444 Bird - Lore 



Illinois Audubon Society. — The Annual Meeting of the Illinois Audubon 

 Society, held in Fullerton Hall, Chicago, May, 1917, marked the close of the 

 twentieth year of continuous activity on the part of this organization. 



The work of the past year has been unusually satisfactory, and we are glad 

 to report a notable increase in membership. The routine educational work of the 

 Society, which consists in distributing literature, loaning traveling libraries and 

 sets of stereopticon slides, arranging lecture dates, etc., has progressed in much 

 the same way as formerly. Our three sets of lantern-slides from photographic 

 subjects, artistically colored, are particularly well liked and are in continuous 

 demand by schools, churches. Boy Scouts and other clubs. 



An important new enterprise has been the publication of a 'house organ,' 

 so to speak — ^the Audubon Bulletin. This began with the Spring Bulletin 19 16, 

 and has been followed by two other issues, one for the winter 1916-17, and 

 the other for spring 19 17. The object of this publication is not only to 

 create a wider interest in birds and their protection throughout the state, 

 but to give publicity to the activities of our Society. The directors feel 

 that the Bulletin meets a long-felt need, and they have been much gratified 

 at the favorable comment evoked by the makeup and contents of the 

 magazine. 



Our most notable undertaking in 19 17 was the launching of a spring lecture- 

 course in Chicago, a cherished project which we had never before had the cour- 

 age to attempt. To our surprise and pleasure this proved most successful, 

 even from a financial standpoint. The lectures were given in Central Music 

 Hall on Saturday mornings at 1 1 o'clock, March 3 and 24, and April 14. William 

 L. Finley, of Oregon, gave the initial lecture, with his remarkable moving pic- 

 ture of the West, its animals and birds. On the second date, Mr. Baynes, of 

 Meriden, N. H., gave his charming lecture on 'How to Attract the Birds,' 

 illustrated by fine stereopticon pictures. April 14, Norman McClintock, of 

 Pittsburgh, again fascinated a Chicago audience with his wonderful moving 

 pictures of birds of the East and South. At each of these lectures the house 

 was filled to capacity. The audiences were made up largely of adults, and 

 one noteworthy fact was the presence of a goodly number of men, despite the 

 morning hour, which had been considered a possible handicap for business 

 people. 



One practical accomplishment has been the ending of the aigrette traf&c in 

 Chicago. There is no statute in Illinois specifically forbidding the sale of 

 aigrettes. The State Game Law, however, contains a clause making it illegal 

 to sell any bird or part of wild bird, which some of the Directors beheved 

 was in itself a prohibition of the aigrette trade. Our attorney brought the 

 matter to the attention of the State Game and Fish Commission, who referred 

 it to the Attorney General. He rendered an opinion, holding that the clause in 

 question made the aigrette trade illegal. When this was brought to the atten- 

 tion of the State Street stores, the managers promptly agreed to discontinue 



