Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-18
AUDUBON SOCIETIES
GOOD WORK THEY ARE DOING
FOR MEN AND BIRDS.
Without Fuss or Feathers - Awaken
Public misunderstanding an
Interest Among the Children.

Written for The Evening Star
Literally without fuss or feathers, the
women and men who compose the Audubon
societies are working together. quietly,
steadily, thoughtfully, for the protection
of birds, and hence for the good of all
mankind. In the main they are gentle
folk, interfering with the rights of no
man, and seeking, wherever possible, to in
f1uence others by kindly appeal to their
common sense, to their love of justice, and
to their adherence of all that savors of
cruelty, heartlessness and unnecessary de-
struction of life. But, peacefully disposed
as they are, they are in deadly earnest, and
are not afraid to use stern measures when
such are necessary in the cause of bird
protection. They are forever active in
curing legislation which tends to protect
the birds from the hands which, from sell
fishness, thoughtlessness or depravity would
destroy these beautiful creatures or their
homes, and they do all they can to assist
in the enforcement of proper laws made
with this object in view.
AS we saw last week, all the states and
territories in the country, with the ex-
ception of about dozen, now have Audu-
bon societies, and as soon these few
come into the fold, the problem of bird
protection will be easier for everybody.
Awaken Public. Sentiment.
The existing societies regard as their
most important line of action at the pres
ent time the awakening of public sentiment
regarding the protection of birds. Com
pared with the population of the country,
sthe entire membership of all the Audubon
societies is but handful, and, work as they
may, they can accomplish little in the fight
against the innumerabe enemies OF the
birds unless the rest of the people, or at
least a considerable part of them, are in
sympathy with the great Audubon move
ment. One of the first things an Audubon
society does after becoming organized it
self is to urge the organization of numer-
Gus branch societies in different parts of the
state, or at least of appointing local secre-
taries at widely scattered points, and thus
securing little centers of interest from
which to spread the gospel of bird protec-
ton. Wisconsin has nearly eight hundred
such branch societies, with very large
membership including both grown people
and children. These local branches can, in
their turn, spread the good work in many
ways. They can encourage the organiza-
ton of school societies and of bird clubs;
they can urge the purchase of bird litera-
ture for the local libraries, arrange for lee
lures on birds, get up exhibits of hats dec
grated without the use of the plumage OF
wild birds, and they can arrange for blrd
walks" to be taken in the woods and helds,
with view to studying the birds.
Bird Literature.
In a number of instances Audubon So
cietfes have, by their influence and contri-
buttons succeeded in having established IN
some library a section devoted to bird liter
ature. Such plan is very useful in large
towns and cities, but in order to cover the
rural districts it is found better to lnst-
tute travelling libraries, each consisting of a
small collection of good bird books, which
is sent from point to point throughout the
state and allowed to remain at each point
for a stated time. Some states-Connec1-
cut, for tnstance-have a score or more
such libraries in circulation, and these do
much good in arousing in the rural districts
an interest in birds and their protection.
The Audubon societies also do much good
by arranging for lectures on birds. In some
cases a society engages lecturer VINO
speaks to the members and their friends
and neghbors, and in other cases a lecture
on birds is prepared by some competent
person, and a typewriter copy, with the
lantern slides necessary to Illustrate II.
sent on application to different parts OF
tho state, there to be read by some local
biTdlover.
The millinery exhibits arc arranged for
with local milliners, who submit numbers
Of hats trimmed without the use of wild
birds plumage, the object being, of course,
to show how attractive hats may be made
without decorations which involve the
death of one or more of our feathered
friends The public is invited to these ex-
hibitions which usually benefit the MILL
ners well as the cause of bird protection.
After such exhibits the best mtlliners some
times find 1t advantageous to establish ALL
dubon departments in their stores.
Among the Children.
But the Audubon societies realize that
there is much truth in the old saying that
You can't teach an old dog new tricks
and that in the end the work for bird pro-
lection which will bring the greatest re-
suits is that which is expended on the chill
dren. And with this idea to the front,
great attention is being paid to the school
children, since these youngsters can be got
at readily through the teachers and
brought up with the knowledge that birds
are of great Importance, not only to them,
but to the country and to the whole world.
They are taught to closely observe the
birds they see, and in the school rooms
hung colCred charts, that they may readily
identify the individuals they have observed.
In some cases prizes are offered for the
best compositions on birds and their habits,
and these contests are apt to do much
good, especially If preference is given to
those compositions which show evidence CT
original observation sometimes 1t is posi-
BILE to add bird study TO the curriculum, ana
in many states a bird day. has been eS-
tabliShed, in some cases by law, and In
others by an arrangement with the teach
ers Sometimes when circumstances 90 not
permit of an entire day being devoted to
birds it has been arranged that part OF
'Arbor day. be de 'oted to this subject.
Need Of Stringent Laws.
This good work among the children is
surely going to tell in the course of few
years. but in the meantime the work of
bird destruction is going on, in spite of all
the sentiment which the Audubon societies
are able to create For the immediate pro-
lection of the birds, therefore, 1t is neces-
sary that laws be passed making the un-
necessary destruction of birds and their
nests illegal, and still more necessary that
these good laws be enforced after they are
passed The American Ornithologists' Union
has framed a model law, which protects
about ali of the non-game birds and their
nests and eggs, and the Audubon societies
strive to have this law, or some modifica-
ton of it, adopted by their respective states.
1t has already been adopted by twenty
eight states, and if the others will only rec
oenize the value of this law and adopt 1t,
too. the United States will be richer coun-
try in many ways.