The San Francisco call., 1904-12-26


uary.
Last Tuesday the California Club had
bird day. and as merry day as
bird day ought TO be The programme
was devoted to birds and bird day in
the schools. 1t was in charge of the
clubs department. of educstion. of
which Nine. Emilia Tojetti is the clever
| chairman. A general invitation had
been extended to the teachers of San
Francisco to attend this meeting af the
club
Miss Bertha Chapman gave an inter-
estins lecture on Our Birds and the
Needs Of Protective Legislation" She
used many bird skins ia illustrate her
remarks. Miss Chapman. who has
charge of the nature study course in
the Oakland school. held the attention
of all the women present for nearly an
hour. She quoted marvellous statistics
proving that birds are of enormous
benefit to the farmers, as they destroy
the farmers enemies, the injurious in
Sects and the seeds of noxious weeds
She hopes that the boys who are now
in school may be taught the economic
value of birds. and that the next gen.
Grafton of farmers will recognize them
( as their best friends. OF eighty spe-
cies of hawks only six are bad, and
through ignorance all hawks are called
bad, which is rather hard on the we'll
I behaved hawks.
Two bulletins are about to be issued
! by the Department of Agriculture In
Washington In regard to the food of
/ California birds, and investigations will
be continued next year in this State
by the same branch of the Govern
ment.
Mrs. Dean W. Park. the second
speaker. made plea for an annual
bird day in the schools Of California
She quoted from official circulars of
the Department of Agriculture an ap-
peal issued eight years ago to all the
schools of this country to set apart
such day in the spring Of each year.
and teach the boys not to shoot birds
nor to collect eggs, and the girls not
to wear feathers on their hats. She
gave a brief account of the work done
by the "bird-stomach man." so called,
in identifying the insects and seeds
found in the crops Of thirty-four thou
sand birds shot for the purpose, and
the overwhelming testimony in favor
Of protecting birds.
Mrs. Park appealed to teachers and
club women to abandon plumage of all
kinds. except ostrich feathers. A large
| amount of bird literature was distrib-
uted among the club women.
Two Audubon societies have been
Pasadena of 500 members and the new
one at Berkeley. The State Federation
Of Clubs which meets at Los Angeles
in February will probably have bird
protection on its programme.
Ali But that's an awful wrench
just after every woman mas ordered
hcme her new winter hat, and of
course. it has a wing or a breast. or an
aigrette on it. If it hasn't it lacks dis
tinction. Alasl Another clash of theory
and practice, OF fiction and reality
However, after a few more bird days,
with such clever missionaries as Mrs.
Paul and Miss Chapman, we women
may so alter our tastes as to eschew
the glistening raven wing or the pea
cocks gaudy breast
By the way, now that humanitarian
appeals are being male to women to
save birds by not buying their poor
little dead bodies for millinery-which
is, of course, a barbarous practice
since it would be as sane to use fish
for the purpose-why doesn't some
voice cry out against the unspeakable
crime committed for the purpose OF
clothing some woman in broadtail?
Shame should kill the infamous traffic,
and 1 am of the belief that IL women
knew that dozen unborn lambs had
been slaughtered that their half-grown
skins could be used for a single coat OF
fashion they wouldn't want to wear
them. And with the vanishing of de-
mand the little lambs would live to
fulfill the laws of life.
Let the clubs agitate the matter.
Tomorrow at 1890 the California
Club will set itself down to breakfast
in the Pioneer Hall. mo speeches. no
papers, no bores" is the watchword.
The breakfast ought to be a ravishing
success.
day, December 10, at D. M, at the res
idence of Mrs. Ellen A Sargent, 1890
Folsom street. The business of the
meeting was the election of officers and
also for hearing the reports of the Off
GERS for the year 1904. Two persons re-
ceived vote of thanks from the club
Mrs. Hobe for her present of 200 copies
Of the clubs constitution and bylaws,
prepared in book form, and Mrs. Nellie
Holbrook Blinn for the delightful pro-
ramme she arranged for the club dur
ing the year.
Mrs Isabel Baldwin was elected pres
ident of the club to succeed herself;
Mrs. Hobe, first vice president: Mrs.
Ellen A. Sargent, second vice president:
DR.. Avery, secretary; Mrs. z. J. Nor
thon, treasurer; Mrs. G.. w. Pringle,
press work; Mrs. Rider and Mrs Hale,
auditors. The next meeting will be held
at the same place, the home of Mrs
Sargent, 1880 Folsom street, corner of
Thirteenth.
Among those present were Mrs. Ellen
A. Sargent, Dr. Avery, Mrs Austin
Sperry, Mrs. G.. W. Pringle, Mrs A n.
Lissak. Mrs. Nellie Holbrook Blinn,
Mrs. f. j. Northon. Mrs. n ]. Kin
kead, Mrs. II. Washburn, Mrs J.. At
lxinson, Mrs. A. L. Park, Mrs. Y X.
Hayward, Miss Helen Moore, Mrs NJ
w Andrews. Mrs. NJ. J. Hale. Mrs. ].
b Rider, Mrs. E. G.. Fletcher, Mrs