ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



989 



Mr. F. Augustus Schermerhorn 250 



Mr. George J. Gould 250 



Mr. Lispenard Stewart 250 



OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS. 



Mrs. Russell Sage $1,000 



Mrs. E. H. Harriman 250 



Mr. Charles Greer 100 



The Ladies' Auxiliary. .Mrs. Henry F. 



Osborn. President 91 



Total $ 1 0.49 1 



This fund made it possible to send a copy 

 of "Our Vanishing Wild Life" to the follow- 

 ing: The United States Senate. 50 copies; the 

 House of Representatives. 530 copies ; 39 State 

 Legislatures sitting in 1912. and Alaska; total, 

 5,144 copies; the Justices of the United States 

 Supreme Court. 9 copies; the Governors of all 

 States and Territories. 51 copies; State Legis- 

 lature clerks. 78 copies; State game commis- 

 sioners and wardens. 105 copies; sportsmen's 

 clubs. 281 copies. Total to date. 7.051 copies. 



In order to lend distinct personal significance 

 to the gift of this book, a letter calling atten- 

 tion to the nature and purpose of the volume, 

 signed by Madison Grant, Esq., Chairman of 

 the Executive Committee, was sent to each re- 

 cipient, and each book sent out was wrapped 

 separately and personally addressed. 



The members of both Houses of Congress 

 received their copies in ample time to admit of 

 their perusal while the McLean Bill for the 

 protection of migratory birds was pending, and 

 it has been freely stated that Dr. Hornaday's 

 convincing presentation, especially of the case 

 in favor of the insectivorous birds, did much 

 to bring about the passage of the McLean law. 



Many gratifying responses have come to the 

 Society from National and State law-makers 

 who have received the book. For example, the 

 governors of five States have promised to veto 

 all bills which provide for the further destruc- 

 tion of useful or harmless wild life, while four- 

 teen governors have expressed warm approval 

 of the movement as a whole. 



Hundreds of expressions of keen sympathy 

 with the cause have been received from mem- 

 bers of Congress and of State Legislatures, and 

 there can be no doubt that the book, which 

 soon will be in the hands of every American 

 law-maker, and also thousands of other friends 

 of the cause throughout the country, will exert 

 a powerful influence in jarring the people 

 to wakefulness, stimulating public opinion, and 

 converting it into action in support of wild 



life conservation. Unquestionably the volume 

 will promote innumerable betterments in legis- 

 lation to that end. 



The difficulty of appealing effectively to the 

 great mass of the people always is the most 

 serious obstacle to be overcome in advancing 

 the cause of wild-life protection. Once the in- 

 terest of the great silent majority is fairly 

 aroused, the success of the cause is assured. 



G. G. 



THE PURCHASE OF MARSH ISLAND 

 BY MRS. SAGE. 



The news contained in the brief statement 

 of Mr. Madison Grant in the Annual Report 

 of the Executive Committee that the Director 

 of the Park "exerted an important influence" 

 on the purchase of Marsh Island, may have 

 caused some surprise, but it is entirely true. 



In 1911, Mr. Edward A. Mcllhennv, of Loui 

 siana, came to New York to seek subscriptions 

 toward the purchase of Marsh Island, and he 

 approached several persons believed to be able 

 to influence the result desired. For some rea- 

 son, however, he did not call upon Dr. Horna- 

 day, or make the matter known to him in any 

 way. His mission was unsuccessful and disap- 

 pointing. 



When he again came to New York, in the 

 winter of 1912, his second call was at the Zoo- 

 logical Park, where he laid before the Director 

 the whole story, with exhibits consisting of a 

 map, photographs and binding options. When 

 he mentioned the amount of money yet to be 

 raised by subscription ($132,000), for a tract 

 of far-distant wild land and water. Dr. Horna- 

 day said : 



"That is a good thing; but the subscriptions 

 must be in four figures or above, if you ever win 

 out! I know of just two persons in New York 

 who might take a helpful interest in this plan. 

 They are Mr. Robert W. De Forest and Mrs. 

 Russell Sage. I will give you a strong letter 

 to Mr. De Forest, and he will at least hear 

 what you have to say. Incidentally. I will 

 vouch for you and your plan, because I think 

 that what you propose would be a great achieve- 

 ment for wild life, and something worth while." 



The letter that Mr. Mclhenny carried away 

 with him half an hour later instantly enlisted 

 the active interest of Mr. De Forest, and from 

 that day (January 24, 1912), the purchase of 

 Marsh Island by Mrs. Sage rapidly progressed 

 to the well-known conclusion. 



