Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-23
TO PROTECT BIRDS.
Audubon Societies at Work in tho
 Various States.
Legislatures Have Framed Laws Against the Wholesale Destruc- tion of Winged Creatures
 for MiIliners.


 "Save the birds'' is the burden of a pamphlet just issued by the national committee of Audubon societies. It is the report of the American Ornitholo- gists' union committee, of which Will liam Butcher is the chairman, and, be- sides the appeal to the public to pro- tect the feathered tribe and for funds to carry on the good work. it contains many interesting facts. About 20 years ago George B. Bennett first called the attention of orithologists to the rapid disappearance of birds, owing to their use as millinery ornaments, and as a result of his warning an or- ganizati tion was formed, and out of this grew other socities and committees, having the same object in view, until now there are 32 state Audubon socie- ties. Through the agency of these societies and the workers connected with them the slaughter of native birds has been diminished to great extent. They have worked with the various state legislatures, until now more than 40 per cent. of the states have uni form law, which gives protection to the birds which do not come under the head of game" as far as law can pro- tect them, reports the New York Tri- bune
 MT. Butcher, in speaking of the people who at personal sacrifice "of time, strength and labor" have stood between the birds and the people who tried to exterminate them, says:
 They have by hard work begun to create 8 healthy growth. They have employed wardens at various. places along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts to actually watch over and protect the sea birds during the time that they are engaged in nesting. It is at this period, when the birds in the south are in their best plumage and are in colonies, and when the paternal in stinct renders them fearless and re- gardless of danger, that the plume hunter does his dead1iest work.
 As to the value of the birds to the farmer, it is of interest to note the following statistics: According to the census of 1900, there were in the United States 5,739,657 farms with total acreage of 841,201, ,546. The value of these lands was placed at $2o,514,-s 0o1,ss The product for the farmer and fruit grower was $7,739, ,118,752. It is said by persons who have made the matter a study that insects and TO- dents destroy products annually to the value of about o0,o00,0oo, even with the birds as protectors, and this amount would be,vastly larger if the birds were destroyed.
 tsrTha bi yfIc ra ra ridIv Tncron SiY, iY, number" says MT. Butcher, "and un- less the large and most vitally inter- ested class of the population, the agri- culturists, awaken to the gravity of the situation and absolutely demand that no more beneficial birds be. killed for any purpose whatever, they will soon feel the result in an increasing annual loss in actual dollars and cents. A difference of per cent. in the value of the farm products in the United States each year amounts to the enor- nous sum of $47, ,391, ,1S7."
 Birds are killed, according to the re- port, by human agencies for three pur- poses-food, wantonly and for milli- nery ornaments. Comparatively few are killed for food, but thousands of D1TQS are QeSGTOy SA Dy VILE sIoCS AoA practice" and in matches. and many more thousands are killed for the mill Enery trade On the latter head MT. Butcher says:
 ss"There is no excuse for shooting the third class of birds, as their value IS millinery ornaments is far less than their value as insect destroyers. Be- sides this, contrast the difference in the money value of the two interests that are opposed to each other By the census of 1900 we find that the total capital invested in the millinery and lace trade was 37,97O,0 ,056, and the value of the manufactured goods in 1899 was Se7, ,95e, ,496 Place the two interests side by side, $20,O0o. .0oO oo0 as against $3s, 1000, GOO! Again, an annual product of S., ,739, ,Ooo, 900 against $98,000,OOO! ask, and wish that could shout my question in voice so loud and clear that every man, woman and child in this broad land of ours could hear it: Have the milliners, with their paltry interests, any right to jeopardize the of %ha ouyic11 1f11ra r. iT,t aY~aStS r"