262 Bird -Lore " Mr. Charles L. Freer gave $25 for the protection of game-birds at the St. Clair Flats. Deputy Sheriff Frank Haydette, of Algonac, was employed, and in various trips seized game-birds in trunks, etc., but could find no owners. In these trips he also seized two fishing nets, and so we were able to protect the fish incidentally. The secretary is in correspondence with those deputy wardens who show any disposition to enforce the law, and encourages them by showing that their efforts are appreciated. " About the best word that can be said for the Michigan Society is that it has done something in getting a semblance of order out of chaos, and in securing the passage of the Model Law, which has undoubtedly improved the situation. Candor, however, obliges us to say that we have made but a beginning and that there is still an immense amount of work to be done. We feel grateful to Albert Wiedeman, county game warden, at Leoni, for prosecuting for the killing of Robins, especially as he had reason to fear a physical assault which subsequently took place. Also to Frank L. Covert, prosecuting attorney of Oakland county, who was the first of those in his position to write that he believed in the law and would enforce it. His letter to an offender, who was shooting song-birds daily, for the purpose of feeding his ferrets, brought results. " The secretary has been obliged to give considerable time in carrying on correspondence with state workers, for, unless letters are answered promptly, and in detail, the workers lose interest. The secretary is compil- ing a booklet, including a history of the Society, a copy of the state laws, conditions in other states, methods of work, needs in the different localities, etc., which it is hoped will answer all questions and give all necessary direc- tions for work. The Michigan State Fair is held in Detroit, and the man- agement has been kind enough to give our Society space for the purpose of distributing literature, etc. We had a call for Audubon buttons. The phil- osophy of wearing a button is that those not familiar with its meaning open up a conversation on bird protection, where the matter otherwise could not be broached. The merchants, in the cities of the state, persist in selling bird millinery in opposition to the law. We are now planning a letter to these dealers. We are opposed to the law allowing counties to give a bounty on English Sparrows, as we find that native Sparrows, including Goldfinches, are destroyed in the winter season as English Sparrows." — Jefferson Butler, Secretary. Minnesota. — "The Minnesota Audubon Society has not been espe- cially active the past year. Whatever work has been done in the state is due to the efforts of individual societies or clubs, and persons especially interested in bird study or bird protection. Some societies are quite active. " In some parts of the state the study of birds is taken up in the pub- lic schools : the children, after becoming interested, do not care to kill the
