Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-04-29
The Birds Should be Protected.

hc movement Tor protection of Amer
lean birds, recently started by the Orni
biologists Union, has been very generally
taken up by both the daily and weekly
press. 1t is only in this way that pub
lie sentiment can be created against the
present indiscriminate slaughter of birds,
which characterizes every part of the
country where the birds and man come in
contact with each other. The classes to
whom this appeal for the life of the limo.
cent songsters must be made are so wide
ly different that probably on no other is.
sue could they be named in the same con.
nection. 1t is odd that The first and
strongest appeal must be made TO those
whom we would suppose 10 be the natu.
raj defenders of the birds, the women of
the country.
Yet so remorseless has been the wa,
which the gentler sex has Indirectly wag.
ed against these feathered visitors, that il
has acquired the unenviable title of be
longing TO the dead bird wearing gend.
cr 1t is estimated that five million
birds arc annually sacrificed for the per.
sonal decoration of the women of the
United States If every woman who
contemplatcs decorating her next bonnet
with stiiled songstcrs would reflect that
with thousands of others indulging in the
same barbarous fancy, there will soon he
no birds left TO crafty either personal
vanity or the better love of bird compan.
ionship before they have been rendered
mute and lifeless. we think it would be
easy to persuade her to substitute some
more fitting decoration. Other causes
are also helping to dcpopulate our groves
and forests. Many birds which do not
secure protection under the game laws
now existing in nearly every State are
being killed for food, and each year the
list is extended. Our markets are already
stocked with such great variety that
there seems absolutely no excuse for this
slaughter.
Not only are the adult birds DESTROYED
but the eggs are consumed in large uuan-
Titles. And then there is the traditional
small boy, whose instinct is to kill. If we
are to believe what we are told-but there
is another side to his nature. If his
sympathics are once enlisted, he is n
most loyal champion, and will do good
battle in the cause to which he deyotes
himself. If the bird protection societies
can win over this impetuous little adyo.
cate, they will lose very destructive en-.
envy and gain very active friend.
Though the list of bird destroyers is by
no means exhausted, we have space ONLY
to refer to one other class, those who col.
lect for scientific purposes This is per.
fectly Legitimate, and requires much
less number of birds than is usually ac.
credited to it, In all the museums Of the
country, both public and private. there
cannot be more than half a million birds
one tenth the number annually de.
manded by fashion There are also erp
collectors, whose apparent cruelty in rob.
blng the nest of its treasured contents is
entirely justified by the strictly scientific
use to which the eggs are put. But there
are just now numbers of pseudo scientists
all over the country, who are influenced
simply by the prevalent mania for col
lccting anything and everything, without
regard to their ability to make ii valuable
These people kill birds by the score, and
steal eggs by the dozen, and make a col.
lection but the absence of classification
or an attempt at completeness prevents il
from having any value whatever.
so many reasons conspire to make n
plentiful bird life desirable, that the
question of why we should protect il
seems to answer itself. For purely ultili.
larian reasons, as check upon the in.
'ects harmful to vegetation the birds de.
serve our protection. Even those birds
which have themselves bad reputation
rs garden marauders destroy more insect
enemies than garden products. Not one
can be shown to be wholly injurious.
And as a pleasing and beautiful form
,f natural life, nothing surpasses the soc.
able little house birds or the wilder
fwcllers in the woods. To have broad
meadows and country lanes devoid OF the
cheerful song of birds and noisy only
With the monotonous whir and buzz Of
insect life, would beto rob them of one
II their greatest charms.