152 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE. 



It Pays to Fight. 



Many of our readers have expressed 

 surprise at the statement that more 

 than one-third of a million dollars has 

 come to The Audubon Societies in 

 four years. Without a doubt a very 

 important factor in bringing in that 

 money has been the effective and radi- 

 cal and most commendable legislative 

 measures in preventing bird destruc- 

 tion. The merits of The Audubon So- 

 cieties are self-evident, and their leg- 

 islative work and their prosecutions 

 have been skillfully conducted and 

 made known. It is interesting and 

 indeed almost humorous to see how 

 such radical measures appeal to the 

 public. 



This phase is even more noticeable 

 in The Humane Societies. Suppose 

 their efforts had been confined to 

 teaching people old and young to care 

 lovingly and faithfully for pets and 

 domesticated animals of labor. How 

 much money would have fallen into 

 their coffers do you suppose? But 

 bring the man into court. Pound him 

 as he pounded his horse and as unfeel- 

 ingly, and the hat then passed is filled 

 to overflowing. "Lick him and we'll 

 back you up," has many constructions. 



* :jc * * :|: 



Seriously, my friends, do you not 

 think The Agassiz Association should 

 abandon its policy of thirty-four years' 

 standing, of peace on earth, good will 

 to men, of kindness to men and wo- 

 men, boys and girls, birds and horses, 



and engage a few lawyers, thrash a 

 few people, make laws that rare 

 flowers must be plucked, that grace- 

 ful snakes must be stoned, that fines 

 will be imposed on those who manifest 

 an artistic sense, that thirty days will 

 follow omission to study the frog 

 pond? Then, Oh then, we shall not 

 worry about money to pay the printer 

 and the engraver. 



Yes, I am coming more and more 

 not only to admire commendable fight- 

 ing, but it is dawning on me, my 

 friends, that it pays! 



Aquatic Nature: An Undeveloped 

 Field. 



There is no more important, timely 

 or suggestive article in this number of 

 The Guide to Nature than that en- 

 titled the "Establishment of More 

 Aquarium Societies" by Dr. Herman 

 Burgin, President of the Philadelphia 

 Aquarium Society. We commend the 

 article to the careful reading of every 

 nature lover and especially to every 

 member of The Agassiz Association. 



Think for a moment. Do w r e not 

 all agree that there is nothing more 

 interesting or more easily available 

 for home or school nature study than 

 an aquarium? And there is nothing 

 more ornamental nor cleaner nor that 

 demands less care. Then why are 

 there so few? Why only two aqua- 

 rium societies in the whole United 

 States? 



The New York Aquarium is liber- 



