CLASS TWO. One may not be able to recognize 

 statistically the benefits from this class so easily, but 

 nevertheless I believe them to be just as real and valu- 

 able. Were birds actually worthless economically yet 

 their beauty in appearance and song would still war- 

 rant their protection. The aesthetic is certainly one 

 of the greatest of esthetic realities. The study of 

 ornithology has been said to destroy the student's ap- 

 preciation of the subject of his study's beauty and 

 charm. I do not deny this to be true in certain cases, 

 but I am sure that this will not hold in the average 

 case. And, moreover, unquestionably study of a 

 species is needed for its adequate protection, so that it 

 may increase and we may derive from the study, 

 through the protection, a still greater amount of that 

 beauty. 



To attempt to show the value to the world of beauty 

 in ornithology is practically impossible to such per- 

 sons as have not themselves the appreciation for such 

 beauty; and to those who are capable of eesthetic ap- 

 preciation in birds, explanation is not what is needed 

 — merely a chance for individual and original observa- 

 tion is required. 



Then there is one more value to be derived from the 

 study, through the resulting protection and that is the 

 saving for a constant, but moderate use, the birds of 

 the world for sport. Were we not to protect birds 

 from an immoderate killing it would be only a matter 

 of a few years before there would be no sport, because 

 there would be no birds; and were we not to study 

 birds, we would not be able, as I have shown, to afford 

 them an adequate protection and preservation from 

 extinction. 



17 



