The Audubon Note Book. 



65 



I know the boy nature thoroughly and know if they 

 are permitted to kill one bird they will kill any or all, 

 even kill the sparrow when she has little ones and 

 leave them to starve. I do not think even you would 

 encourage this. You say the sparrow is strictly 

 granivourous. This is incorrect, as thousands who 

 have watched it can testify. It was not long ago 

 that a small crowd of people in our street were watch- 

 ing a little sparrow trying to kill a large black beetle. 

 The sparrow is not considered a pest in Europe. 

 Had that character been given him, he never would 

 have been brought here. The skunk, which you 

 mention in your Hst of nuisances, has been killed 

 without mercy, but a writer in the Audubon Maga- 

 zine testifies that he clears his field of potato bugs! 

 Give him credit for that. If we do not see the use of 

 created tilings I ascribe it to our ignorance, and do 

 not say that the all-wise Creator has made a nuisance. 

 You say that some States have passed laws making 

 it a penal offense to harbor the sparrow. It was not 

 many years ago that there was a law forbidding any 

 one to harbor or feed a fellow being if his skin were 

 colored. There is a higher law overruling man's in 

 regard to men and birds. You say man is the chief 

 brute of creation, but then woman is his mother. 

 True, but then he takes after his father. You say 

 the sparrow is dirty and feeds on horse-droppings. 

 Your favorite robin, when she has her little brood, 

 feeds on the undigested worms that pass through the 

 little ones. I do not consider anything dirty or un- 

 clean in the brute creation, but admire the wisdom 

 of the Creator that has planned it so that one creature 

 can be supported on the refuse of another! The little 

 sparrow has made the winter pleasant to old and 

 young, and invalids (who have so few pleasures), 

 with his merry twitterings and pretty ways ; he is at 

 work winter as well as summer. He eats the lice 

 around the fruit and flower buds (some ignorantly 

 say he is biting off the buds), the elm trees look far 

 better since he has been at work upon them. He is 

 not to blame that he came to this country. Blame 

 those who brought him here if any censure is needed. 

 But let not man be more cruel than old Winter, who, 

 when the little things succumb to the cold, puts them 

 to sleep kindly and lays a white quilt gently over the 

 poor, little frozen bodies. If ever I go forth to fight 

 and want an opponent, it will not be the poor little de- 

 fenseless sparrow. Yours truly, 



Lydia L. a. Very. 



tion and control of the Yellowstone National Park. 

 Every one has heard of this fairy region, which con- 

 tains within its area a collection of natural wonders 

 unequalled in the world, and which is now the last 

 retreat of the little remnant of our buffalo, elk, and 

 other great game; and every one with a spark of 

 patriotic sentiment must naturally wish to preserve 

 this remarkable region to the American people for 

 all time. Senator Vest's bill makes all necessary 

 provision for the preservation of this region, but its 

 passage was opposed last session by the represent- 

 atives of a few individuals, who want to run a rail- 

 way through the Park. The effect of this might be 

 to erect drinking saloons, inclose geysers, encourage 

 poaching on the last of the big game, and generally 

 to treat the Park as their own property for conversion 

 into dollars and dimes by levying taxes on all visitors. 

 This is a job which the whole American people is 

 interested in averting, and it can be averted if the 

 Legislature at Washington be made aware that the 

 people are interesting themselves in the subject, and 

 we trust our readers will do their share to contribute 

 to so desirable an end. Forms of petitions in dupli- 

 cate will be mailed free on application to Forest and 

 Stream Publishing Co., New York, N. Y. 



A Thoughtful Great Lady. — The Empress of 

 Brazil is one of the great ladies who will not count- 

 enance the wearing of birds' feathers or bodies about 

 their persons. Though Brazil is noted for its birds 

 of brilliant plumage the Empress never allows their 

 feathers to be used for any part of her dress. Since 

 she has been at Cannes she has assured a visitor that, 

 "much as she admires the feathers of the magnificent 

 birds of Brazil, she only likes them on their bodies." 



Cruelty Personified. — A woman lately returned 

 from Europe brought a reception gown that must 

 have had 200 little brown birds, fastening a rose-col- 

 ored crepe upon a skirt of white silk. A circlet of the 

 little feathered creatures is for the head. "I believe 

 it would be a good dress for a character to wear at a 

 costume ball," said its owner; "only I wouldn't know 

 what to call it. What would you say for a name?" 

 "Cruelty to animals," replied the friend. 



Preservation of the Yellowstone Park. — A 

 movement has been set on foot by the Forest and 

 Stream Publishing Company to influence Congress 

 by petitions in support of Senator Vest's bill now 

 before the Senate providing for the proper conserva- 



To Color Canaries Red. — Editor Audubon 

 Magazine: Perhaps some of your young readers who 

 keep canaries might like to know how to color the 

 feathers red, and orange. It is very simple. When 

 the birds begin to moult keep them supplied with 

 plenty of red peppers, as much as they will eat, in 

 addition to their regular food. I have a canary who 

 is almost pink. From one of your members. — 

 Montie Schuyler, Jr. 



