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Bird - Lore 



25irtr=1Lore 



A Bi-Monthly Magazine 

 Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds 



OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETIES 



Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



Contributing Editor, MABEL OSGOOD 'WRIGHT 



Published by D. APPLETON & CO. 



Vol. XVIII Published April 1,1916 No. 2 



SUBSCRIPTION RATES 



Price in the United States, Canada and Mexico, twenty cents 

 a number, one dollar a year, postage paid. 



COPYRIGHTED, 1916, BY FRANK M, CHAPMAN 



Bird-Lore's Motto: 

 A Bird in the Bush Is Worth Two in the Hand 



It is a long time since Bird-Lore has 

 published a more valuable and significant 

 article than the one contributed by Mr. 

 Gilbert H. Grosvenor to this issue. Its 

 chief value does not lie in its important 

 bearing on what may be termed avian 

 sociology or on its surprising demonstra- 

 tion of the close connection existing be- 

 tween available nesting-sites and bird- 

 population. Rather is it to be found in 

 the relations which it reveals between 

 human-life and bird-life as the result of 

 the best type of what we have before 

 called 'bird gardening.' 



The birds which Mr. Grosvenor has 

 brought about him are unquestionably 

 more his birds than if he had shot them 

 and placed their skins in a cabinet. With 

 their death his responsibility for their 

 welfare would cease. But a living bird, 

 to which we feel we owe protection, 

 is exposed to so many dangers that our 

 fears for its safety are correspondingly 

 aroused. These birds of our garden are 

 our guests. Through the erection of bird- 

 houses and by other means we have invited 

 them to live with us and when they accept 

 as readily as they have with Mr. Gros- 

 venor, they make us realize not only our 

 responsibility but they awaken the 

 strongest sense of hospitality. 



In a former number of Bird-Lore we 

 had something to say about what we 

 believe to be the difference between orni- 

 thologists and bird-lovers. That is, 

 between the bird student eager to devote 



his life to research work some of which 

 may be so dry and technical that it would 

 repel anyone but a born enthusiast; and 

 the person whose interest in birds, while 

 keen and genuine, does not beget that 

 hunger for knowledge concerning them 

 which is the birthright of the true natur- 

 alist. 



The first type of interest we feel 

 distinguishes the born ornithologists, the 

 second is an almost universal heritage of 

 mankind. Usually, however, it is dor- 

 mant. We may be in possession of this 

 priceless gift and still be unaware of its 

 existence. Herein lies the value of nature- 

 study, and particularly of the kind of 

 educational work the National Association 

 of Audubon Societies accomplishes through 

 its Junior Classes. It is not to be expected 

 that the one hundred and fifty odd thou- 

 sand children included in these classes 

 during the past year will become orni- 

 thologists. But if their inherent love of 

 birds is quickened and they become ac- 

 quainted with the more common species 

 and are taught to realize the beauty and 

 value of bird-life we shall have added 

 immeasurably to their resources. 



Mr. Grosvenor tells us that in April, 

 1 9 13, when he moved to his country home 

 near Washington, neither he nor any 

 member of his family could name more 

 than three species of birds. Opportunity 

 so quickly added to this number that 

 within two years, as his statistics show, 

 he had succeeded in inducing to nest on 

 his home acre more than twice as many 

 birds as had been before reported from 

 the same area and under similar con- 

 ditions. 



So much we learn from the figures given. 

 But no figures can express the pleasure 

 derived from the friendships which have 

 been established between landlord and 

 tenant, and between landlord's family 

 and tenants' families. Mr. Grosvenor may 

 regret that his own childhood lacked that 

 association with the commoner birds 

 which gives them an enduring place in our 

 affection. But his pictures show that he 

 does not propose to have his children 

 denied this privilege. 



