A Successful Bird Exhibit 237 



Feed the Birds Last Winter?" hinted at individual effort. Throughout the 

 exhibit, as much information as possible was conveyed by means of printed 

 labels, each article being made to tell its own story so far as practicable. 



A collection of nests, gathered together by individuals during the late 

 summer and fall, was an interesting feature, and lists of birds seen in and 

 around Spokane prepared by local bird-clubs attracted considerable attention. 



Through the courtesy of a local book-dealer and of the State Traveling 

 Library, a bird library of some fifty volumes was displayed. This proved to 

 be a most helpful part of the exhibit, not only because the books were fre- 

 quently used for reference in assisting some visitor to identify certain birds of 

 his acquaintance, but also to answer inquiries as to "What are the best bird 

 reference books?" The Audubon bound volumes of Educational Leaflets as 

 well as the Society's bulletins were included in the library, together with an 

 almost complete set of government bulletins, loaned by the local government 

 ornithologist. Through the courtesy of the Audubon Society, also, a consider- 

 able amount of descriptive hterature was distributed. The Liberty Bell Bird- 

 Club also contributed a set of leaflets, and a number of dealers in bird supplies 

 furnished attractive advertising leaflets for distribution. Sample copies of all 

 the leading bird publications, secured from the publishers, were displayed. 



The dealer who loaned the bulk of the bird library also furnished a set of 

 the colored 'Perry Pictures,' as well as sample sets of the Milton Bradley 

 Company's 'Birds for Home and School,' and numerous other varieties of 

 cut-out birds, poster patterns, birds to color, and similar educational work for 

 children. The three Audubon bird charts were shown, and bird photographs, 

 the work of local amateur photographers, contributed much to the attractive- 

 ness of the exhibit. 



One of the most novel features was the victrola with the set of bird records, 

 loaned by one of the music houses. A number of splendid bird records, both 

 of actual bird songs and of imitations of bird calls, are now offered by the Victor 

 company. This form of 'canned music' never failed to attract attention, 

 and deceived many into believing that some of the bird-houses were 

 inhabited. 



One-half the space alloted was thus occupied with the displays of books, 

 pictures, and similar educational features. The remaining half was converted 

 into a miniature woodland scene, made attractive by the bringing in of a 

 quantity of small trees and bushes, with their autumn coloring, and by the use 

 of a painted back curtain to give perspective. Here mounted specimens of 

 birds were arranged in natural positions on small trees. All were labeled with 

 their common names, the scientific names being omitted, as this was an exhibit 

 for those who know the Bluebird as a Bluebird and not as Sialia mexicana 

 occidentalis, or Sialia sialis. This woodland-scene was the chief attraction 

 of the whole exhibit, and was always the center of a crowd of interested spec- 

 tators, some simply curious, others eagerly picking out familiar birds and 



