238 



Bird - Lore 



2^irtr=1tore 



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, MABELOSGOOD WRIGHT 



Published by D. APPLETON & CO. 



Vol. XX 



Published June 1, 1918 



No. 3 



SUBSCRIPTION RATES 



Price in the United States, one dollar and tiftvcentsa year; 

 outside the United States, one dollar and seventy-five cents, 

 postage paid, 



COPYKIGHTED, igiS, BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



Bird-Lore's Motto: 

 A Bird in the Bush Is Worth Two in the Hand 



When the Birdcraft Sanctuary and 

 Museum was evolved under the direction 

 of Mabel Osgood Wright, some three 

 years ago, we unreservedly expressed our 

 belief that, in its field, the enterprise was 

 one of the most important practical steps 

 to promote an interest in the study of 

 birds with which we were familiar. 



It required, indeed, very little imagina- 

 tion to see the bright future which lay 

 ahead of this novel attempt to combine a 

 museum of dead birds with an exhibit of 

 live ones. Nevertheless, we read with much 

 satisfaction Mrs. Wright's report of the 

 development of this enterprise and of its 

 growing hold upon the locality in which it 

 is situated. 



Birdcraft, having passed the experi- 

 mental stage, is now a convincing demon- 

 stration of what may be accomplished 

 with a comparatively small outlay in any 

 suburban community. 



It was not necessary to acquire square 

 miles of territory — ten acres were enough 

 — nor was a large and imposing edifice 

 essential. A modest building, enlarged as 

 circumstances required, has answered 

 every purpose. 



Herein lies Birdcraft's chief value as an 

 object lesson — it was not planned on a 

 scale which prohibits duplication. 



What we now hope to see is the adop- 

 tion of the Birdcraft idea throughout the 

 country. Here is a mark for every public 

 spirited nature-lover, Audubon Society, 

 and bird club to aim at. One is not re- 



quired to advocate the adoption of a 

 theory, for the greatest doubter must admit 

 that Birdcraft has passed the theoretical 

 stage. 



Here is an abiding place for the local 

 natural history society, and a focal point 

 in every phase of community life which has 

 to do with nature. The value to any 

 organization of a home where its interests 

 may be developed and its possessions 

 deposited is too well knc wn to require 

 comment. But we perhaps ^o not at first 

 realize how greatly any groap of people 

 who are aiming to secure the support and 

 cooperation of their neighbors for the 

 common good, is strengthened by having 

 an actual exhibit of what they stand for. 



The influence of the Birdcraft idea on 

 children cannot well be overestimated. 

 The very fact that, as Mrs. Wright says, 

 it is a "rural, cottage affair" is all in its 

 favor. A visit to a neighboring city with 

 its great museum may be out of the ques- 

 tion, but a local, village museum is always 

 within reach. And the chances are that, 

 so far as its collections go, more informa- 

 tion will be gained from the small local, 

 than from the large general institution. 



So far as we are aware no large museum 

 in this country has solved the problem of 

 making its exhibits speak. Infinite 

 care has been devoted to labels and no 

 pains spared to word them intelligently 

 and print them clearly. But too often it 

 happens that he who runs does not read and, 

 at the best, the average mind soon tires 

 in its search for information. Herein, in 

 our opinion, lies the very essence of Bird- 

 craft's success. Its exhibits are not ex- 

 pected to tell their story merely through 

 the printed, but also through the spoken 

 word. 



No Birdcraft then will be complete 

 unless it includes, besides its specimens, 

 stuffed and living, a caretaker, warden, or 

 curator, call him what you will, who can 

 and will speak with authority and sympa- 

 thetic understanding of the student's 

 difficulties, concerning the museum and 

 sanctuary of which he has charge. Inci- 

 dentally, such a position offers wide oppor- 

 tunity for an intensive study of bird-life. 



