ORNITHOLOGY 



i6i 



The one who believed in the new chib 

 idea was positive of two facts, first, that 

 we should have more birds, and, second, 

 that the great majority of the bird clubs 

 confined their activities principally to the 

 cities. 



So, on January i, 1913, The Liberty 

 Bell Bird Club was formed. The 

 name was significant : Independence for 

 Birds. The motto was, "Protect 

 our Feathered Friends." The Pledge : 

 "I desire to become a member of The 

 Liberty Bell Bird Club, and promise to 

 study and protect all song and insectiv- 

 orous birds, and do what I can for the 

 Club." The "Farm Journal," of Phila- 

 delphia, was to be the official spokesman, 

 and the publishers of that paper said, as 

 an educational feature and with a sincere 

 desire to help the farmers of America, 

 they would bear the expense of the Club. 

 There were to be no dues, no fines, no 

 assessments of any kind. Upon receipt 

 of the signed pledge, a button and a 

 twenty page "Guide" were to be sent 

 free of all charge. 



The great feature of the Club was that 

 it was especially formed to interest, in- 

 struct and enlist the support of the men, 

 women and children of the country, the 

 real place where birds are found. ( )f 

 course, city members w'ould be welcomed. 

 We now have many thousands in the 

 cities, and we would like to have more. 



The Club grew rapidly. On its first 

 birthday, it had 86,000 members, on its 

 second birthday, 252,904 members, and 

 to-day August 4, 1915, 533,194 members. 

 We believe it to be the largest active bird 

 club in the world. Our members work. 

 We started a campaign of education and 

 and it has brought forth much good fruit. 

 Formerly few farmers had bird-houses 

 or nesting thickets. To-day, thousands 

 of farms have both and thousands of 

 trees have been planted to furnish food 

 for the birds. 



Our birds have been thoughtlessly 

 slaughtered for food and for adornment. 

 Civilization and the onward tread of the 

 times have taken from the birds their 

 natural food supply. They decreased, 

 I ut the insects, which only the birds 

 can keep in check, increased. Those 

 insects cause an annual loss of $1,000.- 

 000.00. The farmers are the sufiferers. 



Increase the bird population and the 

 insect pests will decrease. The Liberty 

 Bell Bird Club members are pledged to 

 increase the bird population, and they are 

 doing it. 



Cp to March i, 1915, we brought the 

 battle for the birds before 3577 county 

 superintendents, 166,471 school teachers,, 

 and introduced bird study into nearly^ 

 9.000 schools. 



Our members have put up thousands- 

 of bird houses, faithfully fed the birds 

 in winter and given them water in sum- 

 mer. We have installed many bird sanc- 

 tuaries and have established the second 

 Friday in April of every year to be the 

 Annual Bird Day of The Liberty Bell 

 Bird Club. This year, celebrations were 

 held from Maine to California and from 

 Canada to the Gulf. We believe our Clvib 

 was the first to buy an entire page in one 

 of the great magazines to bring the sub- 

 ject of bird conservation to the attention 

 of the country. 



Our Platform is easily imderstood. 

 Here it is : 



Protection by competent laws through- 

 out the world for all song and insectiv- 

 orous birds. 



The teaching of practical ornithology 

 in all public and private schools. 



The regulation, but not persecution, of 

 cats, red squirrels, and all enemies of 

 the beneficial birds. 



The establishment of ])ird sanctuaries 

 in every city, town, village and hamlet. 



The planting of trees, shrubs and vines 

 that will attract and feed our birds. 



The putting up of safe and artistic 

 bird houses and the feeding of our winter 

 birds. 



We have not always received roses. 

 Many could not believe we were sincere, 

 so we have had to print this : "Save the 

 Birds, The Farm Journal can take care 

 of itself." Educators, ornithologists and 

 economic students everywhere have ap- 

 proved our work, and we are much en- 

 couraged. 



Xow, dear friends, don't you think our 

 Club was needed ? 



Much more remains to be done. The 

 more we can interest, the sooner will bird 

 protection become an assured fact. Re- 

 member this, The Liberty Bell Bird Club 

 is trying to secure the right balance of 

 bird life, in a practical way. 



Are vou with us? 



First Federal Bird Preserve in Minne- 

 sota. 



By executive order of the president 

 a small rocky islet on Mille Lacs. Min- 

 nesota, which is the breeding resort of 

 a number of varieties of gulls, has been 

 set apart for a federal bird reservation.. 



