The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-11-21
nr LAMrs n. MoRRoW.

lue trees are cut uoWn lueIe VIII Dt no
crops. Earth minus rain equals a desert
"If women and bad boys and big. lusty
men with guns cause the extinction of the
birds there VIII be no trees William
butcher replies. just as earnestly.
Insects will eat them up-the trees,
you understand. and not the women, bad
boys. and so forth.
Officially. William butcher IS the most
eminent bird man in the United States.
being president OF the National Assocla-
ton Of Audubon Societies Scientifically.
he is honored and admired by ali of the
professional ornithOlOgists in the country.
including Theodore Roosevelt who is so
journing. and so on, in Africa Com
mercially, he Is an important business
man in New York Personally. he is past
sixty. and has dark blue eyes. of the kind
and friendly sort; a short. gray beard,
and modest. sincere. and interesting
manner.
Has Good support
Checks and drafts and letters were on
his desk, but he anchored them with
paper-weight that he might talk to me
on what. he is mathematically sure, is a
very grave matter. Many scientists agree
with him, as does the national Depart
ment OF Agriculture.
In brief. man with AK and gun is
trifing with the balance Of nature. When
big FISH stop eating little fish. carried out
ad innnitum under the universal laws of
equilibrium, humanity is UndOue. The
basic safeguard OF vegetation is bird life
Epigrammauzed clumsily, no doubt
mans war against the birds is slow but
certain decentralization.
In his pert and martial person, there
fore. the robin In ones apple tree, multi
piled by his own numbers and the count
less feathered species. from the eagle to
the wren. represents the guardianship.
not alone Of bread and butter, but Of cul-
ture. commerce, and civilization. A large
view. but scientifically a true one. OF q
sentimentalized and very small creature.
Engineers, professional agriculturists,
students. and statesmen are preaching in
alarm the vital doctrine OF forest conser-
walton. Mr. butcher and his societies.
dotting the country thickly from New
England to the Pacific Ocean, are work
ing away at the root of the whole ques-
tion.
Burroughs Friend of the Crow.
Even the crow. an outcast from poetry
and affection. the prince OF native birds
intellectually. has finally found a friend
and champion. John Burroughs mourn
fully says that birds are deficient in the
faculty to reason. William butcher tells
an extraordinary story Of a Baltimore
Oriole. a mechanic In wings. that thought
out a problem in pure engineering.
your national society" I said 20 MI
butcher, lis planning a university de-
voted 10 the protection OF bird lie"
Yes; but we do not expect 70 accom-
plish much with the present generation,
except 10 get the necessary amount OF
money Once I interested a man in birds
"a bachelor-and he gave us $4,000.
There must be other men approximately
like him scattered through the country.
We hope to meet them on the common
ground OF love for the wild and a press
ing public duty. Meanwhile. we are Civ
ing most OF our time to work among the
children. Their fathers and mothers, you
see. are incapable of obtaining a bird
education They have passed the period
when indifference and prejudice can be
overcome by learning.
Five experts are now i'm the field.
They travel around during the summer
and lecture TO large gatherings Of school
legislatures OF the various States, that
no bill inimical 10 bird life shall go un-
challenged. Attempts at hostile legisla-
ton are very frequent Market hunters
are always active and aggressive. They
kill indiscriminately for the sake Of mon
ey.
Want Birds to Multiply.
I'VE want to prevent the shooting Of
game birds in the spring after they have
come North to breed" Mr.. butcher went
on 10 say. "Tn Connecticut we have a
law prohibiting the killing OF such birds
until the autumn. sportsmen OF lntelli-
Eence know that II the old birds are pro
tected In the spring. there will be plenty
Of good shooting in the fan. our object
Is to have the statute OF Connecticut &C.
cepted in all the rest Of the States. II
seems TO me that IL is the very essence
OF prudence and common sense.
But returning 10 your inquiry con
corning our prospective university. ] de
sire to express the ambition that we shall
obtain an endowment Of $l,0O0000 Tn,
enormous economic value OF birds. j
generally comprehended would make TN,
collection Of the money about the easies
thing we have ever attempted. We pur
pose TO establish classes in bird histor,
and noxiOus insects at numerous center
in the country-at places. for instance
where there are summer schools To-
teachers Men OF technical training vii
instruct the teachers. and they IN turn
will instruct thu boys OF the country
who will presently he farmers, business
men. and legislators, and the girls O
the country, who. by and by. will b.
women pledged IN their youth not to wea
the heads wings. or plumage OF will
creatures in their millinery The farme
IS the traditional enemy Of the birds
they eat a few Of his Strawberries, bu
insure the harvest Of his oats. wheat
and corn I'm his chronic state Of tx
norance he Is irreconcilable and unreach
able. bat we can enlghten his boys an,
girls"
Begun by Accident.
How did you get into the study o
blrds?" I asked
by accident. 1 might say. were I {
reject the doctrine that ell things ar
intended. Ny father was a poor countr
clergyman. serving in parishes up tn
Hudson lie was a dlligent sportsman
and used 10 trail behind him and carr
his birds II so happened. therefore
that I grew up In the fields and woods
in a single winter l shot and trappe
ninety-three muskrats. the pelts OF whic
7 sold for S27.90-a larger sum Of none
than a million looks now. But ever
penny was arduously earned-I Wake
long distances through deep snow earl
IN the morning and late at night. with
out so much as an Overcoat or glove
for my hands.
81 left school at the age Of fOurtee
and came to New York. Boy and mar
/ continued to hunt. mostly on Lon
Island. where I shot coast and waite
birds. on one expedition / got a Dir
that was strange 10 me- and my ex