The Audubon Societies 35
before this bright vista will be near enough for us to enjoy it as a part of the present. there is much hard work for all the bird lovers and Audubonites, old or young, to do. The question is. will the readers of BIRD-LURE sit idly by and wait for some one else to till the fallow ground. or will they do their own part in builtling up this great structure? This is a serious matter and one that shoultl be taken to heart by every one that loves nature. There is. as a nucleus or foundation for t great move» ment, forty organized Audubon Societies. with nearly a hundred thousand members. the larger part of which are children, who. at the present time. can give but little finan- cial support, but are being taught the basic principles of Audubon work. In a few short years these children will be the men and women who will support and carry on the work that is now being initiated.
The importance and magnitude of Audu- hon work warrants its being placed in a position of permanence; this can he accom- plished quickly and easily by incorporation. The act of incorporating is a simple matter, and. as Audubon work is national in its scope. it seems proper that the place of in- corporation should be Washington. D. C.
The National Audubon Committee, com- posed as it is of one delegate from each regularly organized Audubon Society. will then be in a position to appeal to the bird- loving public for a much»needed endow- ment fund. This fund should be raised by a popular subscription from bitd lovers in all parts of the country. No subscription will be too large and none too small to be thank- fully received. Objects no more worthy nor hall as economically important are endowed with hundreds of thousands of dollars: why not the Audubon movement. which has for its sole object the preservation of the wild birds of the country? Think of a birdless world,—no song, no bright plumages, and no check to insect pests! This is another stone in our great building; Audubonites! are you willing to help lift it in place? Let the chairman hear from you with pertinent suggestions and promises of aid for permanent work.
At the present time it is imponnn! that
So much
every reader of BIRDrLORF and cvch Au» duhon Secretary and Local Secretary ‘llould take immediate steps to create public senti- ment against the use of the aigrette. Educational Leaflet Nu. 7. uhich appears in the present issue at Brim-LURE. gives all the facts necessary to show hon pressing the matter is if the white Herons are not to he- come exterminatcd.
Let every woman who is still willing l0 wear a Heron's plume have a personal appeal made 10 “Cr better nature; tight must triumph in the end. Spread this leaflet. with its appeal to mother- Ctylorcd slides have been prepared of the five half- tones in the leaflet, which will be sent on application to all the sot‘ielics that have traveling bird lectures. These anti the leaflets will do much to reduce the sale of aigrettes and stub plumes.
The second attempt to secure a satisfac» tory non-game bird law in Louisiana has just been defeated.
Owing to the scare occasioned by the rapid march of the boll~weevil pest from Mexico through Texas to the borders of Louisiana. the Governor of the latter state called a special session of the legislature late in December to devise means for pre- venting the boll-weevil scourge from spreading into that commonwealth, Among the plans discussed was a law to prevent the killing or caging of birds.
A bill was prepared, introduced and was adapted in the House at Delegates by a vote of 73 to 9. To the very great credit of the members, it is reported that the speeches made in behalf of the bill were very earnest in favor of bird protection. The bill was defeated in the Senate by a political trick.
Among the most active antagonists to the passage of this much-needed legislation were the representatives of the caged-bird dealers. Bird lovers in Louisiana, and es- pecially the cotton-planters. who have so much at stake. should at once talte active steps to create public sentiment in the state in order that at the next session of the legis- lature the agricultural interests of the whole state should not be set aside by the paltry interests of less than hall-a-dozen men who
hood, broadcast over the country.
