The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-11-22
VALUE OF BIRDS.
Fow North carolina Protects Fer
Ftathered Tribes.

Ftathered Tribes.
| Give Publicity to Movement in This
State Will Cause the
People to Think.
In view Of the fact that an Audubon
society is being foImed In South Car
| DINA, 1t will be interesting to many
to know just how the work OF this
organization is operated else where and
what may be accomplished by the Au-
| dubon society in this State. NJ, T. G..
Pearson, s crstary o. the National Au
dubon 81 cieGy, who is In the city, was
seen Wednesday )rning at the ia %
OF the State superintendent OF educa'
tion, where he has made his temper
airy headquarters, and the following
statement OF the work Of the Audubon
society in N orth Carolina was secured
from him:
During the year 1902. this society
was organ z d in that State and a
general call was made for all persons
interested In the protection OF bids
and game to become members OF tie
society and contribute financially to
its support. When the legislature met
IN January following, the organtza In
which had then grown to several hua'
ired member, was incorporated with
the powers Of a State gsm, commits.
sion. The society vas given authori'
ty to select game wardens who work
under the direction IF the Aut uoor
society in the enforcement Ut the
oird and game laws.
"A law was alSo passed requiring
aon resident hunters coming into the
State to secure 8 hunters license at a
cost Of $40. Tie money rece!vsi from
this source, together with tne fess
and contributions Of the members Of
the 8 ciety and friends Of the birds
constituted the income of the society
No State appropriation was asked OF
the legislature, bus the income from
uhts s. two sources has amounted to
about $40 900 annually. With this
fund, the organization has b 90 able
to employ As game wardens 10 the
field, some of whom are paid bV salary,
others per diem.
Large quantities of educational
leaflets bearir G on the value Of VAri.
GUS birds to the agricultural interests
of the State have been distributed
among the school children and others.
D'gests of the game laws have been
printed on cloth notices and tackled
up in conspicuous places Throughout
the State. As an example OF the ex
tent to which this educational work
has been carried forward, it may be
stated that during the past year more
thar 2 so, 900 pages OF printed infor'
ma we're distributed In the State.
This does not include a large number
Of circulating libraries of bird and ma.
ture study books, which are used and
enjoyed by hundreds Of teachers and
children. Though the activities Of
the game wardens, many persons
guilty Of violating the game laws
nave been successfully prosecuted in
the courts, Since the last annual re.
port, which was issued in March, 81
con v!ctions have been secured. The
whole idea of the work is we'll rec,iv.
ed among the people generally, and al
though the game is not as efec;ually
protected as could be done If a larger
fund was at the disposal Of the society
at the same time, it must be borne in
mind that what has been and Is be-
ing accomplished does not cost the
taxpayers one cent, with the excep.
ion Ct those people who voluntarily
subscribe to the support OF the organ
ization.
"There Is no doubt that the work
Of the Audubon society is responsible
for saving the lives of countless thCus
adds of birds in all sections OF the
State, and all reports go to show that
cot only birds but deer and other
game are on the increase, owing to
the vigilance of this organization.
About a year ago the members OF
the society contributed 81, 400 for the
building Of a launch, which is used
by the game warden located near
Cape Hatteras, whose special business
1t is to guard the breeding places Of
the sea birds during the summer
months. These valuable and beaui,
full creatures had been nearly ex .er.
minated in North Carolina waters,
owing to their wholesale and systema-
tic slaughter by men who killed the
birds to get their feathers for the New
York millinery hou 'es.
1.-THE first year Of that protec lion
there were deposited In the breeding
colonies about l. 700 eggs. So greatly
did the birds increase from the pro
lection afforded them that summer,
that the second year about $500 eggs
we're laid, while the past summer,
which Is the third year, between 6,
900 and 1000 eggs are known to have
been laid and Matched.
The Audubon societies now pro
tect the sea birds in their breeding
places along the coast OF every Allan
tic State except S.uth Carolina and
Georgia, and it is very important that
an If jrt be made TO secure wardens
at once for this important region.
"By means Of public speaking, by
the distribution of literature and tn
use of circulating libraries, by con
slant recourse to the press and by the
vigilance Of its game ~wardeps, the
Aulubon society Of North Carolina is
doing a tremendous work for the pre-.
Starvation OF birds and game"