Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/139

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108

an intelligent interest in the preservation of their birds; even the beneficial Hawks are protected, although the unfortunate Owls were not included in the list of protected birds,

The legislative fight is now on in the state of Louisiana, the session having com- menced on the rst of May, when bills for the protection of the game and none-game birds were introduced

A great deal of splendid preparatory work has been done by the Louisiana Audubon Society which should, and it is hoped will, accomplish the passage oi the bills; how- ever. a most determined tight may be ex~ pected, as it is found that there is a class of sportsmen and bird epicurcs who are object- ing to any law that will not permit them to kill “nice, fat Robins, Catbirds, Wood Thrushes and Red-eyed Vireos." These birds have so long been sold in the markets of New Orleans for the " pot ” or “toasting fork" that it is hard for some people to relin— quish this privilege; further, the cage—bird dealers, Let, those who want to capture and ship out of the state, to foreign coun- tries, Mockingbirds, Cardinals. Nonpareils and indigo Buntings, will join forces and try to defeat bird legislation Howerer,the decent sentiment of the state is becoming aroused, as they see staring them in the face the fate of Texas with its boll-weevil scourge.

If Louisiana passes the model law this year every coastwise state of the United States will have adopted the law with the exception of South Carolina. Alabama and California; and it must be said to the credit of Alabama, what cannot be said for South Carolina and California, that no at- tempt has ever been made by the Committee to have the model law adopted.

Warden service has been arranged for the present year in all of the localities covered at the last breeding season. and in addition the Committee are protecting the breeding Water Birds in the lake region of Oregon, in cooperation with Mrs ). W. Baker. Game and Forestry Warden.

The Committee is pleased to report that the Navy Department has directed the Su-

Bird - Lore

perintendent of the Cable Company at Midway Island to prevent the destruction oi the birds of that island.

It is pleasant to confirm the statement made in March BIRD-LURE. that an Audu- bon Society would be at work in Culi- fornia before the June issue was published ; on March 25 the organization was accom- plished at Pasadena; it is exceedingly active and will exert a great influence at the next session of the legislature The plan proposed is to establish local or county societies throughout the state, each with its own ofli» cars, and also to organize a state federation which will become a part of the National Committee. The work or organizing addi- tional societies is going on rapidly under the guidance of Mr. W. Scott Way, secretary, who is proving himself to be a first-class leader; he is being ably seconded by the trenchant pen of the friend of birds and torests, Mrs. McCrackin, of Wrights.

Educational work is progressing satis- factorily; the South Carolina Audubon Society is thoroughly awakened to the im- portance of educating the pcople of their state so that at the next session of the legislature a demand will be made for a satisfactory bird-law. In Michigan the Audubon Society is making great strides and ivill undoubtedly be able to have the model law adoptetl at the next session of the legislature.

The demands for the educational leaflets of the Committee are greater every day, especially from state and county superin- tendents, teachers and libraries. It is greatly to be regretted that the National Committee is not in a financial position to make a systematic and determined efinrt to place our educational leaflets in every public school in the country.

The demand for the Snowy Heron or aigrette leaflet still continues very large, and it was only a few days since that a request was received from the Royal Botani- cal Society of London for a complete set of the educational publications of the National Committee for display in the educational pavilion of the Grand Horticultural Exhibi- tion to he held in June.—W. D.