74 Bird - Lore 



Live Bird Traffic. — -There are still a few bird trappers and netters in the 

 vicinity of the large cities, notably New York, who ply their trade with 

 the greatest caution. The National Committee during the past autumn 

 has exercised special vigilance in order to stop this trade. As none of the 

 captured birds could be sold in this country, they were trapped for ship- 

 ment abroad. With the aid of a detective, some of the trappers were 

 located in the vicinity of New York City, and the channel through which 

 they shipped the birds was discovered. The men have been warned in 

 such a pointed way that it is hoped that this practice has been broken up. 



STATE REPORTS 



The following details of Audubon work in the several states and terri- 

 tories give the activities in the respective commonwealths during the past 

 year. 



As legislation has been considered in detail, no further mention of it 

 will be made. Warden work will be mentioned only in the states where 

 the system was employed. 



Alabama. — This is the only Gulf Coast State that has not adopted the 

 Model Law. Considerable work has been done in this Commonwealth 

 during the past year by the I' ational Committee, but seemingly without any 

 visible result. There are a few people who seem to take a slight interest, 

 but it has been impossible to find any citizens who will start an Audubon 

 organization or lead in the movement for a comprehensive bird law. With 

 over 20,000,000 acres of farm lands in the State, valued at $100,000,000, it 

 seems strange that the agricultural public are so dead to their own interests. 

 It would seem as though the boll- weevil scourge, which is an imminent danger 

 to the cotton-growing interests of the state, would arouse the planters and 

 lead them to demand the protection of birds. Alabama stands almost alone 

 in this indifference to a great danger. 



An excellent paper, 'The Civic Value of Birds,' was written and circu- 

 lated freely by Hon. John H. Wallace, of Huntsville, but even this voice 

 from one of her own citizens has not seemed to arouse the people. 



Arkansas. — Arkansas has no Audubon Society yet, but Mrs. Stephen- 

 son, a member of the National Committee, still keeps the subject of bird 

 protection and the enforcement of the game laws before the people. It will 

 be strange if her great civic work does not soon attract the notice of her 

 fellow citizens, and cause many of them to flock to her aid in this important 

 matter. Mrs. Stephenson says in a letter: 



