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old lease, which expires April, 1910, and 
also providing for a ten-year close season, 
during which the seal herds may breed up 
to a high point. The resolution further 
called upon the State Department to make 
treaties with England and Canada, Japan, 
Russia and Mexico, to prohibit pelagic 
sealing. In addition to its work with Sena- 
tor Dixon’s Committee, the necessities 
of the fur-seals’ case were brought directly 
to the attention of President Taft, the 
Secretary of Commerce and Labor, the 
Secretary of State, and the United States 
Commissioner of Fisheries. 
As the first result of this campaign, at 
the close of a hearing on the resolution held 
at Washington, February 26, 1910, the 
Senate Committee on the Conservation 
of National Resources directed its Chair- 
man, Senator Dixon, to represent to the 
Secretary of Commerce and Labor the 
undesirability of renewing the lease, or 
of making a new lease, for the killing of 
seals on our islands. This decision was 
reached unanimously. There is every indi- 
cation that Senator Dixon’s committee now 
fully realizes the gravity of the situation, 
and the necessity for immediate action of a 
far-reaching nature. 
The National Association stands not 
only for the conservation of wild birds, 
but of wild animals, as its name indicates, 
and the fur-seals are as much our wards as 
the wild birds. Our benefactor made it one 
of the conditions of his gift that animals 
should be protected, as well as birds. 
Every member of the Asscciation and 
the readers of BrrD-LORE are urged to aid 
in every possible way in the campaign 
already started to save the fur-seal. Unless 
drastic action is taken, these interesting 
and valuable animals will soon have to be 
classed among the extinct species. 
The Association urges that every reader 
of this notice will let his congressman hear 
from him regarding this extremely im- 
portant matter.—W. D. 
Important Meeting 
The Fifth Bi-Annual Conference of the 
National Association of State Game War- 
Bird - Lore 
dens and Commissioners was held in New 
Orleans, February 5-7. Commissioners 
were present from twenty states, and 
the Federal Government was also repre- 
sented. The main topics discussed were 
“Federal Control of Migratory Birds,” 
“Civil Service for Game Wardens,” 
“Propagation of Game,” and “protection 
of Non-Game Birds.” 
Mr.Frank M.Miller,Game Commissioner 
of Louisiana, arranged a number of enter- 
tainments and pleasant excursions for the 
delegates. Among the resolutions passed, 
was one heartily endorsing the work of 
the National Association of Audubon So- 
cieties. The meeting was regarded as a 
very successful one, and one which will 
result in much good throughout the 
country. 
Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson, of North Caro- 
lina, presided at the meetings, and was re- 
elected President of the Association. Dr. 
George W. Field, of Massachusetts, was 
elected Secretary.—W. D. 
An Appeal to Members 
There is an urgent and immediate de- 
mand for several additional field agents; 
but the Executive Officers cannot enlarge 
its staff at the present time, because of 
lack of means. Good trained men should 
be placed in several states to conduct a 
campaign of education against the exces- — 
sive slaughter of Robins, which takes place 
every winter, and during the early spring 
while the birds are migrating northward. 
The sentiment in the territory where this 
slaughter takes place, which is so abhorrent 
to the people of the states where the Robin 
makes its summer home, can only be 
changed by an active educational campaign, 
and such a campaign can only be made 
by placing in the field competent lecturers. 
If every member will secure only one new 
member at once, it will give the Society an 
increase of income sufficient to warrant 
the appointment of three additional field 
men. This is one of the methods to protect 
the Robin. Education is better than law, 
for it creates good sentiment, without 
which a law is useless.—W. D. 
pat 
