298 Bird - Lore 



our law is not in force; therefore sea-birds can more easily be protected. It 

 takes only a second of time to say that five states have adopted the model 

 law; few of you realize what a long process of persistent effort, and edu- 

 cational work on the part of this Association, the State Audubon Society, in 

 some cases the Fish and Game Commission, led up to the final victory. In 

 more than one state the bill was passed after having been presented and 

 urged before three sessions of the Legislature. 



In other states important legislative action was taken, notably in New 

 York, where the repeal of the anti-spring duck shooting law was defeated 

 for the second time, largely through the work of the National Association 

 and the New 'i?ork Audubon Society. The bill defeated was one of the 

 most pernicious pieces of bird legislation considered in 1905, and had it 

 passed it would have been so decided a set-back to bird protection that it 

 would have taken years for the movement to recover. In Texas, after a long 

 and arduous fight, an almost similar bill was killed. This magnificent result 

 was obtained largely by the work of the secretary of the Texas Audubon 

 Society, aided by some earnest and enthusiastic helpers. The National As- 

 sociation could do very little in this fight except to encourage those who 

 were in the field by supplying them with funds and literature. Wherever and 

 whenever a Legislature is in session, the National Association arranges with 

 some reliable person at each capital to forward copies of all bills introduced, 

 that relate to wild birds or animals. Good bills are approved and urged ; on 

 the contrary, bad bills are combated with all the strength and influence of 

 the Association and of the State Audubon Society. 



Reservations. — If the National Association did no other work than to se- 

 cure Bird Reservations and to guard them during the breeding season, its 

 existence would be fully warranted. There is no more effective method of 

 protection than to guard the birds while they are breeding, and, if this can be 

 done on an island or group of islands set aside as a bird refuge, it becomes 

 doubly valuable. It has recently been discovered that these refuges are occu- 

 pied by birds at other seasons of the year, as well as during the season when 

 they are rearing their young. Birds soon learn where they are not disturbed, 

 and will remain there and become very tame. Even game-birds will be bene- 

 fited by the reservations, for on them they may not be disturbed, even in the 

 open season. One of our wardens reports that it is a wonderful sight to see 

 the thousands of Ducks and Geese that gather on the islands and the reser- 

 vation waters in his charge. The birds seem to know that there they can 

 escape the shooting going on all about them. The result of this year's work 

 is four new reservations made by Executive Order of President Theodore 

 Roosevelt, to whom this Association is deeply indebted for his never-failing 

 interest in and ready help to our work. 



The orders are as follows: 



