The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1908-01-17

iifacs1 o. Cife faoCIilY goUn . winch
the Audubon society is working.
Many cf the wardens have hut re-
Gently been appointed and As yet
have not mad sufficient opportunity
to show their abilities.
The secretary, James Henry Rice,
Jr., has been in the field a large part
Of the time since May /, soliciting
members for the society. selecting
wardens and performing other du-
ties Of similar character. He has al
ready visited yer half the counties
in the State. Mr.. Rice has however,
been forced to give his attention to
other duties than those of the socie-
ty, as his pay is not sufficient from
this source alone to maintain him.
We hope the income for the coming
year will warrant the appointment
Of q man to give his whole time and
attention to this work. His services
in the field have been satisfactory,
but with more funds with which to
keep him active much more of the
territory could have been covered.
He finds in his visits throughout the
State that the unanimous opinion of
the people is that the society is great
ly needed and that the game protec-
tive laws should be made more ade-
quate by amendment in a number Of
instances. These changes are sug-
gested later in this report.
BY direction of the national gov
eminent. the lighthouse keepers on
the coast have been instructed to
protect the sea-birds and to cooper
ate with the Audubon society. We
have had all the eighth keepers APP
pointed game Wardens, with the I'M
standing that their duties as wardens
must not interfere with their duties
as light keepers. Already we hcve
obtained from these gentlemen much
valuable information regarding
breeding colonies, and their constant
trips from their stations to Charles
lesion, Georgetown, Beaufort, and
Savannah will enable us to prevent
many depredations on islands during
the breeding season.. The United
States department of agriculture has
also furnished the society with sew
eral hundred copies of their publica-
tions Of Game Laws and the "Val-
ue Of Birds to Agriculture" These
have all been distributed in the
State.
The outlook for the Audubon So
ciety work in South Carolina is very
promising. Already a very substan-
tial membership has been enrolled
and this will increase as the objects
become more widely known. There
are hundreds of people in the State
who eniOy the sport of hunting or
angling; these should all be interest
ed in it work. The wner of private
game preserves, whether resident or
non-residents Of the State, will
doubtless gladly cooperate with the
society, as, indeed, some of them
have already sipniicd their willing
ness of doing.
Every farmer in South Carolina
should be a local friend Of the So
ciety. which is laboring to preserve
the valuable inscct-eating and weed
destroying birds, by whose efforts in
field and grove his lands are enab-
led to produce their annual yield.
And then the outlook is bright be-
cause the movement is a good one
and is founded on sensible principles.
In 81 States in the Union, Audubon
societies exist and everywhere they
are having an enormous Influence
for good. b. Il. Taylor,
President.
The report Of the treasurer shows
over $1,000 colled from dues and
various sources and a balance on
hand of Is ~