332 Bird - Lore 



escaping into the swamps of Georgetown county, with which he was perfectly 

 famihar. Some two weeks afterward he was captured in Georgetown, secreted 

 in a trunk, by Deputy Jake Ward. 



Lambert was carried to McClellan\'iUe, Charleston county, tried before 

 Magistrate G. W. Ward, and convicted, both of trespass and of killing non-game 

 birds. He was accompanied by one Palmer, notorious '"blind tiger" or illicit 

 whiskey dealer, of Georgetown, who has been acting as a broker in buying 

 plumes. The conviction put a stop to plume-hunting for this season, but it will 

 have to be fought another year. 



Educational Work. — The Secretary has been in the tield the whole year, 

 talking to every kind of audience on the subject of birds and their protection. 

 Meetings were held on the Sea Islands, in the interior, and even in the mountains. 

 The work has met general favor, and has been expedited by the cordial coopera- 

 tion of the men engaged in farm demonstration for the United States Department 

 of Agriculture. A strong sentiment for bird protection is now coextensive with 

 the state, and the Farmers' Union, representing about 35,000 farmers in the state, 

 has actively declared for the Audubon Society, and is backing its work with all 

 the energy at its command. There will be no active opposition in the general 

 assembly of a direct kind, but politicians will fight to take over the appointing 

 of wardens, or w^hatever else they may be able to make capital out of. 



Membership. — The membership of the Society has grown steadily, and will 

 have doubled since last year, provided there is general renewal of membership, 

 as is to be expected. Renewal is proceeding in a satisfactory manner, but not all 

 members have been heard from yet. At any rate, there has been healthy and 

 vigorous growth. 



As far as possible, the cause has been taken to the schools, and Secretary Rice 

 has talked to negro schools, as well as to schools for white children, receiving 

 hearty response from both. 



The annual meeting has not yet been called, but will be held at some time 

 during the fall. 



There has been, on the whole, less friction in enforcing law, but there has been 

 some. Wardens Weathersbe and Williams were fired into by fish poachers near 

 Langley, and a desperate battle ensued, ending happily without loss of life; 

 but all of the fishermen, three in number, were wounded, and Warden Weathersbe 

 was shot through the arm. The wardens were indicted for assault and battery 

 and riot, but were acquitted by a jury at Aiken. Convictions have been numerous, 

 but have not yet been tabulated, and it is not practicable to give them here. 

 There is marked diflference in observance of law, especially as relates to non-game 

 birds. 



The state has been visited by a number of insect pests, many of which are 

 new, and this has emphasized the need of protecting the insect-eating birds. 

 The next annual report will contain much statistical data, not included in former 

 reports. — James Henry Rice, Jr., Secretary. 



