THIRD BIENNIAL STATEMENT 97 



the promotion of the wild life publications of the Ligue 

 Francaise pour la Protection des Oiseaux. This was ren- 

 dered necessary by the enormous cost in Paris of print 

 paper and printing, and the threatened cessation of the im- 

 portant bird protection propaganda on that account. 



While it is not seemly to be unduly complacent over the 

 placing of small sums of money for the promotion of great 

 causes, we can not suppress a feeling of secret satisfaction 

 over our having had sufficient animal intelligence to per- 

 ceive a great opportunity to render service to the cause of 

 bird protection in a place and time wherein we know that 

 outside aid is needed. If anywhere on this distracted earth 

 the aid of the crop-protecting birds is sorely needed at this 

 time, it is needed in France and Belgium today. The bird- 

 protectors of France, like the gallant soldiers of France dur- 

 ing the terrible struggle for the life of the French nation, 

 need the assurance that there are outsiders tuho care for 

 the birds and the crops of France! Words of praise are 

 excellent things to give and to receive; but in protecting 

 crops they kill no insects! 



He, or she, who would aid the crop-growers of France 

 and Belgium in the decrease of insects and the increase of 

 food, may well bestow gifts of money within the campaign 

 funds of French and Belgian and Italian bird-protecting 

 organizations. The writer feels that, beyond all comparison, 

 the subscriptions made to bird protection in France will be 

 more far-reaching in their work for the good of humanity 

 at large than any other expenditures that have been made 

 during the war by this Fund save in the promotion of our 

 migratory bird treaty and in wild life sanctuary work. 



In France, bird protection work already is well organized. 

 Before the war it was in excellent shape. The campaign 

 pamphlets of Monsieur Menegaux and M. Andre Godard 

 were most excellent documents and their wide distribution 

 is the best proof of French activities in that field. 



