The Wilmingtonian., 1886-09-04
PARK AUDUBON SOCIETY.

"A PARK AUDUBON SOCIETY.
1t would bea good thing for us if our Park
Commissioners and City Council would
aid in the establishment of Brandywine
Park Audubon Society, Possibly some of
the members of the latter body have heard
of Audubon the most prominent of our ear
lier ornithologists
Audubon societies for the protection of
singing and insectivorous birds are being
established ,as most people know, throughout
the land. Life tells rather good story of
some fashionables who had recently ''caught
on'' to the Audubon furore.
From memory the auecdote is somewhat
as follows.
Visitor.-"Oh dear" lin the usual enthus-
ed) GIVE just Joined the Audubon Society
and find it SO interesting studying the habits
Of birds-and, by the way, what is that
bird hear now?
Hostess-That 0 that's our goat /!
1t may be supposed however that the prac-
tical advantages of an Audubon Society are
usually not as disastrous as the satire of the
above would imply.
Those who frequent Brandywine Park
cannot escape noticing the number of lads
roaming around or passing along the banks
of the river carrying guns. Though they
may not be caught shooting in the Park or
leave themselves amenable for transqres-
sion of the law it may be inferred that on
occasion when tempting shot at a robbin
or squirrel offers itself it would be hard
work for the average lad to deny himself the
pleasure of taking snap shot when the
Park patrol is safe out of sight.
We think the better plan would be to pro.
hibit the carrying of arms in the Park alto.
gether.
The other afternoon in Pleasant Valley,
locality which it is not necessary to explain
to Wilmngtonians is one of the choice spots
of the Park, couple of robins had hoped
out upon the greensward. At the same time
a juvenile gunner emerged from the coppice
at the base of the rocks. He saw the rob-
ins and then looked stealthily around. Per-
ceiving others present he re-shouldered his
gun and skunk off. ...--..
Visitors to the Park may hear gun reports
pretty often there.
Our duty is to take care of the singing
birds especially. Squirrels too aie quite an
addition to the limited species of ,terae natur
ae of the Brandywine Gorge. Some children
were admiring a beautiful specimen on
large willow. The squirrel was quite tame
and afforded definite interest and amuse-
ment to them. There are some fine king
fishers and other waterfowl that make their
habitat of those points between the first and
third dams.
Let al citizens join in the effort to protect
these beautiful relies of wild nature, that
they may be preserved and permitted to
make the river their home always.
The formation of an Audubon society for
the protection Of the birds is what is very
much needed at this moment.
AS has been stated the first necessary
point to score is to gain the passage of a
municipal law that no one be allowed even
to carry gun in the Park.
The practice is dangerous enough in any
woods even when shooting birds like the
kite or the hawk. But when the temptation
is ever present in the thickly wooded and
rock strewn Brandywiue Gorge where in
consequence of the numerous promenaders
strolling iudiiferently III various directions
a human being may at any moment show
himself in the direct line of the person who
thinks he will lust risk this shot as nobody
is around, y the danger is doubly great of
some fatal accident. The Park patrol can
not effectively guard the whole st 'ch of
Park land in both sides Of the river.
An enactment having in view the prohibi-
ton referred to would guard against the
possibility OF an accident of tie kind by
simply making its occurrence impossible,