THE CONSERVATION OF BIRDS. 269 



of it, which is an amended form of the first draft taken from 

 Bulletin No. 12, United States Department of Agriculture, 

 Division of Biological Survey, page 48, may be found in the 

 Appendix of this book. 



But laws are hardly more than " first-aid' 1 instruments, — 

 superficial, and not certain. They are framed and caused to 

 be enacted by a few specialists, who instruct the legislation 

 committee having jurisdiction over such bills, but are notable 

 to reach the people whom the laws are to govern. To the 

 majority the call for protective laws is not understood, if, 

 indeed, the laws themselves are known. Now that adequate 

 statutes are either enacted or may reasonably be expected 

 very soon, it remains to scatter information about birds every- 

 where, so that laws may be respected, or perhaps become 

 unnecessary. Putting bird protection on a moral basis is a 

 good deal like planting pears, — the returns will be slow in 

 coming, but are certain to come in time. There is no portion 

 of the whole realm of natural history more attractive than birds. 

 People are always to be found who are glad to read or hear 

 about them. Dissemination of facts about birds will do more 

 for their lasting benefit than anything else, and it is in this 

 line that those interested in their conservation should work. 

 There must be lectures, short articles of a popular nature in 

 newspapers and magazines, distribution of government and 

 other publications relating to birds, posting bird laws in con- 

 spicuous places, and, most important of all, systematic bird 

 work in public schools. 



The importance of engaging the interest of our youth in 

 birds cannot be over-estimated. It results in a double benefit, 

 for the birds will be held in higher esteem and the children 

 will become possessed of a source of lasting pleasure. The 

 nest-robbing, bird-shooting boy and the feather-wearing girl 

 may be made friends and allies of the birds at an expenditure 

 of not over fifteen minutes of school time a week. Fortu- 

 nately many teachers have lately taken up the study of birds 



