The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-04-06

Now only four StateS-COnnecti-
cut, Iowa, New Jersey and Tennessee-are with
out such feathered representatives, but an effort
is under way to swing them into line.
The ruby-crowned kinglet has been suggested
as appropriate avian emblem for Connecticut;
it has been suggested that the Hawkeye state
would be an even more appropriate nickname
for Iowa If it adopted the sparrow hawk for
its official state bird the bobolink ("Robert of
Lincoln') is a suggestion that is meeting with
favor for New Jersey; and Tennessee is being
urged to choose the painted bunting or nonpareil.
The birds thus honored by the states have
been selected for variety of reasons-because
of traditional associations for their beauty, their
pleasing songs their economic value. In some
cases the campaign to have a state bird named
was conducted by the state Audubon society but
in most instances the selection was the direct
result Of the efforts of the State Federation Of
Women's clubs. Ballots with the names Of the
favorite birds were drawn up in each state and
widely circulated In order to get a popular
vote. Then, when the people had voted their
preference, bills were introduced in the legisa-
ture to make the choice official This general
procedure was varied In some states where ira
dition had settled the selection Of an official
bird long before the present campaign got un-
der way.
An outstanding leader in this movement has
been Mrs. Katherine B. Tippetts, chairman of
the division of conservation of the General Fed
Grafton of Womens clubs.
Some time ago the American Nature associa-
ton published a booklet called Birds of the
States-How When and Why They Were Chosen
as Official Emblems" and in this booklet Mrs.
Tippetts review the campaigns which brought
about the selections of the various official state
birds as follows: s
''In 1927, at the request of the Ladies Memorial
association the legislature of Alabama adopted
A.
state bird The members of this organization
urged the choice because the Alabama soldiers in
the Confederate army were known as Yellow
Hammers and the yellow lining of the birds
wings and tail recall the uniform colors of the
Alabama cavalry.
when the General Federation of Women's
clubs accepted the invitation to hold its 1881
biennial council in Phoenix, AriZ., Mrs. ID. L
Craig chairman of conservation for the state
was urged to have state bird selected before
the meeting was held. She wasted no time and
a campaign was launched throughout the state
Ballots cast for various candidates but
when these were counted the cactus wren was
out in front in runaway contest bill maxi
ing the selection official Immediately pre-
scented to the legislature and passed and signed
by the governor in March, 1881.
"In Arkansas the State Federation of Women's
clubs sponsored the mockingbrd for official
hOnorS. A campaign was conducted unuer the
direction Of Mrs. w. A. Utley this bird being the
overwhelming choice. When the matter was first
presented to the legislature most of the members
thought it huge joke, but when they were
given two stirring addresses that told them
lot of things about the value of the hooking
bird to the farmer, they voted unanimously for
the measure and it was signed by the governor
in 1929.
1.-THE California Audubon society and kindred
groups sponsored the campaign for state bird
for the Golden state; and great interest it
aroused, too. Ballots containing the names of %
birds nominated for selection were widely cir
cuated and just widely marked. The count
revealed the valley quail In the lead, and on
June u, 1881, the governor made the choice
official. .sa+sa
I'm Colorado the selection of the lark bunting
came at the climax of a campaign which was
conducted by ardent partisans. The movement
for state bird was started by Miss Katherine
Craig then superintendent of public instruction.
Ballots with the names Of the robin, mountain
blue-bird, long-crested jay and western meadow
lark were circulated and in this vote the meadow
lark was chosen. In another campaign spon-
sored by the Denver Post, in cooperation with
the Colorado Mountain club and the Colorado
Federation of womens clubs, the mountain blue
bird received the most votes. Bills in favor OF
the bluebird and the lark bunting were intro
duced into the 1929 legislature but died there.
Headed by Roy NJ. Langdon of the Colorado Au-
dubon society, drive was made for the lark
bunting, it being urged that other states had al