40 



Bird = Lore 



1. To organize, foster and strengthen 

 State and Local Audubon Societies. 



2. To permanently maintain and greatly 

 enlarge the number of wardens now guard- 

 ing colonies of breeding birds. 



3. To increase, in the rural districts, 

 circulating nature-book libraries. 



Since the organization of the National 

 Association in 1901, the several branches of 

 its work have been carried on in a very 

 economical manner, with the contributions 

 of a few deeply interested patrons who have 

 annually given the sum of three to four 

 thousand dollars. The lack of a fund 

 commensurate with the needs of the Asso- 

 ciation has, in the past, very greatly ham- 

 pered the growth of the work 



Over $62,000,000 was given by wealthy 

 philanthropists during 1904, for the mainte- 

 nance of educational institutions, hospitals, 

 homes, churches, missions, libraries and mis- 

 cellaneous charities. Of these the most no- 

 table and by far the largest gift was the muni- 

 ficent sum donated by Mr. Carnegie for the 

 establishment of libraries which are almost 

 entirely located in cities or the larger towns. 

 The people who most need good books are 

 the dwellers in the rural districts, and un- 

 fortunately, the Carnegie libraries do not 

 benefit them in the slightest degree. The 

 Audubon Societies, since their organization, 

 have, in a small way, done all they could to 

 give to the farmers and their families good 

 nature literature through the medium of 

 small circulating libraries. The extent of 

 this work has been limited only by the very 

 small means at the disposal of the societies. 



When the National Association succeeds 

 in securing the desired endowment, a very 

 large portion of the annual income will be 

 devoted to the expansion of the Audubon 

 library system. It is also purposed to em- 

 ploy trained lecturers to instruct the rural 

 public by means of illustrated talks about 

 birds, animals, flowers, trees, and, in fact, 

 every branch of nature, especially along 

 economic lines. The income of one million 

 dollars would not be too large for these pur- 

 poses when the magnitude of our agricultu- 

 ral interests is considered. The Secretary 

 of Agriculture, Hon. James Wilson, in his 

 New Year's greeting to the people of the 



United States, makes this statement: "AIT 

 the gold mines of the entire world have 

 not produced, since Columbus discovered 

 America, a greater value of gold than the 

 farmers of this country have produced in 

 wealth in two years; the products of the 

 farms for this year alone (1904) amount to- 

 more than six times the capita! stock of all 

 the National Banks." 



It is a well-established fact that insects 

 destroy annually agricultural products to 

 the value of $300,000,000, this sum includ- 

 ing the terrible loss 'to the cotton industry 

 from the boll-weevil, and, in addition to 

 this sum, the Bureau of Forestry reports: 

 "At current stumpage values and whole- 

 sale prices of commercial products the an- 

 nual loss from forest insect depredations is 

 estimated to be about $100,000,000." 



Birds are the principal check on the 

 increase of insect pests ; therefore, every pos- 

 sible means should be employed to increase 

 bird life. It is believed that the most effec- 

 tual and rapid method of reaching this end 

 is by educating the agricultural masses- 

 about the economic value of birds through, 

 the use of thousands of nature libraries and 

 millions of educational leaflets. To carry 

 out this purpose the National Association, 

 pleads for a liberal endowment. 



The National Association, during the 

 past four years, has employed a small 

 number of active and earnest men as bird 

 wardens to protect during the breeding 

 season colonies of birds that were threatened 

 with extermination by plume - hunters. 

 There are many other colonies that need 

 such special protection, but it can only be 

 given provided a sufficient endowment fund 

 is secured. A few thousand dollars spent 

 this way annually, will preserve for the 

 benefit and enjoyment of future generations 

 the beautiful and interesting birds that 

 dwell along the coast. 



The National Association is fully organ- 

 ized, is incorporated, and has a great and 

 important economic work to carry on ; but 

 it is powerless to accomplish any of the 

 great good that it aims to do unless a gene- 

 rous and appreciative public recognizes its 

 needs and furnishes the desired endowment 

 fund. 



