Editorials 



113 



A Bi-monthly Magazine 

 Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds 



OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETIES 



Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN 

 Published by THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 



Vol. Ill 



Published June 1, 1901 



No. 3 



SUBSCRIPTION RATES 



Price in the United States, Canada, and Mexico 

 twenty cents a number, one dollar a year, post- 

 age paid. 



Subscriptions may be sent to the Publishers, at 

 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, or 66 Fifth avenue, New 

 Vork City. 



Price in all countries in the International Postal 

 Union, twenty-five cents a number, one dollar and 

 a quarter a year, postage paid. Foreign agents, 

 Macmillan and Company, Ltd., London. 



COPYRIGHTED, igoi, BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN. 



Bird-Lore's Motto : 

 A Bird in the Bush is IVorih Two in the Hand. 



It is often remarked, with equal truth 

 and triteness, that laws are not self-acting; 

 and, in many instances, the same state- 

 ment might be applied to the makers of 

 laws. Thus, the average legislator has 

 little or no interest in securing the passage 

 of laws designed to protect non-game birds. 

 He is, however, as a rule, not opposed to 

 such legislation, and when its desirability 

 has been made known to him the facts in 

 the case are so clear, the arguments so un- 

 answerable, that he rarely fails to give a 

 bird -protective measure his support — be it 

 said to his credit. 



The difficulty has been in bringing the 

 matter to his attention in such a manner 

 that he cannot but realize its importance. 

 Circular letters and other forms of indirect 

 appeal are not sufficient, but the experience 

 of Mr. Dutcher and Dr. Palmer during the 

 past winter proves conclusively that if the 

 bird-protectionist properly pleads his cause 

 before the legislative game committee he 

 will win the day. 



So these gentlemen, representing the 

 American Ornithologists' Union and the 

 Biological Survey of the U. S. Department 

 of Agriculture, have journeyed from Maine 

 to Florida to urge upon the legislators of 

 various states the necessity of giving to their 



birds adequate legal protection. In some 

 instances they found a sympathetic senti- 

 ment already established by local Audubon 

 or Ornithological Societies, in others, their 

 almost unaided efforts secured the reconsid- 

 eration of a bill which had previously been 

 rejected; and it speaks volumes for their 

 energy, skill, and tact when we say that 

 wherever they have gone good laws have 

 been secured. In Florida, however, the 

 legislature is still in session, but with every 

 prospect of passing the law introduced and 

 personally advocated by these tireless 

 workers for the cause of bird protection. 



In Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, 

 Delaware, District of Columbia, and Wy- 

 oming (where we are glad to hear an 

 Audubon Society has just been formed) 

 good laws have been passed; and there is 

 every reason to hope that Connecticut and 

 Florida will be added to the list. Califor- 

 nia loses its place on this honor roll solely 

 through the surprising act of its governor, 

 who vetoed a bill which had passed both 

 branches of the legislature. 



Now let us make the legal protection, 

 which has so happily been secured, actual 

 protection by subscribing liberally to the 

 Thayer fund. Mr. Dutcher's success with 

 the small sum at his disposal last year tells 

 in the most satisfactory manner possible 

 how much may be accomplished at a com- 

 paratively low cost. The new laws which 

 have been secured now greatly widen the 

 field which may be profitably covered, and 

 it is greatly to be hoped that funds may be 

 at once forthcoming to hire wardens wher- 

 ever they can be employed to advantage. 



Already twenty-five wardens have been 

 employed, but the number should be largely 

 increased if b'rd-lovers would send their 

 contributions to William Dutcher, 525 

 Manhattan Avenue, New York city. 



The publication of reports of Audubon 

 Societies has necessarily been postponed to 

 give space to Mr. Van Name's important 

 paper on practical bird protection. Every 

 one living in the country can do some- 

 thing in the direction outlined by Mr. 

 Van Name, even if his efforts be confined 

 to his own garden. 



