4 
6 
\ 
limit of increase been already reached, so that attempts to increase the 
numbers would be useless? All such questions open up wide and im¬ 
portant fields for observation and investigation. Food supply, for all 
seasons of the year, is the main factor in 
What thou art we know not; . . ArVl . ... 
what is most like thee? this great senes of problems, i his will 
From rainbow clouds there flow not ...... ^ 
Drops so bright to see, be considered m a section by itself. I he 
As from thy presence showers a rain . r 
of melody. next great factors are natural enemies ot 
Teach us, spright or bird, bird life. In connection with each ele- 
What sweet thoughts are thine ; . . 
i have never heard ment in nature which tends to decrease 
Praise of love or wine ........ . . , . 
That panted forth a flood of rapture so our valuable bird life, we should endeavor 
to discover the best means of preventing 
Teach me half the gladness . . ^ . 
That thy brain must know, its operation, that this matter is now 
Such melodious madness ... . . _ . , 
From my lips must flow a national exigency, in the careful study 
The world should listen then, as I am .... . 
listening now. of which every patriotic citizen and every 
— Shelley. To a Skylark. ....... .. 
school child should participate, may be 
duly appreciated by referring to William T. Hornaday’s recent paper 1 
on the Destruction of our Birds and Mammals. We learn from this 
that during the past fifteen years our 
birds have decreased in thirty states and 
territories 46%. For each of the states 
named this decrease has been as stated in 
table. Three states, — North Carolina, 
Oregon, and California, show neither in¬ 
crease or decrease; and only four states, 
— Kansas, Wyoming, Washington and 
Utah have had an increase of bird life. 
It would be a most worthy ambition to 
infuse into our school system, reaching, 
as it does, the life and heart of every 
child, the purpose and the will to exert 
every effort to change this destructive 
process to one of increase, as rapid as pos¬ 
sible, in every state and territory, in every 
county, farm, and city lot of the land. 
Maine 
New Hampshire . 
Vermont 
Massachusetts, 
Rhode Island 
Connecticut , 
New York 
New Jersey . 
Pennsylvania 
Ohio, 
Indiana . 
Illinois . 
Michigan 
Wisconsin 
Iowa 
Missouri 
Nebraska 
North Dakota 
District of Columb 
South Carolina 
Georgia . 
Florida . 
Mississippi . 
Douisiana 
Arkansas 
Texas 
Indian Territory . 
Montana 
Colorado 
Idaho 
Average 
ia 
52 % 
32 
30 
27 
60 
75 
48 
37 
51 
38 
60 
38 
23 
40 
37 
36 
10 
58 
33 
32 
65 
77 
37 
55 
50 
67 
75 
75 
28 
40 
46 
Climatic influences are severe in this country. Great numbers of 
birds are killed in heavy rain and hail storms. Whole species are 
1 William T. Hornaday, Director of the N. Y. Zoological Park. The 
Destruction of our Birds and Mammals. Second Annual Report, N. Y. Zoologi¬ 
cal Society. N. Y., 1898. Office of the Society, 69 Wall Street. 
