

NATURAL 
WHY NOT JOIN THE L.A.S8.? 
What shall we do to protect our birds? 
We pass laws but what good do they do? 
We have a state and city law but every 
snow storm brings thousands of horned 
larks to our streets to feed, and hundreds 
are killed by men and boys, regardless 
of laws or of humane feeling. The 
other day a farmer told me about swal- 
lows that nested under the eaves of his 
barn last spring. He said he got a club 
and knocked the nests down, killing 75 
young and breaking many eggs. You 
can not teach that class of people any- 
thing. 
We must teach the boys and girls the 
beauty and benefits of our birds. I 
thought when bird day was first proposed 
it was just the thing, but I have changed 
my mind. I think, now, if bird day 
should be generally observed in the 
United States it would be a mistake. 
agree with G. A. Mack in February ReEc- 
REATION. Interest a boy in the study of 
birds and you make an egg collector of 
him. We have too many now that collect 
eggs as they do postage stamps, to see 
who can get the largest collection with 
no thought of their value. 
Ornithologists are born, not made. This 
question of bird protection is a serious 
one and the decrease of birds is alarming. 
Most people do not notice this decrease. 
They look at nature and her birds and do 
not see her beauty nor think of the bene- 
fit the birds are. The ornithologist sees 
the birds are scarcer every year as he 
tramps through woods and meadows. 
Where once birds were abundant, now 
only a few remain. How dreary these 
places will be when they are all gone, 
the fields laid bare and the crops de- 
stroyed by insects that the birds ate. 
Here in Colorado new species of insects 
are added to the list every year. We now 
stand second on the list. Nebraska first 
with 400 species, Colorado second with 
374. While the insects are  increas- 
‘ing the number of birds has decreased 
about one-half in the last 15 years. I 
am not an alarmist, but these things will 
come to pass. We may not see it, but 
the rising generation will. The orni- 
thologist is the man to advocate protec- 
tion. 
_Let us organize an ornithological so- 
ciety in every state, and let the members 
see that the laws are enforced, and the 
gospel of protection spread everywhere. 
W. L, Burnett, Fort Collins, Colo. 
il 
133 
HISTORY. 
ANSWER. 
Why not all join the L. A. S.? That is 
already organized and at work. It was or- 
ganized solely for the pnrpose of protect- 
ing the birds, the mammals and tie fishes 
It has already made a record and is mak- 
ing more of it every day. It has 2,000 
members distributed over 42 States. It 
has arrested and fined a number of men 
for killing song birds and is watching for 
other offenders. Why ask for the or- 
ganization of other societies when you 
have the right kind already organized? 
Send in your $ Brother Burnet. 

A HEAVY PIGEON SHOWER. 
(eaconay New iow Viaten Ss. alooo: 
Editor RECREATION: 
I have seen a great deal in your valued 
magazine about the pigeons and what has 
become of them and have thought several 
times I would write to you on the sub- 
ject, as I may be able to give you some 
information which may be of interest to 
you as well as to some of the readers of 
RECREATION. We all remember how we 
used to look forward to the flight of the 
pigeons in spring time,25 or 30yearsago, 
and what thousands of them used to pass 
over nearly all parts of New York State. 
This town, or a little East of here, was 
once a famous feeding ground for them 
and a man to whom I am indebted for a 
good portion of my information at that 
time made a business of trapping them 
for the market, for trap shooting, etc. 
One spring in the 70’s he captured here 
(3,000 dozen). In the spring of 1875 the 
pigeons made a flight North to this part 
of the State about the last of March or 
first of April, it having set in warm quite 
early. Immediately after their arrival it 
turned cold and they all disappeared, go- 
ing South. 
Mr. Miles Blodgett, now an old manliv- 
ing here who made a business of catching 
them went South in the State to ascertain 
if possible their whereabouts and finally 
located them near the village of Byetown 
on the line between New York and Penn- 
sylvania; meantime snow had fallen quite 
deep and the pigeons having begun to 
roost in the small timbers, chilled, would 
fall out of their nests into the snow. The 
ground was literally covered, and thou- 
sands of them died in this way. 
Still the main body of the flight had left 
Byetown going Northeast, in a storm of 
rain and sleet. Mr. Blodgett went after 
them at once taking the train for Malone, 

