The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-25

row himself. / wonder why there were
no hy-catchcrs and other small birds. ]
watched and found that when any little
birds came about the English sparrOWs
would attack them and drive them away.
They would drive all birds away except
ing those who were big enough to defend
themselves. The English sparrOws grew
50 impudent that they would snatch the
food out Of the mouths OF the young birds.
who did not know how 10 protect them
selves"
IN regard to her methods Of work Mrs.
Miller said. when studying birds ! al
ways go away from everybody ] know
away among strangers, so that | shall
not have any social duties TO divert my
attention. ! never take any work Of any
kind excepting my pencil and note book
and my opera glass. That is the way !
have learned so much about birds-I give
them my whole time and thought from
breakfast until dark every day, rain or
shine. for about three months each year,
in the summer time. / always take notes
right on the spot and never leave any
thing TO my memory-OthcrWise ! should
forget and confuse things. When / get
back TO the house ! spend my evenings
writing out as fully as possible the notes
which j have taken.
81 don't care anything about the science
Of orthodoxy" Mrs. Miller continued.
81 don't care about how many bones a.
bird has. nor how many feathers there
/ are in his tail. but how he lives. the
making Of nests. and the bringing up of
the y0ung-the domestic life is what /
prefer to study. When a bird is nesting
il is the only time he is TO be found in
one place. / did al one time keep birds
in my own home but IL involves "a great
deal OF trouble: and since ] ave taken
900. T..HHnHf4r fL.vl fn mn 1850 of my having
them in the house if ! can give no time
20 their study.
cit has often occurred TO me that If
I could do as the hunter does, and make
a. shelter and hide from the birds. could
see and learn a great deal more than j
do. take much pains to so among them
alone and wear clothing as near the color
Of the woods as possible. Still, they are
not as free before me as If they could
not see me. Some Of the most interest
ing studies have made have been through
the window blinds Of my room. When
the blinds were shut / could make much
more satisfactory studies as the birds
could not see me. II would be very nice
TO have a little house in some good 'birdy'
place where / could watch them unob-
served.
If have been very much pleased i'm my
lectures this winter to find how inter
tSltNl inc lNAH dlt III y oAA HlAA me-
| aim to interest boys in the birds life
rather than in the nests, the eggs and
bird skins. This year / have done con-
siderable lecturing, and intend TO do a
great deal ~mOre-parlOr lectures and in
schools. The thing / do is 10 teach boys
to know our own birds. l hav mounte
specimens (Which / did not have killed
specially for me, but obtain as the tax
fdermist's) of every kind OF bird describe,
SO that those to whom l lecture may
know the different birds by sight as well
aa by name. This gives scholars a good
idea Of the bird and its life.
one point ! wish TO mention is the
terrible destruction of birds. not only for
ladies' bOnnets, but as the victims of
small boys. i think the small boys de-
stroy more birds than any other one cause,
not only in stealing eggs, but aiming at
them Just TO see If they can hit them. /
am astonished i'm dealing with boys of
a good class to find how little apprecia-
ton of the value Of the life of a bird they
have. They tell me the most cruel things
about birds as If it were a good joke.
Tbov haven't the slightest feeling about
the harm they do the bird. | think that
BOYS should be taught that birds have
"a riaht to live. 1t is often due 10 the
carelessness of "A boys instructors that
ne does this sort Of Thing. / know boys
who are just as boyish and just as manly
as can be. who would not hurt the birds.
met a boy in Ohio. whose father was a
naturalist. and this boys father taught
MIN from the cradle up TO notice birds
and insects. He no more thought Of
touching an egg than l did. This was
simply because he was trained from a
little child to be interested I'm the life OF
the bird and insect. A great deal is due
10 the carelessness Of the mother, who
thinks il her boy is collecting something
II is all right. She ought TO teach him
a little about bird life and animal life,
and he would not want TO Kill. l think
IL would not hurt a boys manliness at
all 10 have a little regard for the life
of the lower orders.
fright here on Long Island every year
the destruction of birds for plumage and
other things goes on. until they have
almost been exterminated in this region.
IL doesn't make any difference whether
birds are killed i'm the South or here. They
go from here there and are killed just
the same. All along the southern coast
of Florida the herons and other birds of
fine lumag have been made the victims
of this terrible destruction.
in June | generally have a nice quiet
time in the country; but after the LIST Of
july when the people and small boys come
Il is changed, and the small boys steal
the birds nests. and begin 10 kill. |
can observe the difference just as soon as
citv people come 10 the country. l never
20 10 a place that is a resort; | 80 TO a
country place where there are no
boarders. l never could study
where there were summer boarders, the
are 50 very destructive.
'Have you been interested in any par
organization for the protection OF
birds. Mrs. Miller
II belong TO the American Ornitho-
oeists' Union. This union has a COM
whose interest it Is TO work for
he protection OF birds. / don't know how
they DO, but the society is made up
,ery much OF men who are interested In
collections. | don't believe in col
ections at all. l want the live bird. The
.portsmen have laws for the protection
Il birds but II IL only in order 10 XIII !
hem. OF course, In talking Of birds, /
IN not speaking Of game birds. only OF
,ur singing birds and birds which are :
interesting and useful. We should not be
bile 10 live in this world II we did not
birds TO eat the insects for US. Every
title while l see a great complaint from /
armers calling pom the government " b