Editorial 



391 



25irti=lLore 



A Bi-Monthly Magazine 

 Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds 



OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETIES 



Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



Contributing Editor. MABEL OSGOOD WRIGHT 



Published by D. APPLETON & CO. 



Vol. XVII Published October 1. 1915 No. 5 



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Price in the United States, Canada and Mexico, tiventy cents 

 a number, one dollar a year, postage paid. 



COPYRIGHTED, 1915 BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



Bird-Lore's Motto: 

 A Bird in the Bush Is Worth Two in the Hand 



The reports from a number of repre- 

 sentative Bird Clubs published in this 

 issue of Bird-Lore indicate, to our mind, 

 that there is not only room, but almost a 

 demand, for organizations of this kind. It 

 seems evident, therefore, that this move- 

 ment will grow until it possesses a nation- 

 wide importance, and one consequently 

 asks how it can best be coordinated to the 

 wide variety of ends in view. 



Mr. Baynes' suggestion, on a preceding 

 page, for the formation of an American 

 Federation of Bird Clubs deserves con- 

 sideration in this connection. That 

 strength lies in union, is axiomatic. Par- 

 ticularly is this true when, fundamentally, 

 the object of one is the aim of all. This 

 prompts the question: What are the aims 

 which Bird Clubs have in common? The 

 articles and reports already mentioned 

 supply a wholly satisfactory answer to 

 this query. They tell us that the clubs 

 whose activities they describe try, in 

 various ways, to arouse an interest in the 

 beauty and value of birds, to protect 

 them, to create conditions favorable to 

 their increase, to encourage bird study in 

 the schools and by individuals, to secure 

 the passage of legislative measures 

 designed to protect birds and to defeat 

 those designed to permit their destruction. 



In short, these clubs have essentially 

 the same ends in view as those for which 

 the National Association of Audubon 

 Societies is — we will not say struggling, 

 for the Association has long passed the 



'struggle' stage and is now firml}' on its 

 feet; let us say rather — successfully 

 striving. 



Why then cannot the National Asso- 

 ciation act as the central body to which 

 bird clubs in any part of the country 

 might turn for ad\dce or assistance in 

 solving the various problems which con- 

 front them? 



We believe it could, and we also belie v'e 

 that it would be most unwise to duplicate 

 the machinery of organization which the 

 Association has working so effectively. 

 The endowment of the Association 

 assures its continued existence. It has 

 permanent headquarters, a competent 

 staff, which could be added to when the 

 requirements of cooperation with bird 

 clubs made such an addition necessary. 



If a club wants literature in regard to 

 planting for food and shelter for birds, or 

 on nesting-boxes or feeding devices, why 

 should it attempt to print Bulletins when 

 the National Association can supply them 

 at cost? If it wants suggestions concern- 

 ing the best way to cooperate with its 

 local schools, where could it get more 

 authoritative information than from an 

 organization which enrolled over 7,000 

 teachers and 150,000 pupils in the past 

 year? If it wants books or lecturers on 

 certain subjects, the Association can either 

 supply them or tell where they may be 

 found. In brief, the Association is a 

 Central Bureau of Information, which has 

 in its oflSce or on its Board of Directors 

 a corps of experts who can answer or 

 secure an answer to any answerable ques- 

 tion in relation to birds; and this service 

 it places freely at the disposal of its 

 members. 



By a recent change in the constitution 

 of the Association, a club or other organi- 

 zation is eligible for membership. Instead, 

 therefore, of being called on to contribute 

 to the cost of founding and conducting a 

 new organization, which inevitably would 

 duplicate the work of the National Asso- 

 ciation, would it not be far more advisable 

 to pay a small membership fee, and in 

 return receive the efficient cooperation of 

 one already established? 



