172 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



We do not only want laws protecting birds, we want protection 

 itself. Laws, if not enforced, are no protection. The strict enforce- 

 ment of the laws can do a great deal of good, though it can of course 

 not stop all at once that inveterate desire for destruction, which has 

 such a strong hold on our people, and which is so widespread that it 

 amounts almost to a national disease, bordering on mania. It will talie 

 generations to cure it, as it can only be cured by the slow process of 

 education. 



We have to teach the children to be kind and merciful to all our 

 fellow-creatures, and above all to be just. We have to tell them that 

 other creatures have as much right to live as we have, and that we 

 should shrink from the killing of harmless animals as from the murder 

 of man. Life should be held sacred. If we could educate this into 

 the heart of the children, there would not be so many murderers. Find- 

 ing pleasure in taking life, as shooting birds, makes them heartless and 

 cruel. It certainly has no refining influence on the morals <jf the youth ; 

 it seems to be out of place at the present stage of civilization, and 

 must be in the way of progress toward attaining a higher and more 

 generally spread culture. 



At any rate, let us not be ungrateful. We owe much to the 



meadow lark for the good services performed. Let us secure for this 



most useful of birds and loveliest of songsters the protection which 



she deserves. Let us not rest until she is removed from the list of 



game birds and placed where she belongs, among those best protected 



by law and the good will of man. 



O. WiDMANN, Old Orchard, Mo. 



DISCUSSION OF BIRDS. 



Q. Is the raincrow the eame as the cuckoo? and does it put its 

 eggs in other birds' nests ? 



Mr. Widmann — It is, and sometimes its eggs are found in the 

 nests of other birds, but this is very rare. Its regular habit is to 

 make its own nest. 



Q. When was the meadow lark first classed among game birds? 



Mr. Widmann — It has been so classed for It) years or more. 



Q. What good is the cedar bird ? 



Mr. Widmann — It steals some cherries I know; but we cut down 

 their wild cherries, of which birds are very fond, and now they mu^t 

 have some of our cherries as pay for the destruction of theirs. 



Q. What about the English sparrow ? 



Mr. Widmann — The English sparrow is no good, but I doubt that 

 it is as bad as some think it. Some say it drives other birds away, 



