THE GUIDE TO NATURE.— SERTAE 



VII 



Some Local Observations 



Commodore Benedict and the Birds. 



E\cr}- bird lover will be dclii^lUed 

 to learn that Conimodore E. C. Bene- 

 dict of Greeiiwich has dedicated his 

 three hundred acre estate at Indian 

 Harbor as a sanctuary for birds and 

 will have it thoroughly equipped under 

 the auspices of The Greenwich Bird 

 Protective Society, aided by such en- 

 thusiastic naturalists as Neil Morrow 

 Ladd, Ernest Thompson Seton and 

 others. The Conimodore is an exem- 

 plification of the benefits of outdoor 

 interest and love of all things natural. 

 He has proved his love of the ocean by 

 traveling many thousands of miles in 

 the spirit of real love for the mighty 

 deep, and he has extensively developed 

 his estate along nature lines. He is an 

 expert on all sorts of plants and has 

 personally made botanical collections 

 in many lands. He knows and loves 

 the birds that frequent his ideal do- 

 mains ; our marine as well as our land 

 birds know of the new development. 

 Indian Harbor even more than ever 

 before will be a Mecca for all birds, 

 and for the Commodore's friends who 

 with him appreciate the feathered 

 songsters. His ideal fittings for the 

 nesting and propagation will attract 

 more birds than ever to this part of 

 Connecticut. It is encouraging to note 

 this good example. May many others 

 follow it. 



The Commodore is second in the line 

 of owners of large estates in Green- 

 wich that have thus devoted their ter- 

 ritory to the birds. As has been pre- 

 viously announced, Mr. E. C. Converse 

 at Conyers Manor began a few months 

 ago to install a similar equipment, with 

 the cooperation of The Greenwich Bird 

 Protective Society. These eiTorts in 

 behalf of our birds, not only on an ex- 

 tensive scale but among hundreds of 

 people who have smaller places, are 

 having their pleasing effect. It seems 

 as if our spring birds were never be- 

 fore so interesting and enjoyable and 

 plentiful. 



Extensive Photo-Developing Facilities. 



Mr. W. A. McClelland, 345 Atlantic 

 Street, Stamford, Connecticut, the 

 well-known, popular dealer in optical 

 apparatus with cameras as a si)ecialty, 

 has recently acquired a complete equip- 

 ment for developing amateur work on 

 a larger scale than ever before. Such 

 work in this vicinity seems to be in- 

 creasing, especially in the summer 

 when it taxes everyone's ordinary fa- 

 cilities. The news that we have at our 

 disposal greater facilities for producing 

 high grade work promptly will be re- 

 ceived with delight by our amateur 

 photographers. 



Were Nature many miles away. 

 Express you'd take without delay; 

 But since she's waiting at your door. 

 You simply pass her by, ignore. 



— Emma Peirce. 



Put a Dandelion with the Carnation. 



[a LETTRR in the STAMFORD ADVOCATE. 

 MAY 13, BY EDWARD F. BIGELOW]. 



It is indeed beautiful to celebrate 

 Mother's Day in May, the month when 

 all nature is mother of beauty and use- 

 fulness. It is fitting that this celebra- 

 tion should be on a Sunday when more 

 than on other days all the family is 

 gathered at home. But it is preemi- 

 nently fitting that the emblematic flower 

 should be a carnation that breathes 

 forth the lasting fragrance of purity 

 and the love of home, for the modern 

 carnation of spring is an indoors pro- 

 dtict. 



But let us along with this lovel}^ in- 

 doors flower put the common dande- 

 lion of the roadsides that goes forth 

 everywhere to give not only beauty 

 but utility. The dandelion gladdens 

 the eye, beautifies the outdoors and 

 feeds the stomach. It sometimes has 

 hard usage and discouraging obstacles 

 but it never gives up. It is preemi- 

 nently a fighter in the battles of life, 

 yet kind and considerate and avail- 

 able for giving happiness to even the 

 little children. 



So put a dandelion with the white 

 carnation. It is a pretty contrast of 

 colors and of fragrance and the two 

 are an ideal emblem of humanity's life 

 partnerships. And it won't hurt Dad 

 to be taken into consideration a little 

 at the same time that Mother is. 



