298 Bird - Lore 



Educational Work. — This branch of the work of the Association has been 

 very largely extended during the past twelve months, and is daily becoming a 

 more important factor in the advancement of the cause of bird protection. Since 

 our last report, the Association has issued six new Educational Leaflets, viz., 

 ' The Killdeer, ' ' The Bluebird. ' ' The Red-winged Blackbird, ' ' The Baltimore 

 Oriole, ' ' The Indigo Bunting, ' ' The Purple Finch, ' and, in addition, the follow- 

 ing special leaflets: 'In February,' 'In April,' 'In June,' 'The Wood Duck,' 

 ' August and the Flocking Time, ' ' October and Preparations for Winter. ' 



In the past year, we have printed 608,050 leaflets of the various issues, 

 which have been circulated in all parts of the country. This means that 2,320,450 

 pages of accurate information regarding the life-histories and food-habits of birds 

 and their economic relations to mankind have been spread broadcast among 

 the people, especially the school children. In addition, we have circulated 15,440 

 reports, 266,047 colored plates of birds, and 244,000 outlines of birds for children 

 to color. 



The good results of this distribution cannot be for a moment doubted. We 

 see them on every hand in an increased interest in the live bird and the willing- 

 ness of the public press to advocate bird protection. The following quotation 

 from a recent letter from Professor Minear of Texas very clearly shows the appre- 

 ciation of an educator in the bird literature we supply : " In connection with the 

 garden work of the public schools of this city, I am endeavoring to protect the 

 birds of this section. I believe I can save many hundreds, if not thousands, by 

 the use of the leaflets which are being sent out by the Audubon Society. I have 

 about 300 leaflets on the Robin, Meadowlark, Nighthawk or 'Bull-bat,' and 

 Mourning Dove, which are being distributed, and I find the boys are astonished 

 as to the good birds do the farmers. I wish to continue this good work, and would 

 appreciate any number of leaflets you could spare me. I have eleven hundred 

 boys in the garden and would like to reach them all if possible. This work 

 means much to the farming interest of our state. " 



Our own short experience proves conclusively that children never fail to 

 respond to our teaching about birds, and therefore it is our duty to expand as 

 rapidly as possible this branch of our work. This is not a new idea, for Col- 

 eridge says: 



"That strain again! 



"Full fain it would delay me! My dear babe, 



"Who, capable of no articulate sound, 



"Mars all things with his imitative lisp, 



"How he would place his hand beside his ear, 



"His little hand, the small fore-finger up, 



"And bid us listen! And I deem it wise 



"To make him nature's playmate — 



" — — — — — And, if that Heaven 



"Should give me life, his childhood shall grow up 



"Familiar with these songs." 



