PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF BIRDS 141 



knowledge about the birds, and to arouse a more general in- 

 terest in their protection. The idea originated with Professor 

 C. A. Babcock, of Oil City, Pa. In May, 1894, a day was 

 observed there as Bird Day, and the schools of other cities 

 soon followed this example. Now the day is a regular feature 

 of the school calendar of several states, and in some of them 

 its observance is even recognized by law. 



Education is very properly recognized as one of the most 



Fig. 26. Young Grosbeaks. 



important factors in bird protection. Courts of law and 

 officers are not as effective for this purpose as a strong 

 sentiment in school children in favor of the birds. For the 

 small boy is most destructive of the local song birds. By 

 education proper sentiments can be instilled into the boys that 

 will remain with them as men, and, not least in importance, 

 the girls can be taught to see the cruelty of wearing birds' 

 plumage and to abhor the fashion for that reason when they 

 grow up. 



Bird Day should be the culmination rather than the be- 

 ginning of bird study. After the birds have been studied 



