No. 2 is a book designed to help the student to the name of the bird. It is so well adapted to this purpose that it would seem unnecessary for another to be written. Each of these books gives a considerable bibliography.

For the scientific study of birds two books would seem to be necessary:

1. Key to North American Birds, by Coues-Estes & Lauriat. 2. A Manual of North American Birds, by Ridgway-J. B. Lippincott & Co.

Every one interested in birds should have a copy of the several bulletins of the National Biological Survey. These give, among other things, the results of the examination of stomachs of birds that show the farmer which birds are his real friends. They may be had by application to G. Hart Meriam, Director of the Biological Survey, Washington, D. C.

Arbor and Bird Day and the
Audubon Society.

By WILLIAM WATSON WOOLLEN.

Concerning the origin of Arbor Day, there has been much discussion. John B. Peaslee, former Superintendent of the Cincinnati Schools, in an article published in the Journal of Education, February 25, 1897, claims the distinction of having originated the day. He says that he had never heard of the proclamation of Governor Morton, of Nebraska, in 1872, and says that that proclamation was restricted to the planting of trees in that state as an economic measure, and that he was the first person to conceive of Arbor Day in the schools as an educational measure. He insists that the designating of a certain day by the Governor or the Legislature of a state as Arbor Day is one thing, but the celebration of the day in the schools by declamations, essays, speeches, music, etc., is entirely another thing and that the latter should not be confounded with the former. His "Arbor Day" was held April 27, 1882, in connection with the American Forestry Congress which met in Cincinnati at that time. Of this day it has been said that "The Arbor Day movement in its connection with the public schools may be said to date from the memorable tree-planting by the public schools of Cincinnati on the occasion of the meeting of the American Forestry Congress in that city in the spring of 1882. Then on a lovely day more than 20,000 school children, marshaled by their teachers, forming a part of the grand procession of 50,000 persons, which, with the accompaniment of military battalions and bands of music, while flags and banners fluttered from the housetops and windows along the streets, went out to Eden Park, and

there planted trees in memory of the most eminent authors and statesmen of our own and other lands. The example thus set was speedily followed elsewhere."

In the New England Magazine of 1900 there is a very lengthy article under the title of "Founder of Arbor Day," in which it is claimed that Dr. Birdsley Grant Northrop, who was born in Kent, Connecticut, in 1817, was the founder of the day. That Dr. Northrop was much interested in tree planting and village improvement can not be questioned. As early as 1870 he offered to lecture on these subjects free of charge in any town in Connecticut, although at that time the idea was pronounced "chimerical, sentimental and unrelated to the schools." The article referred to, however, fails to establish the fact that Dr. Northrop was the founder of Arbor Day, but rather shows, as the author says, that he was "the great apostle of Arbor Day." Dr. Northrop got his inspiration from Governor Morton's proclamation. This is conceded in the article referred to, for in it it is said that "J. S. Morton established tree planting in that state (Nebraska) in order to redeem the waste tracts of land there; from this germ the thought of establishing Arbor Day for educational and memorial purposes sprang into Dr. Northrop's mind." This was corroborated by Dr. Northrop himself in 1884, in a series of lectures delivered in this State upon the subject of tree planting. He said: "Nebraska has the honor of originating Arbor Day. Some ten years ago, at the request of the State Board of Agriculture, the Governor appointed the second Wednesday in April as the day to be devoted to economic tree planting, and it is claimed that 12,000,000 trees were planted on that day."

Notwithstanding the claims of others, it may be said, and truthfully, that Governor Morton, of Nebraska, was the founder of Arbor Day. The suggestion of the day was made by him in 1872, and taken up and acted upon by the State Board of Agriculture of that state in 1874. The suggestion of Governor Morton immediately met with public favor. Of the establishment of the day, its observance and influence, Mr. Gifford Pinchot, Forester of the