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Bird lore - Project Puffin

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<strong>Bird</strong> -Lore<br />

also been given in various schools, in the women's clubs, and before the Teachers'<br />

and Parents' Association of the Public Schools. Our Educational Committee,<br />

of which Mrs. Chas. F. Keyes is chairman, has also organized about twenty<br />

Junior <strong>Bird</strong> Clubs in the schools.<br />

In March, with the cooperation of the Woman's Club, Mr. Baynes was<br />

engaged to come to Minneapolis and deliver in each of the five high schools an<br />

illustrated lecture 'How to Attract the Wild <strong>Bird</strong>s.' Another lecture, 'Wild<br />

Animal Neighbors,' was also given before a large and appreciative audience of<br />

adults. These lectures proved to be very profitable educationally, and created<br />

much enthusiasm for the cause. The newspapers called it '<strong>Bird</strong> Week,' several<br />

merchants arranged bird-pictures, bird-books, and bird-houses in their windows,<br />

and the public was prepared for the next undertaking of the Audubon<br />

Club—its second annual <strong>Bird</strong> Exhibit, which was held from April 3 to 9 by<br />

the courtesy of the Dayton Dry Goods Company in the galleries of that store.<br />

This exhibition included the Thomas Libby collection of 500 mounted<br />

specimens of birds of the Northwest (which have since been presented to the<br />

Audubon Club by Mr. Libby) ; an extensive line of bird-houses, baths, feed-<br />

ing-stations, cat- and sparrow-traps, and objects loaned. The larger number of<br />

bird-houses, however, were made by school-children. Prizes of money, books<br />

and charts, subscriptions to <strong>Bird</strong>-Loke, cameras, field-glasses, etc., being offered<br />

to school-children for the best exhibits. Simple, practical bird-houses and feed-<br />

ing-devices were for sale at low prices. A fine collection of co<strong>lore</strong>d plates of<br />

the birds of North America, made by John James Audubon, was loaned by a<br />

local bookseller; the Public Library contributed books; and the Minneapolis<br />

Park Board erected a rustic pergola, which with small trees and bushes formed<br />

a stage-setting for birds' nests, suet-boxes, etc. Illustrated informal talks<br />

about birds were given each afternoon of the week in one of the rooms of the<br />

gallery, followed always by a concert of bird-voices from phonographic records.<br />

This last attraction vied with the stuffed birds in pleasing and interesting the<br />

children, and when the weary members of the Exhibition Committee saw the<br />

enthusiasm of these children, coming in crowds every day after school, they<br />

felt fully repaid for all their work. Mrs. Lawrence E. Horton was chairman of<br />

this committee.<br />

A small exhibit was also held at the State Fair, in September, where information<br />

was given and literature distributed.<br />

An Audubon program was given at the Conservation Congress of the State<br />

Federation of Women's Clubs, held in Anoka in September. Our president,<br />

Mrs. Phelps Wyman, conducted the meeting, and an illustrated lecture on<br />

'<strong>Bird</strong>s of Minnesota' was given by Dietrich Lange of St. Paul. Mrs. Wyman<br />

has given considerable assistance, through the Conservation Committee, to<br />

other bird clubs within and outside of this state.<br />

The Club has been very fortunate in having influential friends, among<br />

them Dr. Thomas S. Roberts, State Ornithologist and bird-student for many

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