The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-07
Stealing Birds Eggs.

| Onuer inc ABOVE ncadlnS appeared an ar
ticle in the DAILY GLOBE of the 22d inst.
which seemed to cast odium upon the study
Of ornithology by the boys. Collecting
birds, birds-eggs and nests deserve better
name than that writer bestows upon the
subject. The study of this branch of SCI
ence should be encouraged rather than DIS
couraged, not only with the boys, but with
other members of society. Had the wri-
ter of that article little more knowledge
on the subject it would have modified the
sentiments therein expressed very mate
rally. 1t had wonderfully grandmother
ly feeling for the birds. Surely the wan
tonly destroying of birds and their eggs
and nests, is creating a wrong disposition
in anybody whether boys or girls, and
should not be INDUCED in; but the collect
ing and killing for study IS as honorable
and pralsworthy as the study of arithmetic
or grammar. 1t is so regarded by scientific
men. A thorough knowledge of birds is
great accomplishment.
The writer states that Zone hundred diff.
ferent species constitute q good collection
of Vermont birds eggs but not six boys
out of every hundred who start collec-
tioE ever obtain that number" l know of
several boys in this town who have collec-
tons of nearly two hundred specimens
each and they are six out of less than twen-
ty-fve. But what is that argument against
the study of ornithology. 1t might as we'll
be agreed that arithmetic should not be
do not beccms eachePs Of IS
boys will laugh at the idea of zone hun
dred constituting a good collection of YER
mont BIRDS Will some of our young col
lectors make out q list of our Vermont
birds for publication in The GLOBE that the
public may have the benefit of their kuowl-
edge, especially the writer OF the article
under consideration. A few years ago our
state geologist, DR.. Cutting, said correct
list of Vermont birds was needed very
much he had felt the need of it great
many times. Whenever this list appears,
it will come from some one who has made
a study of birds, collected eggs, and Mt sis,
when he was boy.
Such list will be appreciated by scien-
tifc men and coming from such source
cannot be anything else but reliable and
seTviceable.
The writer Gays something ought TO be
done about the matter" Well what make
law that boys shall not study ornithol-
ogy make law at the same time that
they shall not study astronomy or geo.
graphy Legislators, at the present day,
do mai y curious and absurd things, but /
do not believe any can get elected to the
Vermont legislature this year, who will be
guilty of SO directly favoring ignorance.
Again he says "a botanical or mineral
ogical collection can do no possible harm,
ard will impart as much instruction as a
collection of birds-eggs." True but he may
study plants and stone till the next cen
tennal and he will be no wiser about birds.
Might as well make lawyer by forcing a
student to study nothing but the catechism,
or theologian by the study of Black
stone.
The writer lays down several rules for
tho collection of specimens. Those of you
who are making this branch of science
special study will see how nearly they agree
with the rules laid down by the Smithson-
ian institution for the same purpose
"Boys, if you must have birds eggs, take
first those OF English sparrows, crows or
hawks Why one of these three should
head the list OF collection of birds eggs;
OF why the student of ornithology should
commence his researches with them no
mortal man will be able to answer. For a
very young boy should think chipping
sparrow would be better TO begin with, the
nests are usually in the grass or on low
bushes. and he would not DO likely to get
injured by climbing. Crows and hawks
build in very high trees, and many of our
older "shaveIs' are quite wary about
climbing them. What is there about these
three species that is so much better adapt
ed than with any other to impart the rudi-
ments of pathological science! His Sec
ond rule reads as follows: "From nest
containing four eggs, take but one, and dis
turb the nest as little as possible; or from
nest containing five eggs, two may be
taken without driving the bird away" The
boys are not informed how many to take
out of a nest Of two eggs nor out Of one
containing more than fiye.
These rules are. whimsical and nonsen-
steal Boys If you want to kill birds, or
secure nests and eggs for the purposes of
study and making collections, 1t is per-
fectiy right, but to cultivate habit Of kill
ing birds and destroying nests, with no 9TH
er motive than to enjoy the act of so do
ing, 10 creating disposition in you that Is
unnatural, unwholsome in good society,
and ia wrong. No true ornlthologist will
be guilty of the latter. If you find nest
of birds eggs, and want to take them all
for your own collection, or to make ex-
changes with other localities where no such
species inhabit, or want to kill the old bird,
it is perfectly right that you should do so.
1t is as honorable and praiseworthy for you
to do so as 1t was for Agaziss to secure the
ielly fishes from the ocean for the same
purposes. The greater the number eDgsg-
ed in this interesting and interprlsing study,
the greater Is the prospect that the rising
generation will be an intelligent one.