BY THE WAYSIDE 
19 
are indeed very fortunate to secure Miss Claude 
to write us the lecture which will be given to¬ 
night. This method does not require the ex¬ 
pense of a lecturer, and its feasibility is nicely 
shown by the experiment of the year in the 
number of calls we have had for lectures and 
slides. This plan will be forwarded this year 
in the hope of still more effective work. 
We are particularly fortunate in securing 
Miss Marshall of Appleton to take up the work 
so long and faithfully conducted by Mrs. Peck- 
ham of Milwaukee, in the children’s depart¬ 
ment, and in the publishing of the official or¬ 
gan—By the Wayside. The small cost of our 
little monthly paper and the relatively large 
expense of conducting it makes it a peculiar 
business proposition to handle as so many for¬ 
get to pay the subscription. Yet we are in 
hopes of getting aid of people who believe in 
the work we are doing and thus make ends 
H meet. 
It is my desire that we may increase our 
intimacy with sister state organizations about 
this country and by the exchange of general 
reports see where we too may be more effective 
in Audubon work. 
In the dissemination of the reports of the 
department of agriculture, the division of 
economic orinthology would be most desirable. 
The enlarging of our collection of slides by 
the addition of many popular animal slides 
such as those secured by Mr. A. F. Meyer on 
the preservation of the gopher would be most 
valuable. This addition of animal slides would 
widen and deepen the interest in nature and 
resound in activity not now as apparent as it 
should be. 
In prosecuting and aiding in the prosecution 
of illegal hunting, fishing and nest destruction 
and in reducing the use by the millinery houses 
of the state of their line of furs and feathers. 
Secretary’s Report. 
Mrs. R. G. Thwaites in the secretary’s re¬ 
port gave a brief history of the society, which 
was organized in Milwaukee in April, 1897. 
Four years later the headquarters were trans¬ 
ferred to Madison. In conjunction with the 
Illinois Audubon society, a small monthly mag¬ 
azine, By the Wayside, is being published to 
interest the children, as well as teachers and 
adults. 
It is to be devoted chiefly to nature study, 
particularly birds. Each issue will contain 
articles from bird nature students of the two 
I 
states, as far as possible, besides articles on 
the teaching of nature study in the schools. 
The material is to be all or nearly all new, 
and of local interest. It will also contain 
letters written by children about birds, for the 
best of which a prize or honor badge is award¬ 
ed each month. There will hereafter be issued 
only ten numbers a year, no numbers being 
published for July and August. 
The Gordon library suffered severe loss in the 
burning of the Ryan high school at Appleton, 
a few months ago, but the generosity of its 
many friends has nearly made good this loss, 
(lifts of money with which to purchase new 
books for this or other libraries, are much 
needed. 
Through the courtesy of the state super¬ 
intendent of public instruction, C. P. Cary, the 
Arbor and Bird Day annual for 1904, issued 
by his department, again carries from the Au¬ 
dubon society a message of invitation to each 
public school in the state to co-operate in this 
movement and to form a school branch. The 
success of these branches is almost entirely 
due to the intelligent assistance of the teach¬ 
ers, without which it would be impossible to 
carry on any organized work among the child¬ 
ren of the commonwealth. 
Classes of membership are as follows: 
Life members, paying $5 (no annual dues.) 
Sustaining members, paying $5 annually. 
Associate members paying $1 annually. 
Regular members, paying 25 cents annually. 
Teachers and children without fee. 
Life, sustaining, and associate members will 
hereafter receive gratis all publications of the 
society, including By the Wayside. 
Mrs. William F. Allen read a well prepared 
payer on ‘‘Birds and Their Nests,” written by 
Miss Louise Claude of Devil’s Lake. There is 
a balance of cash on hand of $12.88. 
Since the June issue of The Wayside, a few 
new names have been added to the school 
branch enrollment. From Niebull the secre¬ 
tary, Christina Peterson, reports an addition 
of seven members; meetings have been held 
on the first and third Saturdays of each month 
during the vacation by this band of thirty- 
two. Miss Jennie Bradley, McConell, reports 
a society of seven formed. Miss Alice Bennett, 
near Rio, adds four new members. The 4th 
District School, East Milwaukee, has a new 
branch of thirty-nine. 
