VERMONT BIRD CLUB 17 



A stray phoebe or blue bird, and a few warblers made the 

 whole list. Can we who are surrounded and uplifted by 

 the sweet and beautiful songs of birds every summer's day, 

 can we imagine such a condition of things? Can we real- 

 ize what it means to such a community? 



In some localities in the State, a strong feeling against 

 birds seems to be held by the fruit growers. At the latest 

 session of the Legislature an efifort was made to have the 

 cedar waxwing or cherry bird taken from the protected 

 list. Through the efforts of the Vermont Bird Club and 

 the State Audubon Society and through the good sense of 

 the Fish and Game Committee to which the bill was re- 

 ferred, the waxwing was saved from legal slaughter. The 

 danger always exists in our body politic of one individual 

 or a small group of individuals, on account of injuries, 

 either actual or fancied, endeavoring to have laws passed, 

 state or national in scope, that cover single particular 

 cases. Such individuals blinded by their own personal in- 

 terests, are incapable of seeing that what may be detrimen- 

 tal to the one actually is for the best good of the many. 



The first 19 years of my life I lived upon a farm on which 

 one of the chief products was berries. I can sympathize 

 with the fruit grower who is troubled by the birds. Every- 

 body realizes that birds occasionally injure crops seriously. 

 But there are other ways of keeping them away than by use 

 of powder and shot. 



The fruit growers know perfectly well what those other 

 effectual ways are and should use them in the place of 

 killing. The point to be remembered always is this that 

 taking the season as a whole the amount of good which the 

 bird does over-balances the injury. 



When the birds are eating your fruit and the products of 

 your gardens, bear in mind that they are only taking their 

 pay for the good service they have rendered you. I admit 

 that sometimes it takes a good deal of grace to do this, but 

 it is man's plain duty. 



It is our problem to educate the public in regard to the 

 economic value of birds. The farmer should be taught 

 that the birds are his best friends, that they are of incalcu- 

 lable value to him and his crops. When the farmer, the 

 fruit grower and orchardist fully realize this fact, there 

 will be no trouble from that source in the full protection 

 which the birds deserve. 



In the summer time from the mountain tops, hillsides and 

 valleys of Vermont, multitudes of the beautiful songsters 



