The Audubon Societies 



75 



a permanent endowment fund. Not a sup;- 

 gestion or helpful word has been received. 

 Is not this giving a stone when bread was 

 asked ? Bird-protection work has only just 

 commenced, and the several societies must 

 not consider their duty done if they look 

 well after their local interests ; there is the 

 broader field of national work that must be 

 carried on by the joint efforts of each so- 

 ciety ; the strong must help the weak. The 

 Heron Leaflet, Educational Leaflet No. 7, 

 has been called for from unexpected quar- 

 ters. The Millinery Merchants' Protective 

 Association asked for 500 copies, to be dis- 

 tributed among its members, and a promi- 

 nent wholesale millinery firm in Ohio sent for 

 1,000 copies, which they volunteered to dis- 

 tribute among their customers. The British 

 Society for the Protection of Birds sent for 

 2,500 copies, as they desired to send one to 

 each subscriber to their organ, "Bird Notes 

 and News." The press noticed this leaflet 

 more freely than any other publication ever 

 issued by the National Committee, some 

 papers publishing the entire text, with an 

 illustration. 



The suggestion of the National Commit- 

 tee that the children of the country feed the 

 birds during the severe winter weather was 

 sent out as a news item by the Associated 

 Press, and undoubtedly was the direct means 

 of saving thousands of birds. 



Legislative matters are in a ferment at the 

 present time. In Rhode Island a bill has 

 been introduced to prohibit the sale of 

 Ruffed Grouse and also to make the close 

 season for shore-birds from January i to 

 July 15, thus preventing the wasteful prac- 

 tice of spring shooting. 



In New Jersey the bill to permit the kill- 

 ing of Robins, Highholders, Catbirds and 

 Meadowlarks was defeated by an almost 

 unanimous vote. In Virginia an effort is 

 being made to repeal the anti-spring-shoot- 

 ing law for shore - birds passed in 1903 ; 

 also, to take protection from Doves, Hawks, 

 Owls and the Nighthawk. The result is 

 still doubtful, notwithstanding the efforts of 

 the National Committee and several sena- 

 tors and delegates who worked so faithfully 

 last year for the passage of the excellent law 

 now in force in Virginia. In South Caro- 



lina a bill was introduced following the 

 A. O. U. model law, but was adversely re- 

 ported by the Committee on Agriculture 

 to whom it was referred. They recom- 

 mended "that it be not passed, as it was too 

 sweeping." It is evident that a large 

 amount of education is needed in South 

 Carolina when an agricultural committee 

 refuses to recommend a law which was 

 especially intended to benefit the farmer 

 and protect their interests. 



In Mississippi a non-game-bird bill was 

 introduced and was almost unanimously 

 passed in the House of Delegates. It is 

 now before the Senate and will probably 

 become a law, as Gov. A. H. Longino, in 

 his annual message to the Legislature, rec- 

 ommended "that a law be passed pro- 

 tecting from slaughter all birds, except 

 game-birds, throughout the entire year." 

 In Iowa the model law is before the Legis- 

 lature, but its adoption is somewhat doubt- 

 ful, although the State Audubon Society 

 and the National Committee are doing all 

 that is possible to push it. A bill to pre- 

 vent trap-shooting of tame Pigeons wa» 

 passed and is now a law. 



Truly the Audubon Societies have much 

 educational work still to do. The millen- 

 nium period of bird - protection is still far 

 distant, especially the phase connected with 

 legislation. 



Audubon work is progressing finely. In 

 Maine the Ornithological Society has just 

 appointed a committee of five members who 

 desire to place their state in the front rank 

 of bird protectors and lovers. In Colorado 

 a second Junior Audubon Society was or- 

 ganized February 22, with over 340 charter 

 members. This is excellent work, and the 

 National Committee recommended that the 

 several state societies push this branch 

 more diligently. In Alabama there is every 

 probability that an Audubon Society will 

 be organized in a short time. In Michigan, 

 also, active steps are being taken by the 

 Ornithological Society to advance Audubon 

 methods, and to that end Mr. T. Jefferson 

 Butler has been elected the Audubon Secre- 

 tary. A society will, undoubtedly, be or- 

 ganized in California before the next issue 

 of Bird- Lore. Funds for the work of the 



