Page:Bird-lore Vol 08.djvu/322

 272 Bird - Lore Rhode Island. — " Owing to the efficient work of the state Bird Com- missioners and their agents, our Society has, during the past year, done but little outside of educational work. Leaflets of various kinds have been distributed, nine copies of Bird-Lore are sent regularly to local secretaries, bird charts have been presented to some of the country schools, and a traveling lecture and five traveling libraries are in constant use. "On March 10, the Society obtained a charter. The incorporation proved to be opportune, as it was then learned that a small bequest had already been made to the Society. A membership fee of five dollars is paid annually to the Humane Education Society of this state, in recognition of its work in the public schools in behalf of bird protection. " On March 31, a luncheon was given in Providence, by the directors, to the secretaries of the twenty branch societies, and the company then adjourned to the annual meeting at Manning Hall, Brown University, where an extremely interesting illustrated lecture was delivered by the Rev. Herbert K. Job, the audience filling the hall. 'The newspapers of the state have always been most friendly to us, many editorials and other interesting articles relating to birds recently appearing in their columns. ' The membership of this Society has increased to 1,108. This steady growth, as well as the never-failing interest of children in our work, should give us hope for the future, although the extraordinary craze for feathers in millinery during the present year is discouraging to all who have the preser- vation of birds at heart." — Mrs. Annie M. Grant, Secretary. Texas. — " Headquarters of Audubon work and game protection being in Waco, this city is regarded as the council place of all Texans desiring to preserve from slaughter the wild birds and mammals of Texas, a state possessing 265,780 square miles of territory, with a population of three and a half millions and a greater variety of wild creatures than can be found else- where in the United States. The Texas Audubon Society, since it regained a foothold in the Lone Star State, about two years ago, has organized 101 branch societies and has succeeded amazingly in arousing public sentiment throughout the vast domain in favor of protection. The work has been accomplished by^means of articles contributed to the press, by lantern lectures and by personal attention at as many points as it was possible to cover; by every means known to those who love nature and the wild inhabitants of the fields and the forests. All the daily and weekly papers in the state proved friendly to the cause and were active in cooperative efforts, freely publishing bird contributions, written or edited by the State Audubon bureau and accompanying such publications with strong and able editorials warmly supporting the efforts of our bureau. Practically all the birds of America enter Texas during one or the other