REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-TREASURER 
Of the Wisconsin Audubon Society 
To tlie Directors: 
It is, indeed, fitting that 1 should 
submit to you at this time a report of 
my activities during the past year as 
an officer of the Wisconsin Audubon 
Society. 
«/ 
My largest duty has been the super¬ 
vision of the publication of By the 
Wayside. The Wisconsin Audubon So¬ 
ciety acquired this magazine at a time 
when the latter was rather heavily in 
debt. And, despite all efforts, we car¬ 
ried over from last year an unpaid bill 
of twenty-four dollars. As the finan¬ 
cial statement, which is given below, 
will show all deficits have been made 
up, and we can once more say that the 
Wisconsin Audubon Society is free 
from any debt whatever. This has 
been accomplished in two ways: first, 
by promptly stopping expired sub¬ 
scriptions; and secondly, by applying 
the membership dues to the bills incur¬ 
red by printing By the Wayside. 
But a more serious problem has 
arisen. The printers have greatly 
raised their price on By the Wayside; 
the increase is so great that under 
present conditions the publication of 
By the Wayside has become an impos¬ 
sibility from the practical standpoint 
of making ends meet. Granted that it 
is nevertheless desirable to publish By 
the Wayside, there are three ways to 
overcome the situation. First, the 
price could be raised; second, the pe¬ 
riod of publication could be altered; 
and third, the increase of cost could be 
e t , an increase in circulation. 
After considering the matter, Prof. 
Wagner and l have come to the con¬ 
clusion that the last is the best solu¬ 
tion, and, assuming that you, the di¬ 
rectors, would have no objection 
thereto, we have set out to secure our 
end. Indeed, I think it would be a 
folly for you to oppose this, inasmuch 
as Prof. Wagner has guaranteed all 
deficits arising therefrom next year, 
provided only that the supervision of 
By the Wayside is left to him during 
that time. 
The problem of extending the mem¬ 
bership was also taken up with moder¬ 
ate success. It may be noted in this 
connection that the change in the 
classes of membership, which went 
into force at the beginning of the year, 
has proved a successful step. 
Finally, 1 may call your attention to 
the campaign for a fund to erect a 
bird house. The Society loaned the 
necessary money in order to save time 
in ordering the house, the Treasurer 
being personally responsible for its 
repayment, and a house has been 
erected in A ilas Park. The loan, as 
the financial statement shows, has been 
nearly repaid. I mention it chiefly for 
the reason that this is a field which has 
not yet been touched and which will 
prove, to my mind, very remunerative 
to the Society. May 20, 1912. 
Daily cash account: 
Receipts: 
Cash on hand Sept. 1, 1911...$ 4.37 
Membership dues . 68.00 
Eau Caire Book Co. (Wavside 
Subscriptions) . 16.25 
Illinois Society (Wayside Sub¬ 
scriptions) . 15.00 
Michigan Society (Wayside 
Subscriptions) . 15.00 
Miscellaneous Subscriptions, 
etc. 24.58 
Repaid on Bird House loan.. 19.50 
Total 
$162.69 
