BY THE WAYSIDE 
A Good Friend of the Birds 
In the autumn of 1871 Horace Gree- 
ley, the great journalist, delivered a 
lecture in Janesville, Wis., for the 
> benefit of a local literary society, and 
during liis stay in Janesville was the 
guest of Harmon S. Conger, then 
Judge of the 12th Judicial Circuit. 
The Judge and Mr. Greeley were old 
friends, as was also an invited guest, 
a neighbor of Mr. Conger. Grapes 
from the Judge’s garden were served 
' at dinner and in commenting on the 
fruit, Mr. Conger’s neighbor com¬ 
plained of the trouble lie was having 
in trying to save his berries from the 
birds. “I have shot them and shot 
them”, he said, “but it is simply im¬ 
possible to keep the birds away from 
the vines”. With a shocked expres¬ 
sion upon his genial face and a piteous 
look in his eye, Dr. Greeley silently 
gazed at his old chum; then he ex¬ 
claimed, “What! do you mean to tell 
me that yon would shoot the birds to 
save your grapes?” “Why not? re¬ 
plied Mr. X, “I can’t raise grapes to 
feed the birds.” 
The great journalist looked long at 
his old friend, then spoke with sup¬ 
pressed feeling “Oh! my God, how 
happy I could be if I lived where I 
could raise grapes for the birds.’ 
The above narrative illustrative of 
the true bird lover is given to me by 
my friend, Horace McElroy of Janes¬ 
ville, Wisconsin, who was at that time 
a member of Judge Conger’s family. 
j H. L. Skavlem. 
i 
It seems as tho a concerted effort 
were to be made by various depart- 
11 
ments of the University of Wisconsin 
to maintain the flora, fauna, and the 
natural beauty of the University’s 
grounds. Missing indigenous plants 
are to be set out and nesting sites 
maintained for the birds. Various in¬ 
dividuals and departments have been 
doing this for some time. Much of 
the credit for securing concerted ac¬ 
tion belongs to Mr. A. C. Burrill. Con¬ 
servation, like all other things, should 
begin at home. We can all lend the 
University our moral support at least, 
and many should do more. 
The following passage is copied 
from a prospectus of an English book 
on the Pigeons and Doves of India. 
“* * * At such times as this 1 
have seen a flock of birds run the 
guantlet of seven guns,—my own, 
alas! amongst them—and finally van¬ 
ish with their number complete and 
nothing more than a few feathers flut¬ 
tering slowly to the ground to show 
that one shot amongst the seven has' 
been more nearly successful than the 
rest. Up to about nine thirty the fun 
is fast and furious, * * *” We 
venture to say that it is about time 
that men who claim good standing 
among zoologists and ornithologists 
should realize that sentiments such as 
the above do not add anything to their 
credit. It undoubtedly requires a cer¬ 
tain skill to be able to hit a mark 'with 
a gun, and it may also be a legitimate 
field for human endeavor to perfect 
oneself in this way, but to use one’s 
skill Jo wantonly destroy l ife__wliere 
necessity is no factor in the attendant 
circumstances is well nigh disgracing 
