Mississippi, Maryland and South 

 Carolina, bills were introduced to place more restriction on hunters. These, 

 however, all failed of passage. Only one actual backward step for bird protec- 

 tion was taken by a legislature. This was in Virginia, where the Audubon law 

 was amended in such a way as to remove all protection from Hawks, Owls, 

 Eagles, Blackbirds, Ricebirds, Bobolinks, Doves, Wilson's Snipe and Robin 

 Snipe. The Association is now conducting an active campaign in Vir- 

 ginia with a view of remedying this evil at the next session of the General As- 

 sembly. 



The Audubon workers are responsible for the passage of a splendid bird and 

 game law in Louisiana. This new statute provides for a State Warden force 

 to work under the direction of a Board of Commissioners, and is supported finan- 

 cially by a resident, non-resident, and alien hunter's license tax. The chairman 

 and executive officer of this commission is Mr. Frank M. Miller, who for years 

 has been doing such splendid work as President of the Louisiana Audubon Society. 

 Strenuous efforts were made by the New Orleans drv-goods firms to repeal 

 that part of the Louisiana Audubon law which prohibits the sale of the plumage 



