Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 267, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1910 — PROTECTION FOR SONG BIRDS OF THE NITED STATES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PROTECTION FOR SONG BIRDS OF THE NITED STATES

the songbirds of the United States have thrown about them the M strong arm of protection. For a H | quarter of a century there was J hard and systematic work to save creatures who were helpless to stive themselves and against whom, as someone has put it, the hand of man and the head of woman constantly were raised. It perhaps is hardly necessary to say that the allusion to the head of woman had to do with the fashion of wearing the plumage of native wild birds for decorations for hats and bonnets. It was a hard fight to get the masses of the People interested in the bird protection movement. Today very little is known in a general way of the manner in which success was wrought out - It is not at all uncomman even now to hear the bird protectors spoken of as mere sentimentalists, and there are men who have had a part in the fight to save the wild life who have been sneered at as effeminate. The truth is that most of the men who engaged in the work of preserving the feathered species were hard-headed and could prove on occasion that they were hard fisted. It takes only a casual glance at a woman’s hat today to show that the fashion of wearing feathers is still if not supreme, at least a ruler to a considerable degree. It should be known, however, that not once in a hundred times do you see on a woman’s head today the plumage of a native American bird. The traffic in the feathers of bluebirds, robins, catbirds and other dooryard pets has been almost entirely stopped. Even those who wish that the plumage-wearing habit should cease altogether are powerless to prevent the. sale of the feathers of certain species of foreign birds. The aigrette of which woman is so fond is a part of the plumage of-the snowy heron, a bird which lives not only in the United States but in certain foreign countries. If a bird is to be found in America and also abroad the sale of Its plumage is generally forbidden in the United States, but there is, and always has been, some difficulty in proving from whence came the supply. Law, generally speaking, has its technicality loophnles and the bird protective law is not exempt. Out of the bird protective movement grew the biological survey of the department of agri-

culture of the United States government. The biological survey has been of great service to the farmers of the United States and to all men engaged either directly or Indirectly In any form of agricultural pursuits. When the survey "Was threatened with extinction a few years ago by the apparent intention of congress to refuse It an appropriation, the farmers of the United States with the bird protectors and the real sportsmen, rose In Its defense and saved It. The survey probably will be spared to continue Its useful work as long as the agricultural department has existence. The history of bird protection in the United States naturally and ofVright, is connected with the history of two organizations, the various state Audubon societies for the protection of wild birds, and the American Ornithologists’ Union. Recently William Dutcher of New York, who is the president of the National Association of Audubon societies and a fellow of the American Ornithologists’ union, told the ornithologists of the world assembled in convention in a European .city the Btory of the bird protection movement In North America. Mr. Dutcher and all the other officers of the National Association of Audubon societies are men who have devoted their lives to the study of birds and to their protection. *• A celebrated French scientist said not long ago that if the bird life were to be swept out of existence man could survive only a few months. Because of the ravages of the Insects'

now held in check by the birds, the vegetation creatures would be destroyed by the insect enemies. So it would seem that if this French scientist is right, that in making their fight for the birds the defenders have been making their fight for man, a fact which is not appreciated by some of those who would suffer were it not for the constant saving efforts of men whom on occasion they have seen fit to call cranks. To lead up to the establishment of the Audubon societies, of which nearly every state in the Union has one, it might be said that it was not until the year 1883 that the public in the United States awakened to the fact that too many wild birds were being slaughtered, largely for millinery ornaments and other decorative purpos.es. In addition, thousands of song and insectivorous birds were killed annually for food. In his Btory of the movement for bird protection President Dutcher told of the beginnings of the crusade to save the lives of the songsters which year by year were coming back to the farm and the garden in greatly decreased numbers. Mr. Dutcher said, speaking of the condition in 1883: "The newspapers published items almost daily on the subject, and many strong editorials were written. A quotation from one of these entitled ‘The Sacrifices of Song Birds* will show the earnestness of the press in respect to the situation: ‘The destruction of American wild birds for millinery purposes has assumed stupendous proportions. The unholy work gives employment to a vast army of men and women and this army wages its campaign of destruction with a diabolical perfection of system.’ ‘‘The editorial In question further refers to details of the work published in other columns of the paper:, which furnishes evidence of the ghastly character of the business. The logical result of this newspaper agitation was that the American Ornithologists* union at its annual meeting held in New York city September 30, 1884, appointed a committee of its members to investigate the extent of the alleged wild bird destruction and to devise means to stop the slaughter By legal or any other legitimate method. "This committee found that the claims of the press and of individuals were not in the least exaggerated, but on the other hand did not fully represent the terrible Inroads that Were being made on the non-game birds.

After a lapse of a quarter of-a century it is hard for the people of the present day to realize the enormous number of birds that were slaughtered for the millinery trade alone. “The greatest sufferers were the white plum ag e sea and swamp birds, such as terns, gulls and heron, but incredible numbers of land birds also were sacrificed, some 60 or 70 species being included in the lists. In one millinery estabment alone 150 skins of the Baltimore orioles were found. “From. the work started by this committee in 1884 the present well-organized and financially endowed corporation known as the

National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds and Animals has resulted, although in the interim there were many periods when the outlook for bird protection in North America seemed doomed to failure.” It was the result of an appeal made to congress by the council of the Ornithologists’ union that led congress to vote an appropriation of $5,000, the money to be administered under the direction of the department of agriculture for the purpose of taking means to save the lives of the native American birds which were useful to man. Ab William Dutcher says further in his story of the protective movement: ‘‘ln recognition of the action taken by the American Ornithologists’ union in securing the appropriation, the secretary of agriculture invited the council of the union to select a superintendent to carry on the work and at a subsequent meeting held in Washington, Dr. Clinton Hart Merriam was selected as the superintendent and Dr. Albert K. Fisher as his assistant. Both of these noted ornithologists were among the founders of the American Ornithologists’ union.” It was from tniß humble beginning that the present biological survey, a division of the United States department of agriculture, has grown. It is perfectly apparent from the letters which agriculturists send to Washington constantly that the work of the biological survey has its value appreciated more and more every year. The survey has published a great mass of valuable statistics of the food habits of birds and their relation to Agriculture and forestry. As has been said, there are Audubon societies for bird protection in nearly every state in the Union. They are affiliated in one great society called the National Association of Audubon societies. The writer of this article from personal knowledge can speak of the beginnings of one of the largest and most active of the state organizations. Persons who were known to be Interested in birds 1 were asked to meet to form a protective organization. A good many persons not particularly interested in bird protection also were invited. Several women came to that first meeting, wearing the plumage of wild birds in their hats. At first the society intended to do its work by persuasive missionary and along this iinrf to a considerable extent endeavor has been ever since,

but it was soon found that while some people were willing to be guided by pleas of humanity and by stories of the destruction of the growing things because of the rapid increase in insect life, there were others who could not be reached by any except hard handed methods. So it is that the bird protectors not only have carried on a great work in the education of children and in moral suasion among the elders, but they have taken cases Into court and have prosecuted wilful and persistent violators of the law, until today the bird protective laws are as much feared as any other laws on the statute books. There always have been some laws against the wanton killing of useful birds, but until the men and women of the American Ornithologists’ union and of the Audubon society went earnestly at their labors the laws were laughed at and violated with Impunity and almost always with immunity. Years ago untold thousands of useful native birds were trapped to be sold as pets in cages. The women of the south complained to the women of the north who were engaged in bird protection work that their mocking birds and red birds (cardinals) were being trapped in multitudes because of the demand by the trade in northern cities for caged songsters. The bird protectors of the north took the matter up and In nearly all places today it is illegal to sell caged wild native American birds. About fifteen years ago there was a week of zero weather in some of the southern states. The blue bird, which is a northern favorite, does not go far enough south in winter to escape all of the storms of the winter season. The unusual cold of that winter fifteen years ago almost annihilated the tribe of bluebirds. There were only a few left to come back to the northern fields in the spring. The blue bird, however, was protected, and the efficiency of the Audubon society’s work was never more clearly shown than in this case. The blue birds today have recruited their ranks under protection and are as numerous as ever they were. For years the bird protectionists went ahead with their work with the treasury at a low point. It always had been hoped that some kindly disposed person would realize the strength and beauty of bird protection work and would give of this substance to the cause. The man known as a scientist nor as a bird student Qne day, however, Albert Willcox saw a newspaper account of some of the bird protection work done by the national Association of Audubon societies and he wrote a letter asking for more details. He received the information that he wanted and he wrote to say that be was about to make a new will and feltdH> much pleased with the work of the society that he would give it annually during his lifetime a considerable sum of money to be used in carrying on the work of the association, and that when he died he would give the society a legacy of SIOO,OOO in his will, and, he added, "I may not limit It to this amount." Albert Willcox died four years ago. He left SIOO,OOO to the Audubon society \ as he had promised, and in addition he made the society his residuary legatee to the extent of one-half his estate. Today the National Association of Audubon sbcieUes, through the generosity of Mr. Willcox, is placed on a sure and lasting foundation. The bird proteptive work has been going on for p quarter of a century It had all sorts of trials and tribulations, but todav it seems that the friends of the feathered kingdom have triumphed in their cause. The promise is that there will be no cessation of the work which means so much to the bird and more to man. ,