Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-05-26
BIRD PROTECTION IN VERMONT.
Subject Growing More Interesting as
Benefits Become Known.

! The subject of bird protection is
growing more and more interesting IN
Vermont as the benefits are known TO
agricultural and horticultural pur-
suits, says the local correspondent OF
/ the Springfield Republican. New
bird laws are the result of the organ
Iization of Audubon societies. and con-
dtions opposed to indiscriminate
slaughter of birds have been created
by the ceaseless efforts of these So
cieties in educating and interesting
| the children in the humane methods
of caring for and protecting insect
eating and song birds. The report of
Mrs. F. X. Barrows of Brattleboro.
state secretary of the Vermont Audu-
bon society. to the national assocla :
ton of Audubon societies. shows sat
isfactory progress along educationai
| lines. Several branch societies have
been organized during the year in
various sections of the state. the latest
of these having been organized In
Castleton, Proctor, Essex Junction
and Springfield, Williamsville, Putney
and Brattleboro having previously or
ganiZed societies. The state society
| has sent its travelling Libraries into a
number of towns during the past year
and these have been the means OF
disseminating much interesting infor-
nation among the pupils OF the pup
| lie schools. which has reached the
homes with good results. Here In
Brattleboro there has been much indi-
vidual work, which has induced bird
study and protection. Birds are well
coined to the homes here in many
WAYS. Houses are built for their &C.
cupancy and suitable food is provided
to attract them. Last winter not
withstanding the extreme cold and
great depth of snow. fiocks of robins
were induced TO remain here by regu-
| lar feeding. Teachers in our public
schools have encouraged the placing
of shelves outside the school windows
for birds who take their daily lunch
cons therefrom, to the pleasure and
education of the children. The state
Audubon society has pecuniarily as
sisted the national organization. while
promoting the work here. and 1t is
hoped soon that slides will be provid-
ed for their stereopticon lantern.
which they have already secured for
travelling lectures.
Most of the migratory birds have
already arrived at Brattleboro, and
many of them have, after snort
larry. gone on northward. This fact
| is clearly determined by the arrival
within a few days of the black polls.
the most dilatory of the migrators In
their journey northward. Some OF
the varied warblers are the Cape May
and Connecticut warblers, which have
been seen here this season. village
ordinance has recently been pro-
claimed. permitting the destruction of
English sparrows, and there is no.
ticeable increase in the number OF
other birds and greater contentment
since the sparrows began to disap-
pear. The song birds have their ia
vorite resorts, and there is something
about the large naples and elms OF
Tyler and Terrace streets which seems
to attract a great number of robins.
catbirds, brown thrashers, bluebirds.
yellow rumped warbler. waxw1ng.
red-eyed vireo, several species OF
sparrows, the dove and even the crow,
with the screech owl, while from Just
across the Connecticut comes the
chirp of the night hawk and the
sweet notes of the whip-poor-wi
Mrs. Elizabeth b. Davenport of Brat
tleboro. one of the directors of the ma
tional society of Audubon societies.
is actively and enthusiastically en-
gagged in giving public lectures on
bird lore,