266 Wild Bird Guests 



the birds. Both the writer and the lecturer may 

 be far too busy to talk to a man, but if they're 

 of the right kind, they'll seldom be too busy to 

 say just a few words of encouragement to a 

 boy or to answer one or two of his questions if 

 they can. But there is nothing like active work 

 for the birds to give the boy real enthusiasm. 

 Encourage him to feed the birds, to give them 

 water, and to put up nesting boxes for them, and 

 when the birds have become sufficiently tame, 

 let him photograph them, that he may be able 

 to show the results of his good work and thus 

 encourage others to do similar work. If there is 

 a bird club in town, let him join it ; if there isn't, 

 organize one, or better still, help him to organize 

 it. 



I am proud to say that I have many friends 

 among the boys, and most of them are loyal 

 friends of the birds also. One of them, a Boston 

 lad of thirteen, has organized two bird clubs, 

 issues a monthly paper on birds and the care 

 of them, and recently gave a talk which led to 

 the establishment of a bird sanctuary. Let all 

 grown-up bird lovers remember one of the best 

 things Judge Ben Lindsey ever said: "Who 

 stands in the presence of a boy whose confidence 

 he has gained, stands in the presence of a great 

 opportunity. " 



