A Saint Bartholomew of Birds 225 



death to certain species. Civilization does not 

 mean bird extermination and certain harmless 

 beneficial birds would flourish where the soil is 

 largely cultivated, were they not harmed by en- 

 emies having nothing to do with a changed en- 

 vironment. Were districts reforested and tangles 

 left along hedge-rows for hiding and nesting 

 places, there need be slight loss of bird life. To 

 this, if food was added in inclement weather in 

 winter, these wild neighbors would become more 

 than half domesticated in many instances. 



Among causes resulting in extensive destruction 

 of bird life, I would put first of all, the all but 

 universal armament of young boys with air-guns. 

 Military training of boys makes the efficient 

 army; the air-guns develop and make efficient, 

 the adult hunter, killer, slaughterer. Three-year- 

 olds go to camp in the space under the sitting- 

 room table and there is enough witchery in the 

 air-gun to connect their present camp with one in 

 the wilderness, where this plaything shall be trans- 

 formed into a real gun, and they, into mighty 

 hunters. If you would question the "true sports- 

 man," asking him when he became interested in 

 hunting and if he answered truthfully, ninety-five 

 per cent, would say, "Why, always, ever since I 

 had my first air-gun." 



Children utterly ignorant of the commonest 



