Bird lore - Project Puffin

468 Bird - Lore
Sage Foundation Homes Company, which are attached to the lamp-posts at
ten important street-corners, and upon which bird notes are posted weekly
in the spring and fall.
The Society owes much to its president, now unfortunately about to resign,
Mr. E. A. Quarles, vice-president of the American Game Protective Asso-
ciation, under whose expert guidance the work of the Gardens was begun.
—Mary E. Knevels, Secretary.
Groton (Mass.) Bird Club.—This Club was organized at a meeting of
about thirty-five interested persons on December 15, 1913. About ten days
previous a well-attended public meeting in the Town Hall had been addressed
by Ernest Harold Baynes, who graphically described and pictured the methods
used and the results obtained by the Meriden Bird Club, which he had founded.
It is upon this club that the Groton Bird Club, as well as many other similar
organizations, is patterned.
After the adoption of a constitution and election of ofi&cers, the first meet-
ing of the Club adjourned, and the Board of Directors met to plan the work to
be done. The president was directed to appoint committees on winter-feeding
and on nesting-boxes. Miss Gertrude Gerrish was appointed to take charge of
the Junior department. This appointment subsequently proved to be the most
important action taken at the meeting, for the most effective work which the
Club has accomplished thus far has unquestionably been the arousing of interest
in birds among the children. At this meeting of the Board of Directors it was
decided to make the reading of a paper by some one person, a member pref-
erably, a regular feature of the monthly meetings, this to be followed by a
comparison of notes by all members present. In practice, however, it has been
found necessary to procure outside talent to a large extent to address the
meetings; and the Club has been fortunate in having many interesting speakers
who have been willing to come to Groton for their expenses only. Among these
have been Dr. John May, Frederic H. Kennard, Charles B. Floyd, Rev.
Manley Townsend, Henry Oldys, and Winthrop Packard. In addition to the
regular Club meeting, a public meeting in November, 1914, under the joint
auspices of the Grange and the Bird Club, was addressed by Mr. Forbush, and
was well attended, and at another, in February, 19 16, Herbert K. Job showed
his wonderful moving pictures to a large audience.
The Committee on Nesting-boxes was able, through the generosity of a
member of the Club, to place about forty-five boxes on the public common and
along the main highways. Though it was feared that the situations chosen
would not prove very favorable, it was felt by the committee that, in view of
the semi-public character of the Club, these boxes should be placed in public
places rather than on private grounds. Through the Club's initiative, however,
a considerable number of boxes were purchased and sold to members at cost,
encouraging private enterprise. Results the first season have not been all