38 Bird- Lore Grebes, Herons, or any part thereof, includ- ing aigrettes. "Second, That we pledge ourselves, col- lectively and individually, not to buy the aforenamed after January i, or sell or offer for sale any of these articles after July i, 1906. "We trust that this endorsement of the Audubon Society will suffice to show you that we morally support you, and it will be my duty and pleasure to insist upon the carrying out to the letter of this agree- ment as far as our Association is con- cerned. Beyond this, however, we should have your support in insisting to the large retailer, which is the department stores, that they refrain from the sale of these articles and give you their moral support, the same as we have done. Otherwise our efforts are at naught, and they will continually tempt the jobber to handle the article, and be the means of finding some weakling who will yield to their demands. This agreement is practically a renewal of the one entered into in 1903, which was for three years. The executive of the Na- tional Association urgently requests the members and officers of the State Audubon Societies to do all in their power to help carry out the provisions of this agreement, especially in the following states, where the millinery jobbers are principally engaged in business : Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Ken- tucky, Tennessee and Texas The willingness of the Western Millinery Jobbers to uphold the principles of the Audubon Societies certainly deserves the highest appreciation, and conclusively shows that they are guided by a sense of civic duty rather than a sordid spirit and a mere greed for money. In Massachusetts the president of the Fish and Game Commission is enforcing the anti-plumage law very effectively. Recently one Lewis Mitchell, Chief of the Passama- quoddy tribe of Indians at Pleasant Point, Maine, was arrested in Boston while he was attempting to sell 128 strips of Gulls' plum- age taken from birds shot in Maine. His defense was that, being an Indian, he had certain treaty rights which permitted him to kill the birds, and that the game laws did not apply to him. He was convicted, paid a fine of fifty dollars, spent two day* in jail, and the plumage was confiscated. The Fish and Game Commissioners of Maine had their attention called to the case, and there is every probability that Mitchell will also have to stand trial in Maine for his violation of the statutes of that state. Commissioner Carleton says that Indians are subject to the game laws, and have no privileges that are not enjoyed by any other citizen. This point was decided in a test case, in the Supreme Judicial Court, 84th Maine, p. 465. The same question has arisen in Florida, and it has been found, on investigation by the National Association, that in that state also Indians are subject to the same laws which govern all other citizens. The Semi- nole Indians, who reside largely in the Ever- glades, are persistent plume-hunters and are in the habit of selling their illegal wares to the guests at the large hotels. It is intended to break up this traffic, and orders have been given to the warden in Dade county to arrest the first Indian seen offering for sale the plumes of protected birds. Bahama Islands Mention was made in the last Annual Re- port (p. 306) of the bird law just adopted in these Islands. An appeal has been received from Miss Alice M. Boynton, head of the Normal and Industrial Institute, (Incorporated) located at Boynton, New Providence, for second-hand books, pamph- lets, charts or any other matter that will arouse interest among the white and colored children of New Providence in the protection of birds, that they may be allowed to in- crease. This is -a new school, founded in 1904, and it can exert a great influence along Audubon lines. The members of all Audubon Societies and the readers of Bird- Lore are urged to contribute any second- hand printed matter to this school, espe- cially that relating to natural history in all its branches. Contributions sent to the office of this Association will be boxed and shipped.
