The Making of Birdcraft Sanctuary 



271 



Great Blue Heron, that was so weak from cold and hunger that, in spite of 

 being housed and fed upon smelts, it died on January 4 



We began at once to keep a list of the birds and their names of those who 

 found them. The Warden mounted all the specimens that w^ere in 

 good condition, and we decided to 

 form a small collection of local 

 birds for study and exhibition, and 

 to keep them in bookcases in our 

 committee-room. The Warden 

 already possessed a fair collection 

 of game-birds and birds of prey. 



A few weeks' experience of this 

 limited exhibit, and the eagerness 

 with which it was sought, showed 

 us that we had found the right solu- 

 tion of how to instruct people, and 

 especially children, in the first steps 

 of bird-identification, and to gain 

 the opportunity of coming into 

 touch with them in a way to show 

 them how to appreciate the Sanc- 

 tuary and, what is of yet greater 

 moment, the whole of wild-bird life. 



In spite of the willingness of cer- 

 tain collectors to exhibit their bird 

 skins and some formally mounted 

 birds, I know of no public museum 

 in Connecticut where even the birds 

 of the state are exhibited with their 

 natural backgrounds. 



Why not have a little museum of our own, we asked, where the birds that 

 are picked up may be augmented by those to be obtained by exchange or 

 gift? for we would not have anything "collected" specially for our use. 



We planned a single-room building similar to the bungalow, 25 x 16 feet, 

 open rafters to be of stained wood, the room lined with cases wherein the smaller 

 birds might be grouped against seasonal backgrounds, while the larger Ducks, 

 birds of prey, etc., could be shown upon the rafters or case-tops. 



The accessories and foregrounds could be largely gleaned from wood, shore, 

 and fields; the chief difficulty would be in securing proper painted backgrounds 

 and the blending of the whole. 



Again The Donor said "Go on," and the Museum building, begun in late 

 November of last year, was opened to the public the Monday after Easter. 

 Between that time and July i, the date on which I am writing, 1.300 people. 



HOUSE WREN IN A VON BERLEPSCH BOX 

 Photographed by Wilbur F. Smith 



