Page:Bird-lore Vol 08.djvu/102

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78 Bird - Lore Board of Education and distributed in the schools. This seems a good way to familiar- ize children not only with birds, but with animals, minerals, and with all nature sub- jects. Our society has contributed the usual amount to the Thayer fund. At present our interest is to have the state laws of recent date translated into Hungarian and Italian: these translations are now being printed in large type, to be posted in localities in our state where these people live, as we believe it is through ignorance of our laws that they kill so many of our song-birds for food. We may also send the laws to be printed in their own newspapers, which reach all the families. Our Executive Committee has held eight meetings this year, with an attendance of from five to fourteen members. We have had the secretary of our State Board of Edu- cation with us at some meetings, and his suggestions we find of much help in the work. — Mrs. W. B. Glover, Secretary. Indiana The work of the Indiana Audubon So- ciety has been largely educational for the past year. New societies have been organ- ized, and especial emphasis has been placed on the work with and for the children. The society assisted the State Superinten- dent of Public Instruction in getting matter for the 'Bird Day Annual,' which goes into the hands of all the teachers of the state, and is really a bird manual for teach- ers and pupils, in many cases. The press of the state has most cordially cooperated with the society, and over three thousand bird buttons have been given out this year to school children in the state. These buttons are contributed by the In- dianapolis ' News,' and each child receiving one signs a simple bird pledge and becomes usually a worker for and friend of the birds. In many of the schools, bird talks have been given under the auspices of the society, and the children all over the state are inter- ested, many of them planning to feed the birds this winter. The bird-law of the state was modified at the last session of the legislature, making it possible to prevent the trapping of native birds, and forbidding the sale of native wild birds. Thus we have been able to get after two wrongs, — the trapping of birds, especially cardinals, and the sale of all na- tive wild birds in the bird stores. Prosecutions of dealers who had Quail in cold storage last spring served notice on them that the law was "loaded," and, though they got off with fines of $400 each, they learned their lesson, and are not tak- ing any chances now. — Florence A. Howe, Secretary. Texas The bird- and game-law of 1903 re- mains unchanged, and is enforced as to game-birds and animals, but violated over three-fourths of the state as to birds gen- erally. Plume-hunters operated on the Texas coast this year. Lectures have been delivered by Professor H. P. Attwater. Mrs. Cardenas and the secretary of the Texas Audubon Society. Over 10,000 cloth warnings have been posted. Our best work has been done through the newspapers, a large volume of miscel- laneous bird-protection matter having been prepared here and at Houston, which was used by the dailies and weeklies, often with displayed head-lines and endorsements editorially. — M. B. Davis, Secretary. A Vicious Bill When the few persons interested in the traffic in foreign game in New York State found they could not legally continue their sales during the closed season (see decision of Court of Appeals, p. 72), they immedi- ately procured the introduction of a bill in the legislature to legalize the sale of Euro- pean Black Cock, Rebhuhner, Redleg, Lapwing, Egyptian Quail and Hazel Hens. This bill should not pass, as it is special legislation of the worst character, and also because it will only be a cloak for the sale of native game. The Audubon and allied societies are determined to defeat this most vicious attempt to evade the game laws. There ne-ver ixjill be perfect protection un- til all sale of game is prohibited. — W. D.