The Audttboii for 1888. 



28- 



ziNE find it desirable to put a stop to these 

 annoyances, and hereby offer a reiuard of 

 five hundred dollars for evidence leading to 

 the conviction of any person or persons 

 making use of the pledge forms of the 

 Audubon Society for the Protection of 

 Birds, by fraudulently collecting money on 

 them when signed, or by converting said 

 forms into promissory notes, or by any un- 

 lawful means whatever. We hold it impos- 



sible that the pledge forms could be so used, 

 and we do not believe that they have been, 

 but if they have been or shall be so used, 

 our offer of the reward of $500 remains 

 open. 



The Audubon Society is an incorporated 

 institution, and as such will protect its cor- 

 porate name, and its numerous authorized 

 agents against the frauds, aspersions and 

 malice of enemies of the cause. 



THE AUDUBON FOR 1888. 



WE have every reason to congratulate 

 ourselves on the reception given 

 to the Audubon Magazine, a reception 

 due in great measure to the sympathetic 

 efforts of local secretaries and other friends 

 of bird protection to whom our warmest 

 acknowledgements are due for their friendly 

 co-operation. They have introduced the 

 Magazine to the notice of their friends, 

 many of whom have been struck with the 

 high quality of its entertaining and in- 

 structive matter, and the very low price at 

 which it is published. 



The Audubon Magazine was not launch- 

 ed as a money-making speculation, but as 

 the most effectual means for disseminating 

 such a measure of reliable and useful in- 

 formation about birds, as would tend to 

 excite a general interest in the subject and 

 insure their protection. While aiming at sci- 

 entific exactness, no effort has been spared 

 to make it attractive to young people, and 

 as it wins its way wherever it is introduced, 

 we look for a wide circulation. 



To secure this it is necessary that all 

 friends of the Audubon movement should 



aid us in the future as they have done ia 

 the past. It will be seen by reference to 

 the list of prizes offered on another page 

 that we are not unmindful of the assistance 

 rendered, and in the interests of bird pro- 

 tection we hope there will be no relaxation 

 of effort until it shall become ''familiar as 

 household words " in every home in the 

 country. That is a very imperfect school 

 course that does not include natural his- 

 tory. 



There is no way in which the good work 

 of protecting our birds can be so effectively 

 helped on as by increasing the knowledge 

 of the public about them. People must be 

 taught how useful a part of Nature's system 

 the birds are before they will be interested 

 in their protection, and the most effective 

 method of conveying this instruction is b^ 

 increasing the circulation of the Audubon, 

 the only publication in the world which is 

 devoted solely to this object. 



This should be a pleasant task for each 

 member of the Audubon Society, and our 

 new arrangements makes it a profitable one 

 as well. 



