Evening star., 1903-10-19
THE AUDUBON SOCIETY
PROGRAM MAPPED OUT FOR THE
SEASONS WORK.
Good That Has Been Accomplished by
Movement to Protect the
Birds.

for the ensuing year. During its existence,
which dates from May. 1897. when the
| ciety was organized, much effective work
| has been accomplished, it is claimed, for
| the protection of birds, and much informa-
| tion touching their value, disseminated.
The membership has reached a very fiat
| tering number and includes some of the
| best citizens in the District. The program
| follows:
| Saturday, October H. 1903-Audubon mil
| linery exhibit at the Raleigh. Saturday,
| October 81, 19e3-Autumnal excursion to
| Great Falls Md Leave Georgetown at
$50 am. Fare, 10 cents. Places should
| be secured through Mr.. Henry Oldys, De-
| partment ofrA Agriculture. Tuesday, Novem-
| Der 10, 19G3-Reception at the Washington
! Club Tuesday. December s. 1903-Regular
meeting. Topic: "A Naturalist in Mexico
| ullustrated). Speaker, Mir. f. W. Nelson.
| Tuesday, January -, 1ao4-Annual meet
ing, Date, place of meeting, and speaker
| to be announced later.) Tuesday. February
- l31i-Regtlar meeting. Toiic: Birds
in Literature and Music" Tuesday, March
8 1Nl-Resul1r meeting. Toric: Bird
Protective Legislation and Methods of En-
forcement, With Special Reference to the
| District of Columbia Speaker, DR.. T. S.
Palmer. Tuesday, April u. 1S0i-Regular
Pesss Pfo1ssor TSPe % w. cndse In ssTs spsaEsr
| Henry Oldys.
| Field meetings: Saturday, April %, 1904
Ian "A day) Dyke. Va. Saturday, April 30,
| lS04-(Morning) Anacostia to Pennsyl-
vania avenue bridge. (Afternoon) Penn
| sylvania avenue bridge to Benning Satur-
day May z, 19oi-(Morning) Benning to
| Bladensburg, Md. Afternoon) Bladens-
burg and Hyattsvilie. Md. Saturday, May
Ia, 1SO4-(All day) Great Falls, Md.
The Good Accomplished
One year ago there were in active exist
or
societies. all working toward common OBJ
| ject-the protection of non-game birds and
| the dissemination of useful knowledge con-
| corning them and their economic relations
| to man. 1t is not solely a matter of senti-
ment. as is too often supposed by those
unacquainted with the purpose of these or
ganizatiOns. but it is believed by those ac-
| lively Interested that nothing more than
sentiment would be a sufficient foundation
| for the existence of these societies. During
| the past year there have been organized
| eight state Audubon societies. representing
| the state of Colorado, Georgia. Louisiana,
| Michigan, North Dakota Oregon and Texas
| and the territory Oklahoma. Perhaps the
most unique organization and one of broad
| er scope than has heretofore been attained
| is that of North Carolina.
| Through the efforts of Prof T. Gilbert
Pearson of Greensboro and other public
spirited citizens of that state, the North
| Carolina Audubon Society, which
| founded in 1902, was incorporated by the
| legislature of this year. The authority given
| this society under its charter has no paral-
| lei, unless, perhaps, in the case Of the Della
| ware Game Protective Association, incor-
| porated in 1879. by that state. The society
| has practically the exclusive control Of the
| administration of the game and non-game
| bird laws of North Carolina. The game
wardens provided for in the act Of incor-
poration are to be appointed on the recon-
mendation of the society. This feature will
| insure the appointment of competent and
| NI,n nf
| resident hunting licenses is under the
| pervision of the society and the funds aris-
ing therefrom are to he applied by the So
| ciety to the payment of expenses conse-
| quent upon the enforcement of the law.
| Authority is also given the society to re-
woke any license for good cause. Permits
for scientific collecting are to be granted by
| the society
| In every community there will be a GER
| tain element that cannot be reached entire
| ly by persuasion, even when based upon IN
| controvertible facts. Realizing this, the Au-
| duDOn societies have universally applied
| themselves TO the work of urging upon the
| legislatures Of their respective states the
| necessity of some statutory regulation to
restrain such need restraint. The meas
ure best adapted to meet this necessity, it
! is believed has been found in the bill draft
! ed by n committee of the American Ornith-
! ologists' Union. 1t is believed that this bill
| is nearly complete as 1t is practicable to
frame one. Aside from defining what birds
| shall be considered game, it makes pre-
| tense of regulating hunting 1t is assumed
! that the sportsmen OF the state have al
! ready to the preservation of the game
| within its borders.
Meaning Of the Law.
The design of this measure is to protect,
| as far legislation can protect, the nom
| game birds of this country. Twenty-six
states and the District of Columbia have
adopted this law, some literally, others sub
| stantially. 1t has been through the efforts
| Of the Audubon societies that this law has
| been enacted in many states. But the law
! is incomplete unless fortified by public SEN
| timent, and 1t is this phase of the question
| that these organizations propose to handle.
| 1t is confidently believed by all bird stu
| dents that an interest created in bird life
| will ultimately accomplish the preservation
| of these creatures. Acting upon this prin-
| cple, classes have been organized for the
| purpose of teaching their fellow-citizens
what bird is and why its life should be
| preserved and jealousy guarded by the
| state. During the present year the A. o. U.
law has been been enacted eoin in the following
| North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas.
Virginia and Washington.
There have been some notifications of
| the original BILL invaria bly, looking toward
| a better enforcement of the law. In Geor-
| gia, for example, the judge of the superior
! court of each county. is authorized to APP
| point one more wardenS whose sole duty
| it is to enforce the law. These Wardens
| have nothing to do with the game laws of
| the state. Further, the judges are required
| to give the law in charge to the grand jul
| ries at each term of court. thus entirely
| forestaliing the possibility of infractiOns be-
| ing forgotten or overlooked by that body
| Tennessee has likewise incorporated this
provision in her law. The killing of birds
| for millinery purposes had grown TO such
enormous and alarming proportions that
| the Audubon societies. realizing the neces-
sity of curtailng this agency of destruction
early in the spring of this year sought the
cooperation of certain wholesale bird and
feather dealers in New York city, which re-
suited in agreement between the MILL
merry Merchants Protective Association and
the Audubon Society of New York. This
agreement has been ratified by the societies
of several states and that of the District of
Columbia Its salient features that the
Millinery Merchants Protective Association
pledge themselves to abstain from the i'm
portation, manufacture, purchase and sale
of gulls, ferns. grebiS, hummingbiTds and
songbir6s, and to spare no means to con-
vct and punish all persons who continue to
deal in these birds: that. after January L.
1904, the importation, manufacture, pur-
chase and sale of the pumage of egrets
herens and American Dellicans shall cease.
The Audubon Society agrees to use every
effort to prevent Illegal interference on the
part of game wardens with the millinery
To- a;; tl,o