I50 



Bird - Lore 



being made to spread a knowledge of the 

 usefulness of birds among the farmers of 

 the state. The wearing of feathers for 

 ornament is almost a thing of the past, and 

 unquestionably an impression has been 

 made upon women, but we realize that as 

 soon as the Parisian law-givers announce 

 that aigrettes and wings are again fashion- 

 able, we shall have everything to do over 

 again, unless we carry on educational work 

 with all possible earnestness in this little 

 breathing space that is granted us. 



One of the primary objects of Audubon 

 Societies, all over the country, has been to 

 secure better legislation for the protection of 

 birds. Wisconsin, following the example 

 of several eastern states, has recently enacted 

 a law which forbids the killing of our wild 

 birds, and makes it illegal to deal in their 

 plumage. This applies not only to resident 

 birds, but to all that visit the state during 

 migration. 



As it was thought desirable that some one 

 should speak for the work of the Audubon 

 Societies of the United States at the meeting 

 of the National Federation of Women's 

 Clubs, held in Milwaukee last June, the 

 Wisconsin Society, aided by the societies of 

 Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, 

 Illinois, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New 

 York and Ohio, secured Miss Mira Lloyd 

 Dock, of Harrisburg, whose earnest and 

 moving address on "The Quality of Mercy" 

 will be long remembered by those who 

 heard it. 



On April 13, Prof. O. G. Libby, of the 

 University of Wisconsin, gave an illustrated 

 lecture on "Our Native Birds" for the 

 teachers and school children of Milwaukee. 

 This lecture took the place of the customary 

 annual meeting. 



The main line of work in the Society has 

 been to develop an interest in bird protec- 

 tion and bird study among young people, 

 and in this it has achieved remarkable suc- 

 cess, having brought 13,441 enthusiastic 

 teachers and children into its ranks. A 

 monthly paper, costing twenty cents a year, 

 with a course of bird-study, is issued, 

 prizes and honor badges are awarded for 

 the best reports and observations, and our 

 little wren button is furnished at a nominal 



price, while the Gordon Library of bird 

 books, and the collection of colored bird 

 slides, owned by the Madison Branch, are 

 sent all over the state. This work has been 

 repeatedly commended by the eastern so- 

 cieties, and it is certainly uncommon for so 

 much to be accomplished with so small a 

 sum of money as is at the disposal of the 

 Executive Board. 



Elizabeth G. Peckham, 



Secretary. 



A Good Example 



Many attempts have been made to com- 

 pound a "white list" of milliners who, if 

 they could not wholly dispense with bird 

 plumage in their trimmings, owing to the 

 insistence of customers, would at least make 

 it easy for those wishing Audobonnets to 

 obtain them. This attempt has, we regret 

 to say, met with no general response, so 

 that it is surprising as well as gratifying to 

 hear that the Shepard Company, of Provi- 

 dence, R. I., held a successful exhibition 

 and sale of these hats and bonnets on the 

 15th and i6th of May. The circular an- 

 nouncing the exhibit, after a summary of 

 bird destruction for millinery purposes and 

 the work done for bird protection, says: 



"The Shephard Company, sympathizing 

 with this great and beneficent work and be- 

 lieving that most women, if conscious of the 

 extent of this slaughter of the innocents, as 

 well as of the beautiful and fashionable ef- 

 fects in millinery which are possible with- 

 out their use, has decided to hold a special 

 exhibition of hats and bonnets in which 

 none of the articles listed ' ' contraband ' ' by 

 the Audubon Society shall appear. 



"This exhibition is intended to demon- 

 strate that hats and bonnets can be fully in 

 keeping with prevailing styles and will 

 show exceptional beauty in design and color 

 without the use of the plumage of wild 

 birds. 



"Carefully selected specimens of the 

 latest foreign and domestic styles will be on 

 view. 



" We invite the inspection of the public, 

 and especially of such women as are inter- 

 ested, to assist in influencing popular opin- 

 ion along humanitarian lines. 



