The Audubon Societies 



71 



States is Big Lake, the Federal reserva- 

 tion in eastern Arkansas. As this is being 

 written, a communication lies before me 

 stating that, backed by commercial 

 interest, it would seem that every man, 

 woman, and child in all the country sur- 

 rounding this great lake has recently 

 signed a petition asking that, at least for 

 the duration of the war, all prohibition of 

 shooting be suspended, so that Ducks may 

 here be killed for food. From Virginia come 

 reports of efforts being made to suspend 

 the law so as to permit the netting of 

 wild water-fowl. 



When we consider the enormity of the 

 food problems which may confront this 

 country, the danger that lies behind these 

 cunningly conceived moves is very appar- 

 ent. 



The Migratory Bird Treaty Bill passed 

 the United States Senate on July 30, but 

 thus far it has been absolutely impossible 

 to induce Congressman Flood, Chairman 

 of the Foreign Relations Committee of the 

 Senate, to report the bill for senatorial 

 action. If this is not done at the present 

 session of Congress, all the efforts which 

 the bird-protectors have made the past 

 two years to get this treaty measure con- 

 cluded will come to naught. There is 

 every indication that tremendous pres- 

 sure has been brought to bear on the 

 Foreign Relations Committee to induce 

 its inactivity. 



What are the friends of the birds going 

 to do in this country? The time has come 

 when the situation should squarely be 

 faced. Are we going to say that we have 

 no more time and money to give to help 

 preserve the birds that make it possible 

 to grow the crops of the land and to 

 preserve our diminishing supply of wild 

 game-birds? Are we going to say that 

 the birds must shift for themselves until 

 the enemy is conquered? In other words, 

 are we going to abandon the work of a 

 generation because of anxiety regarding 

 conditions across the sea? 



Where can we get more valuable workers 

 to help win the war than we have in our 

 groves and fields? The wild birds ask for 

 nothing more than to be let alone. This 

 Association, in common with other organi- 

 zations and individuals, has for years 

 been standing as best it could between 

 our Wild Life and the greed of mankind, 

 and it would be an everlasting calamity 

 if the work of all these years should be 

 wiped out or nullified to a horrible extent 

 for the lack of earnest volunteer workers, 

 or a few thousand dollars with which to 

 fight the battles for the birds, and yet 

 this is a possibility. 



There never has been a time when the 

 friends of conservation should more 

 loyally support the efforts for bird- 

 protection than today. 



CORNELL TO TEACH CONSERVATION OF W^ILD LIFE 



By E. A. QUARLES, Director 



Department of Game Breeding, American Game Protective Association 



The recent announcement by Cornell 

 University of the establishment of a 

 course of intensive instruction in the con- 

 servation of wild life is welcome news. 

 Commencing February 18, 19 18, there will 

 be given at this institution what will be 

 known as the Long- and Short-term 

 Courses in wild-life conservation. 



The Long-term Course is designed for 

 those who wish to make a life-work of 

 conservation, and it is designed especially 

 for the training of men and women who 



expect to engage in the many forms of 

 field and executive work that the con- 

 servation movement has already developed, 

 such as, for instance, state secretaryships 

 of Audubon Societies, game protective 

 associations, bird-lecture work, etc. This 

 course will require four years' work for 

 completion and will lead to the degree of 

 Bachelor of Science. The usual Cornell 

 entrance examinations will be required of 

 those seeking to take it. 



The Short-term Course, for which 



