35° Bird -Lore 



Not long ago, the writer visited another town, to lecture to the members of 

 a bird club which he had organized about a year before. After the lecture, he 

 was taken to a large hall, to inspect one of the tinest exhibitions of hand-made 

 bird-houses he had ever seen. It was a joy to look at them. Though differing 

 widely in style, nearly all of them had been designed to meet the requirements 

 of the birds for which they were intended; most of them were well-made from 

 a carpenter's point of view, and a number were very beautiful. None of the 

 members had done such work until recently, but, because they wished to 

 carry out the purpose for which the club was organized, they engaged a manual- 

 training teacher and practically learned a trade. Some of them had continued 

 their studies until they could make many kinds of simple and useful furniture, 

 and probably all of them had learned things which they had not thought of 

 when they began. 



The writer knows several other clubs each of which has established a bird 

 sanctuary, and thus not only provided the birds with a little paradise of their 

 own, but provided the people of the town with a beautiful, quiet spot in which 

 to refresh their minds and bodies, ,and which they can show with pride to 

 admiring visitors. And it is certain that in some, if not most cases, the presence 

 of the sanctuary has increased the value of the surrounding property, showing 

 that birds and bird-lovers are considered very desirable neighbors. 



Space will not permit the writer to tell in detail all the other good things 

 he has seen done for towns and villages by local bird clubs, but perhaps he 

 may at least enumerate some of them. He has seen bird clubs arrange for 

 bird-walks in the woods and fields and along the streams near home, and for 

 expeditions to more distant points, in some cases under the leadership of a 

 trained ornithologist; he has known them to provide for social gatherings 

 interesting games and contests, lectures, plays and debates, and for the writing 

 and reading of essays, all with a view to fostering a live interest in the welfare 

 of birds, but which incidentally brought much pleasure and profit to all 

 concerned. 



Some bird clubs the writer knows are helping to beautify their home towns 

 by planting trees and shrubs and vines and flowers; by encouraging the planting 

 of hedges and flower-gardens, and by the erection of interesting bird-fountains 

 and bird-baths — all for the birds, of course, but tremendously attractive to 

 humans as well. He knows of at least two bird clubs which have founded 

 libraries of bird-books for the use of their members, and which provide bird- 

 charts for use in the local schools. There are several clubs which publish 

 interesting literature for circulation among their members, and at least one or 

 two which conduct a column of bird notes in the local paper. And, meanwhile, 

 the residents of the towns are unconsciously absorbing some of the soundest 

 principles of good citizenship, and learning to take their part in the national 

 life by standing shoulder to shoulder with the country's leaders in the great 

 campaign for the conservation of our natural resources. 



