Page:Stebbins, C. A. - A Guide to the Birds of the Pacific Coast.djvu/5



HE dead body of a California woodpecker with the bruised form showing only too plainly the work of the small boy and his dangerous slingshot caused us to look into the ways and means of handling such ever-occurring incidents. A prominent attorney was consulted, and he remarked, "Of course if meadowlarks and woodpeckers are killed, no one should care," whereupon we tried to show him his error.

The ignorance regarding the economic value of our songsters is woefully manifest. Selfish and faulty observation condemns many birds unjustly. Unfortunately and unlike other animals, what little harm our birds do is done noisily, while the good, results from quiet, busy work.

We are prone to have abnormally sharp eyes when touched in a selfish way, but dull eyes when we are losing nothing. The opened eyes of the farmer see the meadow larks gather a few grains during the seeding season, but fail to see the same birds working in the field, day after day eating grasshopper after grasshopper, during the other seasons of the year, and the birds are condemned to the rifle. The selfish eye sees the woodpecker peck a hole in the barn, but fails to notice the disappearing codling moths and other destructive insects.

The problem of arousing interest in bird life with the subsequent change of a biased view is a large one, but can be solved if the school children will help.

There are too many courses of study in the general school system that seize the child on his first day at school, place him in a schoolroom high chair, and feed him ever after on books. All roads lead to the high chair. The schools should not wean the child from all large, active things, but rather should center or focus such upon the child continuously.

The aim of this booklet and supplement is to create an interest in birds, toward the end of their protection, and to bring the children from the schoolroom to the living outdoors.

Do you know of anything that combines such joyous qualities, such delicate and gorgeous colors—Nature has drawn most lavishly from her experimenting palette, the twilight sky—such grace in movement, and such gift of song as do the birds?

If you were one of these "sky gems" sitting in the morning light, singing to your mate, and she secure in your love, answering in sweet bird talk, when suddenly into this beautiful world should come the dreaded "crack," and your mate with eyes full of agony should fall