Marcw# 15, 1901.] 
for Boys, Rochester, spoke on ‘ Birds in 
Nature Study.’ The rapidly increasing 
study of birds and bird-life is due, in part, 
to the general awakening of interest in na- 
ture; but there is also a wide-spread feel- 
ing that the number of our native birds is 
decreasing very rapidly, and that it is only 
by instructing the rising generation in the 
value of birds and the ways of protecting 
them that we can hope to preserve the 
varied, beautiful and highly beneficial 
species which are disappearing before the 
onward march of railroads, telegraph 
wires, plate-glass windows, electric lights, 
milliners, wood-choppers, ditch-diggers, 
English sparrows, murderous boys and 
untutored men. There is, moreover, a 
great inherent value in bird study. Chil- 
dren are interested in life, and birds are 
the most alive of allanimals. Their highly 
specialized structure and life activities, 
their motion, song, language, arts, archi- 
_ tecture, community interest, travel and 
personal traits are highly suggestive to the 
youthful mind. In this department of 
nature study there is also a chance of di- 
recting the dawning moral sentiments 
which can not be neglected. To tell chil- 
dren that life is sacred and that nothing 
that lives should be killed is weakly sensa- 
tional, irrational and insulting to the ruler 
of the universe. Boys should be taught 
why, when and what to kill; not never 
to kill. The teacher of bird study must 
know not merely technical biology, but also 
the natural history of birds, and teach the 
general structure, relations, habits, food, 
song, flight, and special adaptations of the 
different families of birds and the common 
individuals of each family. ~ Let the boys 
and girls become acquainted with our bird 
neighbors and their occupations, and when 
they know them as well as they do their 
own friends and recognize them as easily, 
then they will be good bird protectors. 
Mrs. Anna Botsford Comstock, of Cor- 
SCIENCE. 
421 
nell University, discussed the subject of 
‘Nature Study and the Grade Teacher,’ 
describing the work being done in the 
State in the way of introducing nature 
study into the schools and mentioning the 
difficulties encountered in getting the work 
properly started, owing to the lack of prepa- 
ration on the part of the grade teachers. 
At the closing general session Professor 
Frank Carney, of Keuka Institute, pre- 
sented a paper on ‘The Moral Value of 
Science Studies,’ and John W. Spencer, of 
Cornell University, described ‘The Work 
of the Junior Naturalists’ Clubs.’ These 
clubs are composed of boys and girls in 
various parts of the State and were started 
for the purpose of developing interest in 
nature. The membership now includes 
several thousand. 
At the business meeting with which the 
session closed it was announced that forty 
new names had been added to the mem- 
bership roll and that the financial condi- 
tion of the Association was satisfactory. 
The following officers were elected: Prest- 
dent, Professor Franklin W. Barrows, 
Central High School, Buffalo; Vice-Presi- 
dent, Professor Frank M. McMurry, Co- 
lumbia University ; Secretary- Treasurer, Pro- 
fessor A. R. Warner, High School, Auburn. 
After adjournment many members took 
the opportunity to visit Ward’s Natural 
History Establishment, the works of the 
Bausch and Lomb Optical Company, the 
Eastman Kodak Company and other places 
of interest. 
Exhibits of scientific apparatus, museum 
and laboratory supplies, charts, ete., were 
made by Bausch and Lomb, Ward, Marine 
Biological Laboratory, Denton Brothers 
and others. 
The proceedings of the meeting will be 
published in full by the Regent’s Office in 
Albany. 
CHARLES WricHt DopGcE, 
Secretary. 
