Ts :
Kl
Conservative.
celebrate the day next year. I hope it
may come to be a national day.
The department has also received in
quiries concerning Bird Day from Con
necticut , and the matter is attracting
attention in Nebraska. Professor Law
rence Brunei * in his "Notes on the Birds
of Nebraska , " published in May , 1890 ,
says :
"It might be well to suggest that the
subject [ of ornithology ] is of sufficient
importance to cell for its being taught
in our public schools , to a limited extent
at least. We should have a 'Bird Day'
just as we have an 'Arbor Day' and a
'Flag Day , ' when suitable exercises
should bo held commemorative of the
occasion. "
From all sides come reports of a de
crease in native birds , duo to the clear-
. . , , , of the forests ,
. . .
l ( il Itinl DiiA. , ,
draining of the
swamps , and cultivation of lands , but
especially to the increasing slaughter of
birds for game , the demand for feathers
to supply the millinery trade , and the
breaking up of nests to gratify the egg-
collecting proclivities of small boys. An
attempt has been made to restrict these
latter causes by legislation. Nearly
every state and territory has passed game
laws , and several states have statutes
protecting insectivorous birds. Such
laws are frequently changed and can not
be expected to accomplish much unless
supported by popular sentiment in favor
of bird protection. This object can only
bo attained by demonstrating to the pee >
pie the value of birds , and how can it be
accomplished better than through the
medium of the schools ?
Briefly stated the object of Bird Day
is to diffuse knowledge concerning our
native birds and to arouse a more general -
oral interest in bird protection. As
such it should appeal not only to ornithologists
elegists , sportsmen , and farmers who
have a practical interest in the preser
vation of birds , but also the general
public , who would soon appreciate the
loss if the common songsters were ex
terminated.
It is time to give more intelligent at
tention to the birds and appreciate their
value. Many schools already have
courses in natural history or nature
stiidy , and such a day would add zest to
the regular studies , encourage the pupils
to observe carefully , and give them
something to look forward to and work
for. In the words of the originator of
the day , "the general observance of a
Bird Day in our schools would probably
do more to open thousands of young
minds to the reception of bird lore than
anything else that can be devised. "
The first thing is to interest the scholars
in birds in general and particularly in
those of their own locality. Good lists
of birds have been prepared for several
of the states , and popular books and
articles on ornithology are within the
roach of everyone. But the instruction
should not bo limited to books ; the
children should bo encouraged to ob
serve the birds in the field , to study
their habits and migrations , their nests
and food , and should be taught to re
spect the laws protecting game and song
birds.
When the questibn of introducing
Arbor Day into the schools was brought
_ . before the Na-
, . , .
Vnlin > of Mini Day. . . , _ ,
tional E d u c a -
tional association in February , 1884 , the
objection was made that the subject was
out of place in the schools.4. . The value
* * * IL & * * i
of the innovation could uotjpp appreci
ated by those who did not sjo th proc-
tical bearing of the subject TOI an ordi
nary school course. But at the next
meeting of the association the qxiestion
was again brought up and unanimously
adopted to the mutual benefit of the
schools and of practical forestry. With
the advent of more progressive ideas
concerning education there is a demand
for instruction in subjects which a few
years ago would have been considered
out of place , or of no s'pecial value , If
the main object of our educational sys
tem is to prepare boys and girls for the
intelligent performance of the duties and
labors of life , why should not some at
tention bo given to the study of nature ,
particularly in rural schools where the
farmers of the next generation are now
being educated ?
The study of birds may be taken up
in several ways and for different pur
poses ; it may bo made to furnish simply
a course in mental training or to assist
the pupil in acquiring habits of accurate
observation ; it may be taken up alone or
combined with composition , drawing ,
geography , or literature. But it has
also an economic side which may appeal
to those who demand purely practical
studies in schools. Economic ornithology
elegy has been defined as the "study of
birds from the standpoint of dollars and
cents. " It treats of the direct relations
of birds to man , showing which species
are beneficial and which injurious , teach
ing the agriculturist how to protect his
feathered friends and guard against the
attacks of his foes. This is a subject in
which we are only just beginning to ac
quire exact knowledge , but it is none
the less deserving of a place in our edu
cational system on this account. Its
practical value is recognised both by in
dividual states and by the national gov
ernment , which appropriate considerable
sums of money for investigations of
value to agriculture. Much good work
has been done by some of the experiment
stations and state boards of agriculture ,
particularly in Illinois , Indiana , Massa
chusetts , Michigan , Nebraska , and
Pennsylvania. In the United States de
partment of agriculture , the division of
biological survey ( formerly the division
of ornithology ) devotes much attention
to the collection of data respecting the
geographic distribution , migration , and
food of birds , and to the publication and
diffusion of information concerning
species which are beneficial or injurious
to agriculture. Some of the results of
these investigations are of general inter
est , and could bo used in courses of in
struction in oven the lower schools.
Such facts would thus reach a larger
number of persons than is now possible ,
and would be made more generally
available to those interested in them.
If illustrations of the practical value
of a knowledge of zoology are necessary
they can easily bo given. It has been , v
estimated recently that the forests and
streams of Maine are worth more than its
agricultural resources. If this is so , is
it not equally as important to teach the
best means of preserving the timber , the
game , and the fish , as it is to teach stu
dents how to develop the agricultural
wealth of the state ? In 1885 Pennsyl
vania passed its famous "scalp act , " and
in less than two 3Toars expended between
$75,000 and $100,000 in an attempt to rid
the state of animals and birds supposed to
bo injurious. A large part of the money
was spout for killing hawks and owls ,
most of which belonged to species which
were afterwards shown to bo actxially
beneficial. Not only was money thrown
away in a useless war against noxious
animals , but the state actually paid for
the destruction of birds of inestimable
value to its farmers. During the last
five or six years two states have been
engaged in an unsuccessful attempt to
exterminate Engish sparrows by paying
bounties for their heads. Michigan and
Illinois have each spent more than
$50,000 , but , although millions of spar
rows have been killed , the decrease in
numbers is hardly perceptible. A more
general knowledge of the habits of the
English sparrow at the time the bird
was first introduced into the United
States would not only have saved this
outlay of over $100,000 , but would also
have saved many other states from loss
duo to depredations by sparrows.
Is it not worth while to do something
to protect the birds and prevent their
destruction before it is too late ? A
powerful influence for good can bo exerted -
erted by the schools if the teachers will
only interest themselves in the move
ment , and the benefit that will result to
the pupils could hardly bo attained in
any other way at so small an expendi
ture of time. If it is deemed unwise to
establish another holiday , or it may
seem too much to devote one day
in the year to the study of birds ,
the exercises of Bird Day might bo com
bined with those of Arbor Day.
It is believed that Bird Day can bo
adopted with profit by schools of all
grades , and the subject is recommended
to the thoughtful , attention of teachers
and school superintendents throughout
the country , in the hope that they will
cooperate with other agencies now at
work to prevent the destruction of our
native birds. T. S. PALMKR ,
Approved : Acting Chief of Division.
OKAS. W. DABNEY , Jr. ,
Washington , D , 0. , July 2 , 189(5. (
