176 Bird -Lore 



Normal College, at Ypsilanti, Mich., from June 20 to August 4. A course on 

 birds and mammals is being given now, April 3 to June 16. 



Before deciding definitely on any particular summer school, one should write 

 to the secretary of the summer school in question and inquire if any bird-work 

 will be offered. Even though one is planning to do other work at the summer 

 school, it is often feasible to take a course in bird-study as well. Many enduring 

 friendships with persons of kindred tastes are often started in these summer 

 bird-courses. 



FROM YOUNG OBSERVERS 



BOY SCOUTS AND THE BIRDS 



How often we hear our grandfathers say, "In my day I used to see such 

 and such a bird, but they are all killed off now." Today, many species of birds 

 are rapidly disappearing — some to satisfy a man's craving for sport, and some 

 to satisfy a boy's craving for fun. Sport and fun literally murder thousands 

 of these creatures annually. But why does the human race kill these birds? 

 Because their practical value to mankind is not realized. God sent these 

 winged creatures upon earth for some purpose, and that purpose was not to 

 make them the prey of man. But the prey of man they have become and are 

 being slaughtered unmercifully. Almost all have become their enemies. But 

 in the midst of all this there arises an organization that is seeking to protect 

 these helpless birds against the injustice and oppression of man. That is the 

 organization which is founded on the belief that its members must do a "good 

 turn daily." That is the organization which is going to build the citizens of 

 tomorrow. This organization realizes that it is its duty as boys of today to 

 help to save as many as possible of these winged creatures for the boys of to- 

 morrow. They realize the value of these birds, and realizing this, know it is 

 their duty to protect them. This organization is the Boy Scouts of America. 



One of the main factors all through the history of this organization has been 

 their fight to preserve the gifts of nature. They have taken especially great 

 interest in birds. The boys of this organization have put up bird-boxes, food- 

 tables, etc., in an effort to preserve the birds. Go to a Boy Scout camp and 

 you will find numerous bird-boxes and food-tables. The Boy Scout studies 

 the birds, finds out their relationship and value to man, and inevitably seeks 

 to protect them. The man or boy who kills them is not a Boy Scout. They 

 know nothing of birds, and this ignorance results in the killing of these creatures. 

 The Boy Scout seeks to protect birds by helping to enforce the law regarding 

 them. He does not kill the birds to study them. He studies them by close 

 observation. A Boy Scout bird student is more often seen than heard. His 

 weapons are not the gun. They are an opera glass, a pencil and a field note- 

 book. He is the observer, not the hunter. 



