Editorial 



381 



iStrtMHore 



A Bi-Monthly Magazine 



Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds 



OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETIES 



Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



ContributingEditor.MABELOSGOODWRIGHT 



Published by D. APPLETON & CO. 



Vol. XV Published December 1, 1913 No. 6 



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 Price in the United States, Canada and Mexico, twenty cents 

 a number, one dollar a year, postage paid. 



COPYRIGHTED, 1913, BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



Bird-Lore's Motto: 

 A Bird in the Bush Is Worth Two in the Hand 



In the annals of bird-protection, 1913 

 will be forever memorable as the year in 

 which were passed the most important 

 and far-reaching measures for the con- 

 servation of bird-life that have ever been 

 enacted. Both are federal laws, but both 

 are not only national but international 

 in their scope. The Shiras- Weeks-McLean 

 Migratory Bird Law should insure birds 

 which winter south of the United States 

 an undisturbed journey, so far as man is 

 concerned, across our territory to their 

 breeding -grounds in Canada. The law 

 prohibiting the importation of plumage 

 should exert a most salutary influence in 

 protecting the birds of countries beyond 

 our jurisdiction. Let us hope that their 

 rulers may be induced to emulate the 

 example America has set them. 



The passage of these laws does not imply 

 that the legislative battle is over. The 

 enemy is routed, but not annihilated, and 

 in due season will doubtless return to the 

 attack. Meanwhile we may focus our 

 efforts on spreading a knowledge of the 

 value of birds to man. Small use is it 

 for us to conserve and increase our capital 

 in bird-life unless we may hope for some 

 interest on the investment; and this inter- 

 est is to be gained by bringing to the 

 people a knowledge of birds in nature. 

 Already, through the donation of Mrs. 

 Sage and an anonymous giver (unques- 

 tionably a bird-lover who would make it 

 possible for others to enjoy the delights 

 which come with even a passing acquaint- 



ance with birds), the National Associa- 

 tion of Audubon Societies has been 

 enabled to inaugurate a systematic plan 

 of bird study in cooperation with schools, 

 which seems destined to exert a greater 

 and more widespread influence than we 

 at present can realize. In 191 1, 10,595 

 children were enrolled in these Junior 

 Audubon Classes. In 191 2 the number, 

 through an increased appropriation for 

 the work, was increased to 29,369, and 

 in the year ending October 28, 1913, it 

 had grown to 53,157. In three years, there- 

 fore, 93,121 children have received suffi- 

 cient instruction in bird-study to acquaint 

 them in a general way with the beauty 

 and usefulness of birds. Incidentally, 

 through the payment of a ten-cent fee 

 required for entrance to Junior Audubon 

 Classes, these children have contributed 

 $9,312.10 toward the work of the National 

 Association, and through the leaflets and 

 buttons which are given them they are 

 brought into definite touch with an 

 organization to which they may look for 

 information, should they desire to extend 

 their acquaintance with birds. 



It is a splendid undertaking, the extent 

 of which is limited only by the amount 

 available for its development. Probably 

 the day will come when the Association 

 can devote the greater part of its time 

 and income to educational work, when 

 resident teachers may be themselves 

 instructed and stimulated by a corps of 

 traveling lecturers, and when courses of 

 instruction may not be limited to the lower 

 grades. Then, indeed, shall we be making 

 proper use of the talent which too long 

 has remained hidden. 



Each year sees an increase in Bird- 

 Lore's size, and we find that the volume 

 which closes with this December number 

 contains about 100 pages more than the 

 first two volumes combined! The much 

 greater cost of manufacture makes it 

 inadvisable to print a larger number of 

 each issue of the magazine than the sub- 

 scription list calls for, and in view of this 

 fact we call attention to the publishers' 

 note on the second page of this number. 



