Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-27
SCHOOL CHILDREN
PROTECTING BIRDS
Many Audubon Clubs Formed
Here Having an Aggregate
Membership of 1000.

movement to interest the rising gen
Grafton in saving the song birds has beer
growing at an amazing rate IN the sebool'
If Wilmington. Every public and private
school now has an Audubon club, ano
The total membership is now approaching
1000. The movement was begun about
n wear ago, but its greatest increase has
been since the Easter vacation, this year
or during the present migrating season ol
the birds.
Wilmington's new Audubon clubs are o
manifestation of n national movement
begun by the National Audubon Asso-
citation. which has been IN existence foi
about 20 years, with headquarters IN New
York. The association has been active m
securing bird protection laws, not only In
the State legislatures and IN congress, bu'
in Canada and South America, where the
birds which pass part OF the year IN TINS
country may go at other seasons.
The Society of Natural History OF Della
ware took up the work here. The flrst
Audubon club in Wilmington was formed
IN June 1919 by Miss Amanda G. Palmer.
Mrs Herbert Fox, who was connected
with the Audubon Association IN Con-
necticut. interested herself In the work
here ON her arrival in the city. Principals
and teachers of the schools have taken 1T up
enthusiastically. 1t has not as yet been
extended TO the Boy Scouts and Campfire
Girls in this city, although elsewhere they
have been included with good results.
A club may consist OF any number oil
members above 20. Many of the schools
have a club IN every room, and at the
High School the boys have formed par
ticularly active club of their own. The
Young peoples society OF st. Andrew s
Church Joined the movement oi then
own accord.
Protection of the birds has particular
appeal for young people, as the facts show
that many of the most useful birds are
decreasing alarmingly IN numbers, and
that if they are not better protected they
may die out to such an extent that farn-
ing will be seriously affected by the loss oi
their activities in destroying harmful m
sects. 1t is pointed out that the brilliantly
colored wood-duck, the most beautiful OF
American wild ducks, is fast following the
passenger pigeon into extinction. Even
within the last two or three years strlk-
ing decrease has been noted IN the num-
bers of the golden-crowned kinglet, the
smallest bird resident of the United
States next TO the ruhy-throated hum
ming bird.
Members of the Audubon Club are fire.
ouentlv surprised by the query What does
the name stand for?" They have come to
consider it one of their duties TO spread
knowledge of the life and work OF John
James Audubon, pioneer ornlthologist OF
this country and one of the most dIstln-
prlshed of American naturalists.
Audubon was born under the Spanish
flag, his birthplace in louisiana beng stu
Spanish colony in 1880. He was educat-
ed IN France, but spent all of bls mature
life in America. His passion Tor birds
proved an insuperable bar to business sue
cess. and he was forced to support himself
lDy drawing and giving dancing and fenc-
ing lessons until his drawings of birds be-
gan TO attract attention.
The first volume of Birds of America
was published in London In lS21. A COM
plete copy, including this and the sue
reeding series. is now worth about s., 600
There are supposed to be about l7d
copies extant. Audubon spent hls later
life in home near what is now Audubon
Park in New York City. 1t was then a
country estate on the Hudson.
Audubon's methods were not those of
the scientist of today; indeed, he was as
much artist as scientist. But the accuracy
Of his drawings is still admired. His great
est scientific work was laying the ground
work for the classification OF buds by
families, showing, for example that the
robin is thrush, and the meadowlark
more nearly akin to blsckbird than to
true arks.