The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-03-20
THE.FLoRlDA AUDUBON SOCIETY

The thirteenth annual meeting of
the Florida Audubon Society was held
at the presidents home. Rollins Col
lege, Winter Park, Florida, On Tues
day afternoon, March eth, at three
o'clock The spacious rooms were
well filled with an enthusiastic COM
pany of bird-lovers ffrom Winter
Park, Maitland, Altamonte Springs,
Orlando and other places.
The annual reports by the presi-
dent secretary, treasurer and field
agent were all of an encouraging ma
ture, and various helpful letters we're
read from absent members of the
committee, and from Mrs. Julia Han
son of Fort Myers, chairman of the
committee on bird protection of the
Florida Federation of Women's Clubs.
A brief address was given by Mrs.
Minnie Moore-Willson of Kissimmee,
author of a well known book on the
Seminole Indians, with reference to-
the traffic in aigrettes, and of the
care by the Indians of the young birds
left to starve in the nests by the kill
ing of their parents.
An address of very great interest
was given by Mr.. Oscar Baynard of
Clearwater, giving an account of his
experiences as warden for the nation
al association for Bird Island, in Or
ange Lake, and in exploring the Ev-
erglades. Mr.. Baynard has for near.
ly dozen years been a diligent and
enthusiastic student of bird life in
Florida, and the story of his expert
ences was a most delightful and in
structive one. He has made several
hundred photographs of Florida birds.
particularly of the egret, the ibis. and
other water birds, often lying in wait
for days and wading- through swamps
and deep water in order to secure
good pictures. His acquaintance with
the habits of birds is extraordinarily
intimate, and his volume on the egret |
which he is now preparing, and which |
will contain reproductions of thirty |
or forty of these pictures, will be one !
of great charm. Dr. Baynard hopes
also to write a book ultimately cover
ing the life-habits of all our native
birds.
The address of DR.. Eugene Swope |
of Cincinnati, who is spending the
winter in Florida as field agent for
the Audubon Society was full of in
terest. DR.. Swope is also field agent
of the Ohio Audubon Society. as well
as editor of a very interesting little
magazine, "The Bluebird." He has
already visited nearly forty towns in
the state. addressing the school chill
dren, women's clubs, and the general
public, and will spend the remainder
of the month in south Florida. DR..
Swope is thoroughly familiar with his
subject, full of energy. is an interest
ing speaker, and has large number
of very effective stereopticon views
illustrative of his subject.
In the address of the president, en-
phasis was laid upon the fact that |
more progress has been made during
the past year than in many decades
before in the matter of bird protec-
ton, as far as legislation is concern
ed, both federal and state. The pass
age by the federal congress of the
law protecting migratory and insect
ivorous birds, and the clause in the |
tariff law prohibiting all importation |
of birds and plumage, and the passage |
by the last Florida legislature of laws |
protecting the robin, prohibiting the |
trapping and batting of birds and all |
shooting at night, and providing for
a fish and game commission, with |
wardens in every county, show to |
what extent public opinion is awaken
ing to the importance of this subject,
and give encouragement to all bird |
lovers.