The Audubon Societies 



165 



use of an advertising card in the street 

 cars. One half the cards is devoted to a 

 beautiful half-tone picture of a Wilson's 

 Tern, and the other half to an appeal to 

 all "Fair-minded Women." 



It is hoped that other societies will 

 make use of these cards, which are suita- 

 ble for posting in any public place, and 

 which may be obtained from the under- 

 signed at cost. 



In order to encourage the study of 

 birds in the school, four prizes of cameras 

 and opera glasses were recently offered 

 by the Audubon Society and the Humane 

 Education Committee of the S P. C. A. 

 for the best essay upon various subjects 

 relating to birds. The graduating classes 

 in the fifteen grammar schools of Prov- 

 idence were selected by the superinten- 

 dent of schools, Dr. H. S. Tarbell, for the 

 competition. A month of preparation 

 was allowed, but the subjects were not 

 given out until the hour appointed for 

 writing the essay. 



About 150 of the best papers were sent 

 to a committee of this Society, who ex- 

 amined them and awarded the prizes. 

 The work done by the pupils showed an 

 amount of interest that was surprising 

 and encouraging, and the Committee de- 

 cided to make honorable mention of ten 

 papers for which they awarded subscrip 

 tions to a monthly magazine issued by one 

 of the Humane Societies. 



The officers of the Audubon Society 

 feel that a busy season has resulted in a 

 distinct advance for the cause of the birds. 

 Annie M. Grant, Secretary. 



CONNECTICUT SOCIETY 



The Annual Report of the Audubon 

 Society of the State of Connecticut has 

 been issued in pamphlet form, and will 

 be sent to the officers of other societies 

 upon application to the secretary. This 

 society is in a flourishing condition, the 

 special feature of the past year, in ad- 

 dition to the free illustrated lectures, being 

 the purchase of 10 Natural History libra- 

 ries of 10 books each to be circulated in 

 the public schools through the kind co- 



operation of Mr. C. D. Hine, secretary of 

 the State Board of Education. 



The following letter is a part of that 

 sent out with each library : 



Dear Madam: 



You will receive by express an Audubon 

 Library. These books deal with natural 

 history and particularly with birds, the ob- 

 ject being to encourage the reading of all 

 good books and especially to arouse interest 

 in the nature and habits of common birds 

 and the benefits which these birds render. 

 The Audubon Society will be glad to 

 receive reports from the teachers, giving 

 an account of the use of the books, stating 

 which are the most popular and enter- 

 taining, in general the effect of such a 

 library in school. The library may be 

 kept until the end of the term. It comes 

 to you free of expense, and when returned 

 the express will be paid at this end. 

 Yours truly, 

 Connecticut Board of Education. 



All of the libraries have been placed 

 with the public-school teachers and several 

 have written to show their appreciation 

 and enjoyment of the books. We consider 

 this work one of the most important we 

 have accomplished, and hope to extend it 

 considerably during the coming year, as 

 there is already a demand for more books. 



To give greater identity each library 

 bears the name of the American naturalist 

 whose books are most prominent in it, or 

 a title otherwise indicative of its contents. 

 The Ernest Seton-Thompson Library, The 

 John Burroughs Library, The Olive Thorne 

 Miller Library, The Teachers' Library, 

 The Gardencraft Library, etc. 



The Lecture Committee reports as fol- 

 lows : 



"Last summer the two lectures illus- 

 trated by slides which the Audubon Society 

 had circulated during the previous year 

 were re-used, and to the Farmers' Lecture 

 a number of new slides were added. Also 

 a new lecture was written and slides pre- 

 pared by Mrs. Wright, the president of 

 the society. This lecture was intended 

 for little children, the subject being ' The 



