THE GUIDE TO NATURE 
3 6 
entire species have already been sacri- 
ficed. If action is to be taken, it must 
be at once. For protection, to be 
effective, must come, not merely before 
the species has been annihilated, but 
before it has been so reduced as to 
suffer the weakening effect of inbreed- 
ing- or the failure of the scattered indi- 
viduals to find each other and raise 
young. 
In view of all that is known by nat- 
uralists of the habits of this inoffensive 
bird, the hostility to the eagle in Alaska 
is based rather on misinformation and 
ignorant prejudice than on any real 
damage done by the birds. The tales 
of its ferocity and destructiveness to 
game or domestic animals are for the 
greater part pure fiction, for the rest, 
usually gross exaggerations. More- 
over, it is the demonstrated policy of 
the United States Department of Agri- 
culture — wise from experience — to dis- 
countenance bounty laws for the ex- 
termination of birds of prey. Much 
money is spent each year in the control 
of harmful rodents whose increase is 
favored by the destruction of such 
birds. For our “American” eagle there 
is the added plea of its patriotic sig- 
nificance. And finally, as it is a migra- 
tory bird, the right to destroy it can- 
not be claimed by any State or Terri- 
tory. Like most of our other migratory 
birds, it should be protected by the 
Federal Government — particularly as 
the effect of the protective laws 
adopted for its preservation in most of 
our States is being annulled by the 
action of a single Territory. 
The general indifference to the fate 
of the great bird of splendid tradition 
is due. beyond doubt, to the common 
lack of information reearding its 
threatened extinction. The situation 
calls for publicity of the widest. The 
sheer vandalism of the destruction of 
the bird should be checked, and 
checked at once. The crusade for its 
protection should enlist the enthusiasm 
and sincere effort of bird lovers and 
bird students throughout the country, 
of our scientific and patriotic societies, 
and of the public press. It is only by 
the prompt passage of a Federal law 
protecting the American eagle that our 
national bird can be saved from total 
extinction. 
J. H. DAVIES, 
Secretary, Publicity Committee. 
THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE. 
Kindness is a Language the Deaf Can 
Hear and the Dumb Can 
Understand. 
As the children came trooping into 
a certain ward school one morning, the 
teacher noticed a strange boy among 
them. She bade him come to her, but 
he did not mind. Stepping down the 
aisle, she laid her hand upon his head 
and looked kindly into his big blue 
eyes. He smiled brightly and spoke in 
Swedish. He could not understand a 
word of English. She gave him a place 
at her desk, set him copies, and prac- 
tised him on the most common words 
and phrases at every odd moment. He 
would try a hundred times on a hard 
word if she bade him to try ; so. he was 
soon able to do work in class. One day 
when she had praised his progress. he 
said eagerly, his beautiful eyes shining 
with love, “Your goodness makes 
things easy for me.” 
What would have happened if she 
had punished him when he could not 
understand ? The result would with- 
out doubt have been very different. 
Can we not apply the little incident 
above to our relations with those 
around us who do not seem to under- 
stand? Especially the animals under 
our care and those with whom we come 
in touch, should we try to reach 
through the universal language of kind- 
ness ; a language which is understood 
by man and animal as well. It is simply 
practicing the Golden Rule. Protect 
and defend the weak and helpless. 
M. L. H. 
Box 144, Copley Sq.. Humane Educa- 
tion Bureau, Boston, Mass. 
From My Window. 
Across the gleaming- hay 
That toward the sunrise lay 
Two wooded hills their rounded contour 
lent 
To grace a picture rare. 
Where in the morning air, 
Soft opal tints were with the others blent. 
Some stately near-by trees. 
Faint stirred by early breeze, 
The framework made for all this love- 
liness, 
And as we gazed anew 
On this enchanting view. 
The earliest sunbeam came as a caress. 
— Emma Peirce. 
