The movement to protect the birds of America and prevent them from being
transformed into millinery in such prodigious numbers, is having a
marked revival in many parts of the country, especially in the state
of New York. In New York City there was recently held a large public
meeting, under the auspices of the Audubon Society and the American
Museum of Natural History, to protest against the wholesale and
indiscriminate destruction of native birds for personal adornment. State
Superintendent of Schools Skinner of that state has established a "bird
day" in the public schools in connection with Arbor Day, in which the
pupils will be taught the great value of birds to mankind. Mr. Skinner
also has in preparation a manual upon the subject, 100,000 copies of
which he will have distributed among the New York state schools.
Public ignorance regarding the value of birds in the economy of
nature and especially to human life is so great as to be almost
incomprehensible. A number of estimates recently made by Morris K.
Jesup, President of the American Museum of Natural History, show how
important it is that a stronger safe-guard, in the shape of public
sentiment, should be thrown about our feathered benefactors. In a late
interview upon this subject, Mr. Jesup said:
"Among the birds most worn this winter are the Herons, which are killed
for their aigrettes; the Terns, or Sea Swallows and Gulls; in short
mostly marsh and maritime birds." It is known that the killing of a
great number of these shore birds has been followed by an increase in
human mortality among the inhabitants of the coast, the destroyed birds
having formerly assisted in keeping the beaches and bayous free from
decaying animal matter. New Orleans had a plague of bugs about the
middle of September, just when the yellow fever began, and, strange as
it may seem, the bugs proved far more troublesome than the disease, and
certainly the annoyance was more immediate. The people called it a
mystery, but the scientists said it was merely the result of man's
improvidence in destroying the birds. The destruction has been going on
in Louisiana, particularly on the Gulf coast, for years, and has been
carried on by professional hunters, who kill the birds solely for
millinery purposes. Nature revenged herself on New Orleans, as she will
on every place where birds are destroyed for fashionable purposes.
Would it not be a good thing to increase the intelligence of the present
and rising generation respecting the value of birds by introducing into
the schools of every state in the Union the idea which has been adopted
by State Superintendent Skinner? And we respectfully suggest that the
use of this magazine by teachers, through the wise co-operation of
school boards, everywhere, as a text book, would quickly supply the
knowledge of bird-life and utility so sadly needed by the community. We
present some of the innocent creatures each month in accurate outline
and color, and the dullest pupil cannot fail to be impressed by their
beauty and the necessity for their protection. "Our schools, public and
private, can hardly be criticised as instructors in the common branches
of learning, but they could also teach the rising generation the equally
important truths relating to the material world with which we are
encircled." In Colorado and in some other states Boards of Education
have supplied their teachers with BIRDS in sufficient quantities to
enable their pupils to study the subjects in the most profitable manner.
--C. C. MARBLE.