Notes from Field and Study 



149 



I look thfin from the IU'>1 and sl'I llu-m 

 on a limb some Umi lo IwrKe- fuel from tin- 

 nest, and the parent birds came and fed 

 them regularly. After I had taken several 

 pictures. I returned the bird^ to the nest. - 

 ]. M. S( iiKiJ K. Xar.niiala. H. C. 



The Cat Question 



Replying to 

 Sparks, Ne\ ada 



l-.d^'ar 

 •Our Dut 



a male, >liould Ijl' retained out of each 

 family horn. .\11 the r.-st should be at once 

 ]iut to sleep. Let humane societies and 

 humane people prosecute, put to shame, 

 frown upon and ostracize all cat-deserters. 

 Large numbers of cats are deserted, 

 especially at vacation lime. They must 

 hunt or starve. Mr. Fioyer says, "their 

 e\ery moNement is emblematic of dis- 

 trust and thievishness." The\- ha\c good 

 cause to distrust man, and all would steal, 



A LEAST FLYCATCHER FAMILY 

 Photographed by J. M. Schreck 



Bird Tenants.' and to Mrs. Mabel Osgood 

 Wright. 'Cats and Crows,' in Bird-Lore 

 for May-June, there seem but tw^o meth- 

 ods, educational and legal, bj- which the 

 cat question can ever be humanely settled, 

 with just regard for the rights of people, 

 birds and cats. 



First, by education. Kducate all, especi- 

 ally the coming generation, to appreciate 

 the fact that it is an offence against 

 society, human, cat and bird, to allow 

 cats to run wild and reproduce unchecked. 

 If a female be kept, a doubtful luxury for 

 anv cat- and bird-lover, — but one kitten. 



if starving. Xo animal is so often neg- 

 lected as the cat. The popular idea is that 

 cats can shift for themselves; hence these 

 cruelties to cats, birds and the compas- 

 sionate. 



The second method, which should 

 supplement the first, is a legal one. Tax 

 all cats, as all dogs are taxed, and the evil 

 will be struck at the root. Then, and then 

 only, shall we know who owns the cat. 

 The race will improve, and starving mon- 

 grels disappear, to the betterment of all. 

 themselves included. Those appreciating 

 a fine cat. jiroperly restricted, and wishing 



