1S6 BOARD OF AGRICULTrRE. [Pul). Doc. 



most of which were illustrated by stereopticon. The audi- 

 ences aggregated about 8,000 people and consisted largely of 

 farmers and their families. 



In Shrewsbury and ISJ'orthborough, contiguous towns in 

 Worcester County where addresses were given, public-spirited 

 citizens offered prizes to the children of the townspeople for 

 bird houses and essays concerning them. Prizes were given 

 for the largest number of bird houses built by one child, and 

 for the best built bird houses, and these prizes resulted in 

 the building of hundreds of nesting boxes in these two towns. 

 Some of the manual training schools now include in their 

 curriculums instructions in making bird houses and nesting- 

 boxes, and all should do so. 



Bird protection is so important that it would be well to 

 have a bird day in our schools with appropriate exercises, 

 which might include the ei'ection of bird houses. 



Educational work done by the State Ornithologist and by 

 others interested in the protection of birds already has 

 created a great demand for information regarding methods 

 of attracting birds about the home and farm. Large numbers 

 of letters have been received asking information about bird 

 houses, feeding birds and attracting them. Such letters have 

 come not only from Massachusetts but from other ^ew Eng- 

 land States, and from the middle and western States also. 

 It is evident that State ornithologists are needed in some of 

 the States where they are not yet established. Xature 

 Leaflets IsTos. 12, 15 and IG, issued by the Massachusetts 

 State Board of Agriculture, have been utilized in answering 

 (|Uories. No. 12 takes up the methods of attracting winter 

 birds to the farm, ISTo. 15 is the Bird-House Leaflet, and 

 Xo. 10 is entitled " Our Friend the Chickadee." 



Many people have taken up the pastime of feeding l)irds 

 this year for the first time, and many letters have been re- 

 ceived from both fhildren and adults giving something of 

 their experience. The following letter from ]\rr. George M. 

 Pedrick of North Beverly shows how easily and quickly 

 l)irds may be attracted about the house in winter by using 

 right methods : — 



