The Birds of Monument Valley Park 



227 



lion by human agency, is largely preventable. Education of the people, and 

 especially of the children, will go a long way here. But what should be done 

 about cats?'' There are some which frequent the park, and I know of but one 

 way of handling the matter, — exterminating the cats. 



A park such as this offers great opportunities to the people for the study of 

 nature, at least in the case of birds, and these are likely to be taken better 

 advantage of as time passes by. Then also, one must not neglect the economic 

 side of the question, the great good which the birds must do in the destruction 

 of harmful insects, and also of weed seeds. It is not unlikely that over fifty 

 broods of Robins are raised in the whole area each summer. Think what an 

 enormous number of insects go to satisfy the appetites of these youngsters, 

 as well as the young of other species! One might well say that the trees, 

 shrubs, and flowers would be destroyed but for the birds. If one does not care 

 for the educational or economic side of the case, there is still the esthetic, the 

 appeal made by the beauty of the 

 creature, either of its plumage, its 

 song, or its actions. Surely there is 

 no excuse for those who find noth- 

 ing interesting about a bird ! Yet 

 there are some who take practically 

 no heed of a bird unless it is one of 

 the sorts classed as game, and there- 

 fore to be shot and killed. Let those 

 who think the hunting and killing 

 the whole thing ponder the words of 

 W. H. Wright, author of 'The 

 Grizzly Bear.' He says that after 

 hunting grizzlies for many years in 

 order to kill them, his interest in his 

 opponent grew to overshadow his 

 interest in the game; and whereas 

 formerly he had studied the grizzly 

 to hunt him, he now began to hunt 

 the grizzly to study him. So too, if 

 you take a field-glass or a camera, you will find out much more about a 

 bird. I seldom take a walk in Monument Valley Park without my camera, 

 and have picked up many a good picture by doing this, as well as witnessing 

 some interesting things on the ground glass of the Graflex when trying for a 

 picture. 



Caring for and protecting birds in a public park is a problem which is often, 

 if not always, diflScult of solution. Ordinances may be passed and notices 

 posted, but olTenses will be committed in spite of them, and there must be 

 means of capturing and punishing the offenders. Colorado Springs has, besides 



MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE ON FOOD-TABLE 



