The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-12
GAME WARDENS ENDORSE
AUDUBON SOCIETY.
Say They Will Do All in Their Pow
err to Further It's Aims.

Say They Will Do All in Their Pow
err to Further It's Aims.
Many people read with interest yes
terday of the proposed organization of
an Audubon Society. for the protection
of bird life. in Savannah. the proposal
II Getting with approval and indorse-
ment on all sides. A meeting of the
promoters of the plan to organize the
society will be held tonight, and steps
will be taken toward effecting an or
ganization.
1T is high time that such a society
was being formed said Game Warden
OConnor, in speaking of the matter
yesterday. 1T is surprising to me that
the matter has not been taken up long
ago. The people have allowed it to
rock along. until the result is the tribe
of beautiful, serviceable and valuable
birds which once inhabited the coast
has become almost extinct"
There are few who know of the in
roads which the gunnerS from the
Northern millinery houses have made
upon these birds. But those who fol-
low the sea or live along the coast can
testify that in the last five or six years
millions of birds have been shot to
supply Tie lIdoo WIFI ledlHGTS. why L
saw one lady to-day on .Broughton
street, who, if she had one feather in
her hat she had a dozen different
kinds. And she had one, alright The
matter is serious one. A ladies' hat
is not the most serViceable place for a
bird not by long shot"
Game Warden Westcott said that he
would join hands with those who were
organizing the society. and do all in
his power to enroll members. He said
that he was glad to see the matter
agitated and if the ladies' would take
IL up with the schools, kindergartens
and ladies societies, he would look out
for the enrolment of male members
and do all in his power to induce leg
islation to prevent the destruction of
the birds.
There's a game law. now pending in
the Legislature, relative to the sum-
mer duck" he said. THE way in
which the birds have been killed here
in the summer months is nothing short
of sin. Unless the practice is abated
by law, the summer duck will become
as scarce as the snowy herons, which
once inhabited the coast in thousands,
but which now are as scarce as hens
teeth. The hunters kill them when
they are breeding. Some of the little
ones are so young that the dogs &C
tually catch them. What sort of
hunting do you call that?
"And you can just say this, that
when that law is passed 1T is going to
be vigorously prosecuted. The law is
full and comprehensive and any per-
son caught with summer duck in his
possession during the months not al
lowed by law, it matters not where he
got the duck, will be prosecuted. 1t
will be useless for him to plead that he
killed it in South Carolina. Such a
subterfuge is provided for in the law"
Il have no doubt that legislation
similar to that in other states can be
passed. No one is opposed to the
movement, because any one who
studies the conditions cannot help but
see the virtue in the position of the
Audobonists. The only trouble is that
not enough realize the seriousness of
the situation. 1 heartily favor the
formation of a society. 1t is coming
sooner or later and 1 think it is high
time"