The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1908-04-09
PROTECTION OF BIRDS
Scheme to Interest Children In
the Movement.
GREAT ECONOMIC CAMPAIGN.

School Army Throughout the Land t.
Be Enlisted to Save tho Fsathsred
Guardians of the Crops-Immsdiats
Building Of Bird Houses Urged.
On the millions of school children In
/ the United States final hope Of avert
ing the extinction OF the valuable spe-
cies of insectiyorous birds has been
/ rested.
! What the federal government, the
state legislatures and even the oranges,
women's clubs and national commercial
organizations have failed to accom-
plish completely the National Associa-
ton OF Audubon Societies have an
nounced Will be now given to the chill
dren of the land to bring about. To
organize every body of pupils, from the
largest New York public school to the
most remote district school on the Pa
ciflc coast, into a general movement
for housing feeding and protecting the
wild birds that save the country's
crops is the object of the Audubon
workers III New OK city.
General headquarters for this new
campaign are being established In the
offices of the National Association OF
Audubon Societies at al Broadway,
New York Already the organization
Is In touch with thousands Of teachers
and girls and boys clubs throughout
the country, to which 1t has regularly
sent literature on bird guarding and
care, says the New York Post With
these as nucleus the children are to
push the fight until the members Of
each school in every neighborhood are
enlisted In the work of building bird
houses and Restaurants" to sustain
the sadly thlnned ranks of the feath-
cred army OF insect destroyers. Spe-
cial ammunition In the form Of print
ed directions and suggestions for max
ing bird shelters and lunch counters"
Is being prepared for every boy and
girl who VIII write and ask for it.
Old kettles, boxes and milk, tomato
and kerosene cans are being used by
the children as emergency bird shell
tiers. Elaborate houses, rustic imita-
tons of hollow limbs and neatly fur
nished apartments are also being plan
ned. All must be made cat proof and
should face to the south or west II |
possible. The feathered pair that will |
seek quarters for rearing their family |
In the spring will be particular In their |
tastes. If they find no promising spot |
for a home in any locality, they Will |
pass on and leave Its fields and gar
dens at the mercy Of insects. The |
children are urged to the immediate
building OF houses for this seasons |
bird families. because seasoned and
weather beaten structures must quick
ly tempt the birds when spring NOV
Ing day comes.
Ornithologlsts declare that the march
Of civilization has robbed millions of
useful as well as slightly and tuneful
birds of their old time facilities for
Sheltering tree trunks
ire being laid low every year over
OF acres. The old fashioned
where birds might flock I'M
Ter open caves, are being replaced by
modern roofs that shut out bird life
Whole races, like the chimney swifts,
are being deprived OF their shelter In
The big old style chimneys.
Such conditions, combined with lax
avs for spring shooting and pot hunt
ng, may drive the valuable insect eat
RS to extinction. 1t will be the chill
lren's work to house the evicted birds ,,
It the time when they not only rear
heir young, but eat most copiously OF
he insect crop destroyers.
"The children are now the great fac
or In this economic movement" said
William butcher, president of the Ma 4
lonal Association of Audubon Socie-
les. Not only their patriotism, but
he self interest of every one OF their
arents, is the motive for preventing c
be extinction of the beautiful and
ighly valuable birds of this country. b
We are calling on congress, the state "
,gislatures and on every adult body to d
clip, but | believe the work of the -
rhool children will accomplish more -
IAN all the other methods combined. !,
is a fine chance for every boy and Il
lrl to do something for the village, W
ate and the country at large, and 1 81
now they will not neglect to do their IL
art. Save the birds is the motto and Sc