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202 Bird- Lore ences and receive in return the results of that committee's practical work in up- holding the law, and suggestions for their own work for the coming year. Such a fusion would strengthen and unify the ■work of both bodies without hurting the individuality of either and be thoroughly in line with the twentieth century spirit of all great reforms — cooperation. M. O. W. The Audubon Conference. The first conference of State Audu- bon Societies was held on the afternoon of November 15, in the Geological Lec- ture Room of the Museum of Compara- tive Zoology, Cambridge, Mass., delegates being present from the New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecti- cut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia and Illinois Societies. During the week the daily sessions of the American Ornithologists' Union had drawn together a notable company, both of scientists and bird students of the nov- ice class, the final session of the Ameri- can Ornithologists' Union in the morning having been devoted to reports from the committee on bird protection and accounts of the application of the law under the Lacey bill through the splendid work of T. S. Palmer, Assistant Chief of the Bio- logical Survey, so that the time seemed most pertinent for a meeting of the Audu- bon Societies. The meeting was opened by Dr C. S. Minot, who made a brief introductory ad- dress outlining the establishment of the various state societies in general and of the Massachusetts Society in particular. Dr Minot having been then made chair- man and Mrs. H. T. Grant, Jr., secretary, the meeting was called to order. Mr. Ralph Hoffmann spoke of the ob- jects of the conference, of the desirability of federation, of the need for cooperative printing and of the stimulus derived from ■contact with other workers. He read a letter from Mrs. Peckham, of the Wisconsin Society, telling of her work in the schools and urging the Societies to use a little publication called By the Way- side as a means of encouraging nature study among the younger members. Mrs. Wright, of the Connecticut Society, spoke of the necessity of furnishing local secretaries with material to instruct and interest those of whom they sought to make members, saying that leaflets were good as far as they went, but the reading of a leaflet implied interest and that some- thing else was often first necessary to awaken that interest. As a practical illus- tration of the educational methods prac- ticed by the Connecticut Society, Mrs. Wright explained their free traveling lec- tures, reading the most general, ' The Birds About Home, ' and showing the seventy finely colored slides that accompany it. Mr. Frank M. Chapman spoke on 'What Can we Do for Our Members,' and citing in illustration the remarkable success which had attended the introduction of bird-study into the Chautauqua course under the supervision of Mrs. Florence Merriam Bailey, he urged that the Audu- bon Societies use their organization to form classes for the study of birds. Miss Justus, of the Pennsylvania Society, told how this method had been tried in her state by the formation of six successful bird classes during the past season. Dr. T. S. Palmer, of the District of Co- lumbia Society, described the methods of that society in fitting nature-study teach- ers for their work, and made a stirring address to the Audubon Societies to work together to better the laws as well as to see that they were enforced, and to incul- cate the feeling that the bird belongs not to the individual but to the state. The lateness of the hour prevented further discussion or consideration of the subjects of Federation and Cooperation, and upon motion of Mr. Chapman, who on behalf of the New York Society and American Museum of Natural History, invited the societies to meet in New York during the American Ornithologists' Con- gress in November, 1901, it was decided to appoint a committee whose duty it should be to formulate plans for the fed- eration of the societies and to report at the Audubon Congress of 1901.