Introductory 
Every one agrees that the study of birds should be fostered 
and developed. The first thing is to teach people to see, and 
very few of those who have not gone into the matter sympa- 
thetically realise how little of the visible world of nature they do 
see. In particular are there recompenses for the patient observer 
who devotes himself to the beauties of bird-life. There are but 
few, especially among boys, who are really capable of doing sys- 
tematic collecting of eggs, and unless formed with the utmost 
care and system, a collection is of not the slightest value. On 
the other hand, every one can be taught to see, to study the 
birds in connection with their nests, eggs, and young. 
Birds have so many natural enemies that our first impulse 
should be to protect them. It is a dark reflection on man that, 
with all his much-vaunted intelligence, he should do more toward 
the destruction of birds than all other causes combined. And he 
certainly is one of their most relentless foes. 
If laws were made, for instance, forbidding the sale of bird- 
skins for millinery purposes, what a boon it would be to our 
feathered friends! Much has been written and published on the 
subject by that most excellent institution, the Audubon Society ; 
but what little effect has it produced. Laws have been passed, 
though rather late in the day, prohibiting the killing of egrets in 
the South and of many varieties of the smaller birds in special 
States ; but these laws are to a great extent disregarded, and there 
are no adequate means for their enforcement. The destruction 
of birds’ nests is forbidden ; yet there are endless ‘‘collections ”’ 
made every season. How many boys—and men too—are there 
in every village who take every year large numbers of eggs 
which serve no purpose! Their only idea is to get ‘‘a lot of 
them,” which are gathered together without notes or observation, 
or even identification. All sparrow-like nests found on the 
ground are said to belong to the ‘‘ ground sparrow” or ‘‘ grass 
sparrow,’’ or some such ambiguous bird. When the nest is found 
and the eggs are taken the entire aim of this ‘‘ collector ’’ seems 
to be satisfied ; the idea of making notes never even enters his 
head. If asked where some particular egg was taken, he replies 
vaguely : ‘‘I don’t remember exactly, but I think it was in such 
a place, or perhaps some fellow gave it to me.” 
Thus it is that eggs are destroyed and with them the means 
of studying the birds during the most interesting period of their 
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