240 Bird - Lore " It becomes evident that if any considerable number of water fowl are to be preserved, spring shooting must be abolished." Gun Licenses. — Space nor time will permit taking up the important question of gun licenses, further than to say that we believe that all the citizens of a state should not be taxed for game and bird protection. It is recommended that every person who uses a gun should hold a hunting license for the privilege. The funds derived from the sale of such licenses to be exclusively used for the protection and propagation of birds and game by game commissions which are thus self-supporting. This experiment has been adopted in a few states and has been found to work admirably. Aigrettes. — The question of whether these plumes shall be sold in this country, irrespective of whether they are American or foreign, is still far from settled. It is believed that the sentiment against their use is gaining ground. Recently the State Federation of Women's Clubs in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, at their annual meetings, "Resolved," that the club mem- bers would not in the future wear aigrettes and also that they would discourage their vise by the women of the state. The disapproval of Presi- dent and Mrs. Roosevelt, of the use of aigrettes, expressed in the accom- panying letter (see page 239), it is hoped may have as far-reaching an effect in this country, as the same action taken by Her Majesty, Queen Alex- andra, has had in England. RESERVATIONS An additional bird reservation has been made by President Roosevelt since our last annual report. This, the Indian Key Reservation, Tampa Bay, Florida, was set aside February 10, 1906. (See Bird-Lore, VIII, p. 145.) It is the province of this Association to discover new bird colonies on territory which is still the property of the Federal Government, and to apply for its reservation. During the past year there was no money in the treasury that could be used for exploration, but during the coming year, with our increased income, a search for bird colonies will be made on such portions of the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts and some parts of the interior, that are still unexplored. When new colonies are found, if the ground occupied is federal property, application will be made for its reservation ; if it is state or private property, it will be bought or leased. During the past year a perpetual lease has been secured from the state of Maine (see Bird-Lore, VIII. p. 37), of a rocky island which is occupied by a good -sized colony of Herring Gulls and the only remaining colony of the American Eider Duck that is known to exist in the United States. This island is in charge of a reliable warden who is employed by the year, and, as a result of his personal supervision, it is known that 45 Eiders were bred
