306 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



Formerly country boys were quite accustomed 

 to collect birds' eggs, entirely oblivious of the 

 fact that taking the clutch meant the destruction 

 of a whole brood of birds. Today, as a direct 

 result of intelligent and sustained instruction in 

 the schools and numerous nature clubs, as well as 

 through the columns of the press, every boy and 

 girl understands something of the value of the 

 live bird, both as an object worthy of careful 

 study for the beauty of its plumage, pleasing 

 notes and songs and interesting habits, and for its 

 practical value as a necessary aid to the farmer. 

 In consequence they have become guardians of 

 the birds, no mean allies in saving and recruiting 

 this important army. While it probably may not 

 be claimed that birds can meet in their entirety 

 such difficult problems as the destruction of the 

 boll weevil or brown-tail moth, yet it has been 

 demonstrated by numerous experiments that 

 they can do much to keep these pests in check. 



Formerly, too, men and boys with guns ruth- 

 lessly destroyed many varieties other than game 

 birds with very little heed to their rapidly 

 diminishing numbers. I well remember when a 

 boy in the country, shooting matches were 

 organized for Thanksgiving Day. A table of 

 counts having been arranged for the different 

 varieties of birds and animals likely to be found 

 in Maine at that season, competing parties sallied 

 forth literally combing the country over large 

 areas, killing every wild creature, in feathers or 

 fur. The result was truly appalling. And after 

 the collections were made and the count ren- 

 dered all the smaller birds and animals were 



