3IO Bird - Lore 



\Vc have active Auxiliary Committees at Port Orange and Hradentown. "The 

 Housekeepers Club" (loo members), at Cocoanut Grove, made "Bird Day" 

 of esi)ecial interest. Mrs. Kirk Munroe re|)orts that bird protection is receiving 

 much attention, and good work is being done among the Women's Clubs in the 

 state; "The Rangers," her club of boys, are constantly doing protective work. 

 Some two hundred and fifty women belonging to the " Federation of Florida 

 Women's Clubs" have signed a pledge sent out by the Florida Audubon Society, 

 modeled after that of the National Association, agreeing not to wear aigrettes 

 or bird plumage, the ostrich being excepted. 



The Robert Hungerft)rd Industrial and Normal School (colored) has made 

 bird study a part of the year's course. We have a second school of colored children 

 at Cocoanut Grove, where teachers and scholars are doing fruitful work. Prizes 

 of books have been given to schools in Orlando and Maitland, but this all repre- 

 sents individual interests, for we are unable to obtain the sujjport of the State 

 Board of Education. 



There has been no new "reservation" during 1909; but, on recommendation 

 of Mr. Dutcher and by order of President Taft, "Mosquito Inlet Reservation" 

 has been extended some four or five miles in a much-needed direction. As the 

 result of Warden Pacetti's vigilance, there has been a noticeable increase of 

 aquatic bird life. Reports are frequent of the sale by Indians, in and about 

 Miami, of aigrettes and bird plumage. The officers of this Society have appealed 

 to those in authority to stop this trade, but without success, for every winter the 

 Indians bring their boats down the rivers from the interior, laden with plumes 

 and feathers obtained during the spring and summer. This business flourishes, 

 for women can buy aigrettes and feathers much cheaper here than from milliners 

 in the North. A mcst serious blow was given to all efforts for protecting the 

 Egret by the recent decision at Washington, countermanding the order of Col- 

 lector Lceb that certain confiscated aigrettes should be burnt. The decision to 

 have them sold at public auction puts them directly into the hands of the dealers, 

 who will now, with the plume-hunters, exult in their success. We have read 

 that Ruskin says somewhere, " If woman decided that there should be no more 

 war, war would cease to be. " We are not sure that such power can be claimed 

 for the sex, but, if it is true, then it goes without saying that, if woman decided 

 the aigrette was not to be worn, the aigrette would not be for sale; for the one 

 appalling fact stands forth that woman, and woman alone, will ever be held 

 responsible for the ultimate extinction of the Egret. 



The publications this year include an illustrated Leallet on " The Bob- 

 white, " by Dr. C. F. Hodge, giving its great value as an insectivorous bird and 

 the possibilities of its domestication; an illustrated Leaflet by the Rev. Herbert 

 K. Job, "Shall we protect the Pelican," showing that the bird in no way pre- 

 vents man's obtaining a supply of fish food (both Leaflets are of such imj)ortance 

 they should be read by all interested in bird protection); a Leaflet for clubs, 

 societies and schools, with suggestions for "Bird and Arbor Day;" a most inter- 



