The Mena weekly star., 1921-02-10
AN APPEAL FOR BIRDS.

The Star, just like all real folks
 loves birds. feels that most of then
 are worth our care and kindness be
 cause cf their beauty and their song and knows that, aside from sentiment. al value they are. indeed, friends of ali the peoples of all the world, even if many do not appreciate the fact
 And the birds have friend who sees and feels these things keenly. and wants to help bring them more in- timateIy to the attention of the people. young and old, of Mena, but wants to remain personally in the background. The Star is going to help this friend of birds if it can~-and therefore pub fishes the following article, which it hopes will. in the end. help humanity's friends, the birds.
 One of the great gifts of God to man is the song bird. In the north- land in the springtime, when snow and ice begins to disappear the people watch for the first song bird to re- turn This is the Phoebe, and in few days more one can hear the plaintive 8arbie of the Blue bird and next lomes the Robin, whose voice sings out strong and clear taken to indicate that winter is thins If the past
 We in the south, are more forum ale and most of these are with us the entire year And many more birds that do not migrate to the north in the summer time. Two birds of prom inence are the Red bird with it's beautiful plumage, and the Mocking bird with it's rich and tender voice that only the Brown Thrush can rival Recently a friend in Mena told me of a most wonderful place in the Harz in Germany, where for the past 800 years birds are reared and trained to sing for export to other countries Here no gun or pistol is ever fired, no house cats are allowed, rats and mice are exterminated with traps and poisons, and wild birds are as tame as our domestic fowls, and will peck your hands as they approach their nests. Here even the hare is so tame that it comes from the forest and goes into the homes of the in- habitants and if per chance the door is closed will scratch the door to be ad- mitted.
 Why cannot we of Mena train our song birds, not only song birds, but other birds, the Swallow, House Mar tin and Chimney Swift and many oth- CTS that have no attractive plumage, nor do they sing, but still are a bless ing to mankind Recently report, 1, made under government authority, to the effect if all our birds were dead in seven years no grain nor fruit of | any kind could be raised-worms and l insects would destroy all -and ali ton.
 A word to the boys of Mena: Do l not fire a gun nor throw a rock at | bird and do rob birds nest. but, in- i stead build bird houses and feeding places and drinking fountains out of | reach of the ever-lurking house cats, ! and see how many birds you can lamo by seeing and listening to their { iongs and girls, throw out crumbs on i ! cold winter day and give the little l visitors fresh water during the hot | lays in summer. You also can learn : he names of the birds.
 Let me tell you how to know out ! iny little bird, the House Wren. They ire the same size as the English Spar .ow; their backs are a dark cinnamon | brown and their tails are always up in ! slanting position like steep roof, with dusky bars on back and tail This little bird will come to your pack door or porch and it fairly 1 .rembles when it sings, and it's voice $ angelic. But it has temper and will put an English Sparrow to flight. If you once know this bird you will always be it's friend. ''The Sparrow iath found house and the Swallow nest where she may lay her young, wen the altars, o Lord of hosts"
 A Bird Lover