70 OUR NATIVE BIRDS 
tain a public library, new popular scientific books 
might also be referred to from time to time. We must 
bring the results of scientific investigators home to the 
people, and here is a field white to harvest and more 
workers are needed. Boys and girls will be found 
enthusiastic in this kind of work, if teachers give them 
the necessary amount of encouragement and assistance. 
To act as mediators between the people and the univer- 
sities is one of the noble missions of the teachers in 
common and secondary schools. “ For life, not simply 
for the school,” is our motto. 
Do not overlook the county newspapers. Their 
editors are generally intelligent men that are glad 
to publish communications on the topics just dis- 
cussed. 
In conclusion, I would therefore say: Do not shoot 
owls, hawks, and eagles. There may be sweetness in 
the twitter of the warbler, but there is grandeur in the 
soaring of the kite and majesty in the flight of the 
eagle. 
About crows and jays, it may be said that they un- 
doubtedly are guilty of some mischief among smaller 
birds. The crow must, however, be classed as gen- 
erally beneficial, and the jay will certainly be forgiven 
many sins by those who live where birds are plentiful 
in summer but scarce in winter. During the very cold 
weather of January and February, 1899, the blue jays 
were the only native birds that called merrily from 
trees and chimney tops in the city of St. Paul. Almost 
daily, their sky-blue plumage was displayed amongst 
