1*70 Canadian Record of Science. 



long as the ladies continue to demand bird-skins for orna- 

 mental purposes, so long will the gunners and taxidermists 

 undertake to supply the market, therefore the initiative in 

 the movement for the protection of birds must be with the 

 1 wives, sweethearts, and mothers,' and not alone with the 

 laws and lawmakers." 



Time will not permit of my bringing before you for con- 

 sideration more fully the questions of the destruction of the 

 eggs of birds for food ; the relation of birds to agriculture, 

 (a most important consideration to Canadians) or the sub- 

 ject of bird laws, or laws for the protection of birds, or to 

 make a more earnest appeal to the ladies in behalf of the 

 birds, but before concluding I should like to call your atten- 

 tion to a society which has been formed in order to give an 

 opportunity for definite and systematic effort by all those 

 wbo believe that our birds ought to be protected. It is called 

 " The Audubon Society" and is for the protection of Ameri- 

 can birds not used for food. To accomplish this purpose it 

 will— 



1. Secure and publish information to show the extent of the present enormous 



destruction of birds for millinery, decorative and other purposes. 



2. Expose the outrageous and indefensible cruelty of such canton taking of 



feathered life. 



3. Point out the injury to the agricultural interests of the land which must 



certainly follow the decimation of the insectivores. 



4. By thus presenting the subject in its ethical, humane and economic aspects 



enlist the sympathy and active personal co-operation of a large member- 

 ship in the effort to cheek the evil. 

 Three forms of pledges have been adopted, viz. : — 



1. To discourage the killing of any bird not used for food. 



2. To discourage the robbing of any bird's nest or the destruction' of its eggs. 



3. To refrain from the use of any wild birds' plumage as an article of dress or 



ornament. 



Certificates of membership are issued to those who sub- 

 scribe to one or two or all of the pledges. There are no 

 membership fees of any kind, the society being supported 

 entirely by voluntary contributions. 



In conclusion, I would re-echo the appeal of the American 

 Ornithologists' Union, and say that so long as demand con- 

 tinues, supply will come. Law of itself can be of little, 

 perhaps of no ultimate avail. It may give check, but this 



