An October Outing. 149 



nent. To-day it rained steadily, yet I walked 

 as usual to the shellbark hickories, gathering a 

 harvest as I went of greater value than the nuts 

 that whitened the closely cropped meadow. I 

 saw many bluebirds. It is not long since I 

 was told that the bluebird was threatened with 

 extinction, and one more feature of the familiar 

 meadows would soon be but a memory. It was 

 well worth exposure to a northeast rain to see 

 and hear these birds again. They have passed 

 the danger line. Natural forces will not prevail 

 against them, but what about mankind ? Is it 

 likely that boys will be allowed toy guns, and 

 fashion call for blue feathers in bonnet deco- 

 ration ? The bluebirds have returned, and is 

 not this simple statement enough to rouse in- 

 terest in bird protection ? 



A word here concerning their encouragement. 

 Can we cultivate them as was formerly done? 

 My own efforts in this direction have proved of 

 no avail against the attacks of English sparrows, 

 but this is no reason why our ingenuity should 

 not be further taxed. I will say this much, that 

 the destruction of sparrows' nests in April seems 

 to so disturb the birds that they quit the neigh- 



