276 



Bird -Lore 



strongly into the field of wild-life pro- 

 tection. Not only has this Club been par- 

 ticularly active but, through the efforts 

 of the Northern Division Committee, it 

 interested a number of other organiza- 

 tions in uniting to form the California 

 Associated Societies for the Conservation 

 of Wild Life. This occurred on November 

 7, 191 2, and the immediate purpose of the 

 organizations was to plan and carry into 

 execution a vigorous legislative campaign 

 for the better protection of the wild birds 

 and animals of the state. These organiza- 

 tions and their active representatives are 

 as follows: State Audubon Society of 

 California, W. Leon Dawson; Sierra Club, 

 Dr. William F. Bade; California Academy 

 of Sciences, Joseph Grinnell; Tamalpais 

 Conservation Club, J. H. Cutter; Bio- 

 logical Society of the Pacific, Prof. C. A. 

 Kofoid; Pacific Coast Paleontological 

 Society, Roy E. Dickerson; State Humane 

 Association, Matthew McCurrie; Cooper 

 Ornithological Club, W. P. Taylor. 



The effect which this organization had 

 on bird and game legislation in California 

 this year was perfectly splendid. Despite 

 a wide-spread indifference, as well as the 

 active opposition, particularly of the 

 Hotel Men's Association and certain of 

 the newspapers, California has never 

 seen so many changes for the better made 

 in the game laws. 



The National Association of Audubon 

 Societies, which was pleased to contribute 

 to this California movement, has received 

 a final report from Mr. W. P. Taylor of 

 the University of California, who is the 

 acting head of these Associated Societies. 

 From this we learn that thirteen distinc- 

 tive gains were made as follows: 



1. Sale of Band-tailed Pigeons and Wild 

 Ducks prohibited (Ducks may be sold 

 during November). 



2. Shipment of protected wild game 

 prohibited. 



3. Civil service for fish- and game- 

 wardens. 



4. Propagation of wild game in cap- 

 tivity provided for. 



5. Use for food of birds shot destroy- 

 ing crops prohibited. 



6. Possession of plumage of wild birds 

 prohibited for any purpose. 



7. Bag-limit on Ducks 15 a day, 30 a 

 week. 



8. Bag-limit on Quail, 15 a day, 30 a 

 week. 



9. License required to either hunt or 

 fish. 



10. Provision in law that Fish and 

 Game Commission may carry forward 

 educational work or scientific investiga- 

 tion, as the necessity may arise. 



11. Appropriation of $5,000 for carry- 

 ing forward educational work and scien- 

 tific investigation. 



12. Aliens prohibited from hunting and 

 bearing firearms. 



13. Absolute protection accorded the 

 Ralidce, limicolae-shore birds (except 

 Wilson's Snipe), Band-tailed Pigeon, 

 Wood Duck, Ibis, Sea Otter. 



The above was accomplished, although 

 much of the energy of the workers was 

 necessarily given to defeating the attempts 

 at adverse legislation; for efforts were 

 made to open a season for shooting Robins 

 Meadowlarks, Blackbirds, and to remove 

 the so-called fish-eating birds from pro- 

 tection. What the bird-lovers of Cali- 

 fornia achieved is not only a matter of 

 everlasting credit to their intelligence and 

 perseverance, but it presents a splendid 

 example of what may be accomplished in 

 other states. 



Since the above was written, word has 

 been received that the Governor declined 

 to sign certain bills, thus nullifying the 

 work of the Legislature in passing the 

 schedules indicated above as Nos. 6, 7, 

 8, 10, n and 13. Evidently the Governor 

 of California needs education along the 

 line of bird conservation. — T. G. P. 



Plume-Hunters Arrested 



On May 1, 1913, an attempt was made 

 to raid the Alligator Bay, Florida, Rook- 

 ery, which is guarded by F. W. Williams, 

 Warden, and Charles Allen, Assistant 

 Warden. Four men entered the rookery 

 early in the morning and commenced 

 shooting as soon as it was light enough to 



