The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1908-01-11
SOCIETIES.
What They Are and What They Ad-
vocate,

Stated briefly, the purpose of an Au-
dubon Society is to prevent the indis-
:riminate killing Of birds. This pur-
pose is accomplished partly by teaching
people that birds are not here expressly
to be shot. In other words, an Audubon
Society, while not opposed to legitimate
hunting, seeks to create among the peo-
pie a varied interest in bird life. When
it succeeds in this work, birds are not
associated entirely with the thought of
hunting. The Audubon workers believe
that hunting is a part only of mans
relation to birds. They deal with the
value of the live bird; many hunters
deal only with the value of the dead
bird. The bird protectionists claim that
most birds are more valuable alive than
dead, and that very few birds are val
liable only when they are dead.
The Audubon Societies believe in the
value of live birds for three principal
reasons: Their service to agriculture,
their beauty, and their appeal to u
humane sentiments. We find that most
birds should be preserved for some or all
of these reasons. A few birds are most
valuable as food and as objects of sport.
Fewer still are directly injurious to the
interests of man. The destruction OF
these is not opposed by the Audubon
Societies.
So the question is not merely one
of sentimental objection to killing birds.
but a question of whether a bird is more
valuable to a hunter when it is dead
or more valuable to the average citizen
when it is alive. That is the only test
by which the matter can be settled,
for it is a social question. The coun-
try at large is interested in its proper
solution. The birds do not belong to
any particular class, but they do be-
long exclusively and inalienably to the
whole people. There are comparatively
few birds whose destruction does not
cause a loss to society. Society at
large, which does not hunt, is comforting
a favor upon the hunters, therefore,
when it permits them to kill its birds.
The hunters should recollect this, and
instead of debating terms, as they some
times try to do, should be governed by
the interests of the people IN general,
who will assert themselves in the end,
and the more unyieldingly the longer
their interests are disregarded.
The most important way in which So
ciety is served by birds is the destruc-
49, IS ;.;,o,o spcocfS Nilinna of
dollars of crops and timber are ruined
annually in this country by these insect
pests. All the important kinds of such
insects are preyed on by various species
of birds. The bullbat, or ~nighthawk;
the flicker, or yellow hammer; the field
lark, the thrasher, the robin, and scores
of others are engaged i'll this warfare
against insect enemies. The country
cannot afford to sacrifice one of them to
the pot-hunter or the boy gunner. Ducks,
snipe, wild turkeys, these are game
birds, not the kinds whose song, PLAIN
age and service to the farmer entitle
them to absolute safety in our midst.
People have been supposing for many
years that the majority of small birds
were fit for nothing, and that, therefore,
it was a matter of indifference whether
he killed them or not. 1t was supposed
to rest with the conscience of the indi-
vidual whether he was doing a wrong
in killing some innocent %songbird or some
silent and inoffensive ~woodpecker, bull
bat or raincrow. Now we know that the
individuals interest in the fate of these
birds is only a trife compared with the
sacrifice suffered by society when we
permit their killing; that, almost with
out exception, they are of the highest
economic Importance to mankind.
These are the considerations that have
developed the Audubon work to its pres
emit large proportions, and that nave
created a term that sums up the atti-
tude of bird protection today. That
term is NON-GAME. Non-game, in the
light of recent study, is the largest and
most important part of the feathered
creation. Non5game, the birds we must
keen alive, the birds that are useful,
beautiful or harmless if nothing else.
In a word, the feathered creation is
indispensable alive. Game is that small
part which the requirements of mans
nature seem to demand that he should
kill.
The following circular has been issued
by H. H. Kopman, special agent of the
National Association of Audubon So
%cieties, now stationed at jackson. The
circular is intended to increase the MEM
bership of the Mississippi Audubon So
ciety, of which Andrew Allison, Ellis
Vile, Miss, is secretary, and to whom
persons desiring to join the Audubon
Society in this State should send their
names:
Why Should I Join the Audubon So
ciety?
Because it will deal fairly, humanely
and economically in the matter of bird
.-o&oof;Cp