(35) 



with a new determination I proceeded to start in again. My lessons were 

 valuable to me, but at such a cost to the birds. If every ornithologist were 

 to exact such a tribute from his subject as my earlj' experiences led me to 

 take, bird life in Nebraska would not show a per cent gain as some of our 

 eastern ornithologists claim to be the case. 



When consciousness of my folly came to me I had no one to blame. 

 My mother, pleased at my interest and happiness, did not remonstrate with 

 me, as she was also unaware of the extent of the injury I was inflicting up- 

 on the birds of our vicinity. 



No teacher had ever explained to me that I might learn of the birds with- 

 out harming them. No bird-student lived in our town to help me and I 

 was forced to find my own means. The desire to know of their lives led 

 me to seek the only things available — the eggs. 



While scientists were wrangling over the classification of some ob- 

 scure subspecies, or spending their time and means trying to determine 

 the exact relationships of various orders, I was endeavoring to gain a 

 knowledg-e of the commonest forms by the sacrificing of more embryo lives 

 than I can ever hope to atone for. In my own case would the birds have 

 been benefited by a little "popular ornithology"? Could I have learned the 

 habits of the wren, robin or swallow by the application of a little pedagog- 

 ical instruction? I hold for the affirmative. 



Again, why this longing on the part of our rurals for city life? Our 

 cities are crowded with people who come there seeking what they imagine 

 they do not have in their country homes. Do they know what they leave? 

 I believe a popular Horticulture, a popular Geologjs and a popular Ornith- 

 ology would help in keeping our farmer bo3"s contented with their lot, hap- 

 pj' in the study of nature, and its forms and freaks. I believe there are 

 scores of young men in Nebraska who were raised on a farm, and 3'et do 

 not know the names of ten of our common birds. With them a hawk is a 

 hawk; a duck is a duck. Good and bad are classed together and suffer the 

 penalty of not vice, but ig-norance. Would a popular Ornithology benefit 

 this class of people? 



For years our Audubon and kindred societies have been endeavoring- 

 to stop the use of birds and plumes for millinery purposes. Do thej' seem 

 to succeed? TheN^ cannot secure prohibition so thej^ are urging local op- 

 tion. But without education I fear the result will be as it has been so far, large- 

 ly in favor of the plume hunter, and against the birds. To carry the figure 

 farther, the innocent must suffer for the license. 



I am convinced that a great duty lies before us as bird students. If we 

 are to study birds we must have birds to studj-. If we are to have the birds 

 we must give them better protection. In order to do this we must carry on 

 a campaign of education. Make the birds popular with the masses and their 

 own merits will secure their safety! 



How can we popularize Ornithology? I once heard of a Catholic mis- 

 sionary who said; "Give me the training of a child for the first twelve 

 years of its life and I will show you a devout Catholic at three score years 

 and ten." His remark showed a keen insight into human nature, and rings 

 of pedagogical soundness. 



