1915, and I had just delivered an illustrated lecture on "How to Attract Wild Birds" in a large room of the simple dwelling, which with the grounds about it is called "Sagamore Hill." My audience was composed chiefly of the Colonel's and Mrs. 6 Roosevelt's friends and neighbors. At the close of the lecture there was free discussion of the subject, and many questions were asked and answered. Then, as I always do at the close of this lecture, I suggested that a local bird club be organized. The suggestion was accepted, and the audience voted to or10 ganize the club then and there. Colonel Roosevelt was chosen as the first president, and it was named "The Bird Club of Long Island." Had the birds known how important a night this was for them, I am sure that they would have sent delegates from all 15 parts of the country to Sagamore Hill to express their gratitude in song. Colonel Roosevelt at once wrote an appeal which was sent out to hundreds of his "fellow Long-Islanders," as he called them, asking them to help him forward the objects of the new 20 Bird Club. In speaking of the work to be done, Colonel Roosevelt said: "The preservation of the birds is of great economic importance to all of us, and especially to the farmers because of the war they make upon the insect foes which are the most dan25 gerous enemies of the farm, garden, and woodland. "Our aim should be three-fold: first, to put a stop to all molestation of beautiful and useful birds by man or by the domestic creatures which man can control; second, to encourage these birds by making existence easier for them; third, to 80 war against their natural foes. 85 "As regards the first and most important object, every effort should be made in the home and at school to teach our boys the beauty of wild life and the immense attractiveness that birds give by their presence around our houses and in the woods. "Entirely apart from their usefulness we should understand that the mere presence of birds, the chance of observing their habits and listening to their singing ought to give us the pleasure that we get from looking at beautiful pictures or listening to good music." 5 The president then spoke of the fine work which could be done by the Boy Scouts in protecting birds, and pointed out that it should be a matter of honorable obligation among both men and boys, never to molest birds in any way, and to take prompt action against those who do molest them. He made a 10 special plea for the quail, which he said was now so rare that it should never be shot. He spoke of the domestic cat as an inveterate enemy of those birds which it is most desirable to save, and expressed regret that there was not a license for cats. Finally he told his neigh15 bors how birds might be attracted to the home grounds by means of baths and drinking places in summer, food in winter, and bird houses and shelves during the nesting season. From that moment the bird club became a power for good. Hundreds of people from all parts of Long Island hastened to 20 join it, and then helped to forward its objects. They represented about fifty chapters or branches of the organization, and each branch began to interest its own town or village in birds and bird protection. They set an example not only by feeding the birds in winter, by giving them water in summer, 25 and by putting up nesting boxes in the spring and autumn, but also by calling neighbors' meetings to discuss bird problems. From time to time the club issued leaflets to tell the members what kinds of food to put out for the birds, how to make bird baths and bird houses, and what kinds of trees and shrubs to 80 plant in order to attract birds to the gardens and farms. Large areas of field and woodland were set apart as bird sanctuaries, and around them were posted signs forbidding the shooting of birds. Lecturers on bird life were sent to the schools, to interest the pupils in the club, and prizes were offered for 85 the best bird houses and photographs of birds. Soon, thousands of people who had never thought much about such things before were enjoying the companionship of their feathered neighbors. To give just one example of the pleasure they got, I will tell you about a member who was ill and who had to stay in bed all winter. She kept her windows open day and night, and when her meals were brought to her, her little bird friends would fly in, alight on the bed, and help themselves to whatever they wanted from her tray. But perhaps the best work of the club was not on Long 10 Island at all. It was done indirectly in scores of towns and villages throughout the country, where the people heard of the interesting things accomplished around Oyster Bay by Colonel Roosevelt and his splendid bird club, and determined to follow his good example by organizing bird clubs of their own. 15 In this way the good work is spreading over the country. I hope that each pupil who reads this story will play his part well in this great movement, by starting a bird club, or by helping to make a success of one which has already been started. NOTES AND QUESTIONS Biography. Ernest Harold Baynes (1868- ), an American author and naturalist, lives in Meriden, New Hampshire. He is an authority on the service birds and animals rendered in the World War, because he was sent overseas to the front to make a permanent history of the warwork of animals. (See "Our Animal Allies in the World War," by Mr. Baynes in Harper's Magazine, January, 1921.) Mr. Baynes is a member of the National Association of Audubon Societies and of the American Bison Society. His book Wild Bird Guests was written to interest people in protecting birds. Theodore Roosevelt wrote a preface for it, in which he says, "The Meriden Club has furnished a model for all similar experiments in preserving bird life, and Mr. Baynes writes in advocacy of a cause which by practical achievement he has shown to be entitled to the support of every sensible man, woman, and child in the country." Discussion. 1. How did Theodore Roosevelt practice what he preached in the cause of bird protection? 2. What organizations in your locality look after the protection of birds? 3. Some cities have passed laws making it necessary for owners to take out licenses for their cats or to see that the cats wear bells; has your city any such regulation? 4. Find in the Glossary the meaning of: forward; economic; inveterate; sanctuary. 5. Pronounce: illustrated; molestation. Suggested Problems You will find in this book from time to time suggested problems, some of which are to be worked out by you alone and some with the help of your classmates. It is often a good plan to make use of all the various talents in a class in order to carry out successfully a piece of work that the class would like to do. The members of most seventh grade classes represent a wide range of abilities in art, music, reading, composing, dramatizing, printing, manual training, etc. With the guidance of your teacher you will learn how to help plan even a big undertaking and to carry it out successfully without anyone's being overburdened, because all the talent in the class is made use of and because each member is made to feel responsibility for his share. Here is a suggestion for a class undertaking, or "problem." Prepare a program for a public meeting of your Bird Club. Your program may include: (a) An exhibit of bird houses, bird baths, and feeding shelves, made by members of the club (Bird Houses and How to Build Them and How to Attract Birds are illustrated bulletins sent free by the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.; Good Bungalows for Good Birds is also sent free by the Southern Cypress Manufacturers' Association, New Orleans, Louisiana); (b) Three-minute talks by members about personal experiences with birds; (c) Reading or recitation of one or more poems about birds; (d) A contest to see who is able to recognize the greatest number of birds from stereopticon slides or from colored pictures that may be secured from the library or museum; (e) Talking-machine records of bird notes and songs (See Victor Records, "Bird Chorus" and "Songs of Our Native Birds," Kellogg, "Songs and Calls of our Native Birds," Gorst; and Columbia. Record, "Bird Calls," Avis); (f) A distribution of previously prepared lists of bird books or interesting bird stories and poems, citing the magazines and books in which the selections may be found; (g) Advertisements of the meeting by means of posters and newspaper announcements prepared by class members. 5 Thou comest not when violets lean Thou waitest late, and com'st alone, 10 When woods are bare and birds are flown, And frosts and shortening days portend The aged year is near his end. Then doth thy sweet and quiet eye Look through its fringes to the sky, 15 Blue-blue-as if that sky let fall A flower from its cerulean wall. |