42 Bird -Lore PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY The Pennsylvania Audubon Society has been actively eno;aged during the past year, both in furthering the general interest in bird study and bird protection in this state, and in lending its aid to more widespread efforts in the same direction. The fact that our president, Mr. Witmer Stone, is also chairman of the A. O. U. Committee on Protection of North American Kinls, has brought the society into close connection with several of the most important move- ments towards bird protection that have been undertaken during the year. Foremost among these was the Lacey Act. From the start, the Pennsylvania Society took an active part in urging the members of Con- gress from this state to support the measure, and the fact that Pennsylvania cast a larger vote for the bill than any other state and not one vote against it, speaks well for our suc- cess. The society was also represented in the effort to protect the Gulls and Terns of the Atlantic coast during the nesting season of 1900, the New Jersey colonies being under the care of our treasurer, Mr. Wm. L. Baily, whose very successful work is described in the report in the January num- ber of ' The Auk.' Our society was also active early in the present year in arousing opposition to the killing of Blackbirds in Delaware for millinery purposes. Circulars were distributed throughout the state which attracted much attention and resulted in the abandonment of the slaughter and also in the organization of the Delaware Audubon Society. During the }ear our membership has in- creased to over 6,000, and seven local sec- retaries have been appointed, while several local clubs for bird study have been organ- ized. This is one of the most important features of our society, and we cannot too strongly urge those interested to volunteer their services in furthering local organiza- tions of this sort. About 8,000 circulars of various kinds were issued during the year, including an abstract of the state bird laws printed on heavy cardboard suitable for hanging in post offices, reading-rooms, etc. Through the kindness of one of the directors, the society has been enabled to purchase a small library and a set of colored pictures of common birds, which have been circulated among country schools to aid the teachers in conducting Bird Day exercises. On June i, the teachers of the vacation schools of Philadelphia were invited to meet the directors of the society at the Academy of Natural Sciences and were addressed by Mr. Witmer Stone on the subject of bird study in city schools, while the collection of Pennsylvania birds and nests in the museum was explained to them. On January 5, 1901, the annual meeting of the society was held at the Academy of Natural Sciences. The attendance was very large and the interest in the proceedings was marked. After the transaction of routine business, Mr. Stone made an address on ' Bird Protection in America During 1900'; Mr. George Spencer Morris fol- lowed with an illustrated paper on ' Our Winter Birds,' and Mr. Wm. L. Baily concluded the program with a talk on ' Bird Study With the Camera,' illustrated by lantern slides of birds and nests from nature. The old board of directors was reelected for the ensuing year. JuLi.A Stockton Robins, Secretary. The Baltimore Gull Case The confiscation of 2,600 Gulls found in the possession of Dumont & Co., of Balti- more, has been followed by the indictment by the grand jury of the manager of this firm, and the case to determine whether they are liable to the fine of from one to five dollars for each bird will probably come up in February. Proposed New Bird Laws Efforts are being, or will be made to im- prove the bird laws of Maine, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vir- ginia, North Carolina, Florida and Cali- fornia, and it is hoped that BiRD-LoRE readers will use their influence to make these efforts successful. Further details may be learned, as they are developed, from William Dutcher, 525 Manhattan Ave., New York city.
