Reports of Field Agents 349 



the state surviving the thousands of White Herons that formerly Hved in 

 this extensive lake region. 



Last spring, legislative sessions were held in all the Pacific coast states^ 

 In Oregon and Washington very few bills were proposed that were considered- 

 detrimental, and these were killed in committees. It was rather different in 

 California, where, for the past few years, there has been complaint against 

 certain birds in their relation to horticulture and agriculture. After a hard 

 fight, Audubon workers in California succeeded in preventing the passage of 

 laws removing protection from Meadowlarks, as well as Kingfishers, Grebes, 

 Terns, Night Herons, Bitterns, Pelicans and Cormorants. By the employ- 

 ment of an expert to carefully investigate the relation of certain birds to 

 farming and fruit-growing, steps have been taken by the California Fish and 

 Game Commission to ward off difficulties of this kind in future. The employ- 

 ment by the commission of Miss Gretchen L. Libby, who has been so suc- 

 cessful in school work, is a decided step for bird protection in this state. She 

 will continue educational work, especially among the children. : 



The Oregon legislature passed a law giving the Governor of the state power 

 to set aside by special proclamation all lands surrounding state institutions 

 to be known as wild-bird and game refuges. As soon as this law went into 

 effect. Governor West issued a proclamation setting aside these lands. The 

 most important of these reservations is an area of about three thousand acres 

 surrounding the institutions at Salem. This land is varied in character, par- 

 tially wooded and part in cultivated fields, some hill land and some bottom 

 land, all of which is well watered with springs and streams. Another reserve 

 of about four hundred acres surrounds the State Hospital, near Pendleton. 

 This land is thoroughly stocked with Bob-white. There are also many of 

 these birds on the reservation about Salem, and other parts of the state are 

 now stocked with Bob- white, which were imported from the East a number 

 of years ago. 



This same law gives the State Game Warden power to enter into a contract 

 with the owner or owners of private lands to set aside these lands as bird 

 reserves. Several large tracts have already been made into reservations, 

 and there are other proposed reserves, so it is Hkely that Oregon will soon be 

 provided with many sanctuaries for these wild creatures. The law provides 

 both a fine and imprisonment penalty for \dolation by shooting or disturbing 

 wild birds and animals protected by law. 



The Oregon Audubon Society has been fortunate by being remembered 

 in a bequest which was left by one of its friends. Mrs. Walter Dyer left a 

 legacy to the Society of $2,500. This amount is to be known as the Byron 

 Holmes Bequest, and the income will be devoted to the protection of Oregon 

 birds. 



As lecturer and agent for the National Association, during the past year, 

 I have given forty-seven different talks to audiences aggregating about 1 2,00a 



