Description: The story of two spunky women who fought fashion and helped start the Massachusetts Audubon Society.

Activities:
• Look at web pages on hats decorated with bird parts from the 1800's: see links below. Discuss this practice—why did people do it? why did they stop? Is there anything like this going on now?

• Draw and color in some of the beautiful birds found in this book: Arctic Tern, Snowy Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Duck, Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, Ring-necked Pheasant, and Spotted Owl. The ones in bold are linked to their species account on the Lab's All About Birds Onine Bird Guide. Challenge: Can you find each of these birds (or at least a part of their body) in the book?

• Make the connection with bird conservation issues such as the illegal bird trade, for example: the Painted Bunting. See web sites below for more information.

1. Harriet Hemenway saw something while looking out her window—what was it?

2. This sight spurred her to action—she wanted to stop the killing of birds for fashion. How did Harriet and her cousin Minna bring about this change? What is the name of the club they started?

3. They asked men to join their club since men held more political power at that time. Who else did they invite to join?

4. Eventually, they realized that stronger action was needed to stop the killing and use of birds for fashion. What did they do next?

 Additional Resources:

Web sites on illegal bird trade:

     •  Painted Bunting Conservation

     •  Illegal Bird Trade