Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-05-21


/, ter:
p To the Editor OF the Deseret News
p a writer 80 disposed might readily
under such "a heading, for Instance as
The Savages.' construct a pathetic
d bird story as contribution 10 the
Z pressing boy problem OF this city.
one morning this week. with the ob-
Ject or studying the nesting habits oi
the Lewis WoOdpecker. perhaps the
most handsome OF an this interesting
splendid, and useful group OF birds.
ulaue an early morning pilgrimage
% the mouth OF Dry Canyon, on tho
northeastern border OF this city At
mat place some OF the children of the
state Normal training school had To-
Gated a pair OF these fine birds nesting
IN hole they had bored near the top
or tau, dead tree II seemed almost
too good TO be true that these noble
friends or the orchardist long since
panished from the confines of our un-
grateful city by the brutal savagery of
some Of its people who had wagcd
| upon these gentle creatures "a mcrciless
war " determination. were willing
again 20 come near 20 their thankless
! henetciaries. and once more delight
the people by their CAV presence and
amusing ways. fastening at dawn 90
! the little grove. a large bonfire was
observed therein, surrounded by
! n
! come out very early Cor had they been
/ there all night?) 10 see the comet
! They had bundles Of bedding. and
! looked as n they had been "r0ughing
| it' through the night Three
| or them were climbing the dead
! tree In an effort 20 reach the
I nest OF the woodpeckerS Two
had iippers, and were endeavor-
/ ing 10 KIN some robins and other birds
| lying about the grove. The Lewis
woodpeckers were nowhere To be seen.
Al my request the boys desistod from |
| their attempt TO reach the nest and |
after some persuasion the others put !
away their clippers. Then I inquired !
about the woodpeckers. Both had been |
Killed. The boys maintained their in |
nocence OF this atrocity, and the lead /
ar stated that they had found the birds |
lying dead on the ground when they /
arrived there. one OF them, they had /
burnt ln the bonfire part Of the body
Of another they showed 20 me, it
seemed 90 have been recently killed I
explained 20 the bows that the people
who killed these harmless and useful
birds were In danger Of the law. This
information surprised them, and some
FASTENED 90 ask u they we're not al
lowed TO KIN mourning doves and |
robins. / told them they should not |
Kill these useful birds either. but |
knowing the wretched state OF our
Utah bird-law their inquiries we're
answered with caution They asked
about other birds. and upon receive
ing negative answers. one youngster
in tones OF dismay and dlsappolnt- /
ment asked. well. what can We
kin. then Q" Ground squirrels, coyotes,
and in their season, wild ducks ana
chickens" was the answer. After
further reasoning with them as 20 the |
folly and mcanness of seeking 90 kil |
everything that Is too small 10 de-
fond itself against ruffian with a
gun, the boys FOLDED their tents like
the Arabs and silently stole away
Upon the brow of the hill, my field
glass revealed three or four other boys
with a dog and guns, going farther IN
10 the canyon. Returning / met two
lads aged about seven and nine years
respectively. the elder carrying -
rifle and pocketful OF bullets.
What are you going to do with the
gum ] asked. shoot birds they |
answered. That Is breaking the law
] said. "No-is IL. mister?' asked the
elder They were readily persuaded.
however. to 60 out on the bench and
shoot at ground squirrels instead Of
birds.
These Incidents all occurring within
one hour last Sunday morning, derive
their chief Importance from the fact
that what is going on at the mouth OF
this one canyon Us likewise being du-
pIicated i'm perhaps hundreds or |
other similar places throughout the
state In the vicinity Of every town
and village. the slaughter o. the In
nocents goes rapidly forward, and no
hand is lifted 10 stay the progress OF
the senseioss massacre. no voice raised ,
in protest OF the brutalizing effect that
this useless killing Is having upon the
minds and characters Of the boys VINO
engage in II
/ do not blame the boys. boys are
hunters by instinct; they all seem TO
pass through this stage OF life What
shall we do for them? Why. organize
them into a Legion OF Honor composed
Of boy scouts. who shall be permitted
20 shoot limited number Of real game
birds In the season thereof and be
given also the honor and responsibility |
of defending and saving al the useful
birds-which means practically, every
bird except the English sparrow. To do
this effectively. they must be trained 20
recognize and Identify the native birds
at sight. This training, when given IN
the common schools, VIII mean more 10
them and will educate them far better
than learning the same number Of facts
about foreign geography. II will teach 1
them more about classification than
ten times the same amount ~ enort
spent upon the classification or adiec-
tivcs II will teach them more ethics,
through making them kind TO animals
than can BE- taught by i've times az
much lecturing about their duties.
Boys soon learn to be kind TO ami
mails Hence. over In oregon. a COM
monwealth that shows strong tenden-
cies toward realizing better ideals In
government. certain cities have adopt
ed a work on birds and other animals
as their school text book on ethics.
and they find that it accomplishes
wonders Cannot our state also be-
gin To- do something for the birds and
the boys?
II may be- as well to add that the
Lewis woOdpcCker is from 1919 90 ma
inches long, with dark, bottlo-green
body gray collar. and red about the
head: IL has gray underparts over
which has been poured beautiful rose
color This noble species was named
in honor Of capt Lewis Of the Lewis
aud clark exposition. The explorers
discovered the bird near Great Falls.
Mont. July 20. 1904 Yours truly.
"NATTRALIST"
salt Lake city. May II. 1910.
We endorse the views Of our cor
respondent. and desire 10 add, for the
warning of parents and the stimulation
81 officers OF the law, that section 422
OF the revised ordinances Of salt Lake
city prohibits the carrying OF conceal
ed. deadly weapons; also that this
section applies 10 boys as well as men.
Section 424 prohibits the dlscharging
m guns etc. within the city limits.
Section 425 prohibits the use OF air