326 



Bird - Lore 



houses, paintings, and short essays on 

 birds — all work done ^by the school chil- 

 dren. 



The exhibit was not confined to ])irds, 

 but included a beautiful collection of sea- 

 shells collected from all over the world, 

 loaned by Field's Museum, Chicago, sev- 

 eral collections of well-mounted and classi- 

 fied moths, butterflies, insects, shells, fish, 

 fossils, minerals, fungi, and plants. A 

 collection of hornets' nests, varying from 

 the size of a peach to that of a half-bushel 

 basket, were arranged on a tree, together 

 with several nests. There were photo- 

 graphs of birds taken by some of the 

 members, and a group from the Laysan 

 Islands taken by Homer Dill, curator of 

 Iowa State University. There were three 

 collections of eggs, one of which bore a 

 sign saj'ing they were collected over twenty 

 years ago, before the value of bird-protec- 

 tion was realized, and that it was now 



against the law to rob the nest of any 

 bird except for scientific purposes, for 

 which a license has to be procured. 



Hill's nursery of Dundee contributed a 

 box of bushes attractive to birds; the 

 National Association of Audubon Societies 

 sent quantities of free literature which was 

 distributed; and the local book-stores 

 furnished samples of all their bird-books 

 and bird-records for the victrola. 



On the walls were many signs calling 

 attention to the value of protection of our 

 feathered friends, and the aims of the 

 Audubon Society. 



Thirty-seven new members were added 

 to the club which brings the membership 

 to no. 



The Elgin Society justly feels its annual 

 exhibit was a great success, and that out 

 of it has come, and will continue to come, 

 an added interest and appreciation of all 

 wild life. 



BIRDS AND CATS 



The nesting season of the birds has 

 arrived. Whether or not there will be the 

 desired increase in birds this season de- 

 pends very largely on thf protection which 

 will be received by the adult birds during 

 the hatching period, and the young birds 

 until they can fly and have learned to 

 shift for themselves. 



One of the greatest menaces to the bird- 

 life of the country today is the house-cat. 

 There are very few cats which, if given 

 the opportunity, will not kill a mother 

 bird on the nest or a helpless fledgling 

 fluttering around on the ground. The 

 •zreat tragedy is as likely to occur in the 

 clematis along the porch, or in the flower- 

 garden, as it is in the remote places fre- 

 quented by the so-called 'wild' hunting 

 house-cat. 



This is no attempt to indict the cat. We 

 have great sympathy for and appreciation 



of the affection between Tabby and her 

 owner. We are simply asking that at this 

 crucial period the birds be given all benefit 

 of the doubt. 



We earnestly ask the owner of every 

 house-cat during the next three months to 

 assume the responsibility of seeing that 

 the cat will not be given an opportunity 

 to kill birds. 



The country is at war. To win the war 

 we must have food. It is common knowl- 

 edge that the birds are a tremendous factor 

 in the protection of the food-supply from 

 insects. Cats, if unrestrained, especially at 

 this season, will tremendously weaken that 

 protection. The logic is simple. The birds 

 are trying to do their bit. Let us all help 

 them. — Issued bj' the Commissioners on 

 Fisheries and Game for the State of 

 Massachusetts, May 15, 1918. 



