OUR COMMON BIRDS 



3" 



past fifteen years our birds have decreased 46 per cent in 

 thirty states and territories. For each of the states named 

 this decrease has been as stated in the margin. Three 

 states — North Carolina, Oregon, and California — show 

 neither increase nor decrease ; and only four states — 

 Kansas, Wyoming, Wash- 



ington, and Utah — have 

 had an increase of bird life. 

 It would be a worthy am- 

 bition to infuse into our 

 school system, reaching, as 

 it does, the life and heart 

 of every child, the purpose 

 to change this destructive 

 process to one of increase 

 in every county, farm, and 

 city lot of the land. 



Climatic influences are 

 severe in this country. 

 Great numbers of birds are 

 killed in heavy rain and 

 hailstorms. Whole species 

 are decimated in sleet and 

 snowstorms within the 

 range of their southern migrations, 

 were killed off in 1895, and fearful havoc was wrought 

 in a number of our most valuable species in the Southern 

 States during the winter of 1898-1899. With these ele- 

 ments it is difficult to contend. To what extent man is 

 responsible by reason of clearing out natural shelter and 

 destroying natural food supplies it is impossible to say. 



Thus our bluebirds 



