8 
Juvenile collectors of birds’ skins, eggs and nests, and careless 
sportsmen, also stand in need of genuine education. The schools can 
easily reach the children of the country, and they in turn can carry 
most potent influences into the homes. Teaching can be made posi¬ 
tive rather than negative at every point, can impress the great values 
attaching to living birds, and set the children actively to work rearing, 
protecting and taming them, and then stuffed birds and empty egg 
shells will have very little attraction. 1 The rule used to be that a boy 
might “take one egg” from a nest. This may not be so bad, where 
there is only one boy. But boys have multiplied and birds have de¬ 
creased, hence few eggs are left for the birds, especially about our 
towns. For a city or town it may not be unwise to have a reference 
collection of birds’ .skins, nests and eggs common to the locality ; but 
even here the greatest care is necessary to prevent its furnishing incen¬ 
tive for boys to make similar collections of their own, or supplying 
excuse for all manner of robbing, any and every boy bringing in “for 
the Natural History Museum’’ any and every nest he can find. Col¬ 
lecting, if done at all by killing live birds and eggs, should be done by 
responsible persons who are capable of realizing that a live bird may 
be worth a hundred dollars a year to a community ; and that all the 
infinite possibilities for life and action, song, beauty and usefulness are 
flown when the bird is shot or the egg is blown. 
English sparrows are responsible for much decrease among certain 
of our native birds, especially the most desirable species about our 
cities and towns. This is the great obstacle that completely blocks 
the way of doing anything for our native birds. If we put up bird 
boxes, plant and procure trees for shelter and nesting places, provide 
food and water, the sparrows will “mob’’ any bluebird, wren, martin 
or swallow, drive off, break up the nests and devour the eggs of our 
robins, catbirds, song sparrows and vireos, and all our trouble will 
1 In the Upsala Street School, Worcester, Mass., Miss Mary C. Henry, 
Principal, with a devoted corps of teachers, has been putting this theory to 
practical test. The boys and girls, to a child, from the primary to highest 
grade, have been working enthusiastically for protection and increase of birds. 
The bird census for the second year showed an increase in number of nests of 
30%, and people in the neighborhood say that it is for the first time in their 
memory fit to live in, i. e., free from juvenile vandalism. The children in this 
school have brought in birds found dead, and these have been mounted, when 
suitable, for the school collection. This is a legitimate way in which to make 
collections, if such are desirable. 
