The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-10-30
YNF CRANES ISLAND HOME.
4 Great Nesting Piacs for Them % q
lslssA ~ ~ 0eoegia Coast

A Great Nssting Piaos for Them o. -
lsla.A ~ ~ Georgia Coast.
vidtors 70 Dsufuskis Island during
the summer tell Of tho roosting and
brooding places Of the cranes on the
island. StOrks, cranes and bitterns
spend the day along tho estuaries OF
tie seacoast and wade and fly over tho
miles and miles Of salt marshes.
Along about 1 o'clock in tho afternoon
they begin to collect in the matted
shrubbery and underground Of Deu-
fuskie Island for the night. They ny
singly, by paira, and IN hooks ranging
from twenty-five to fifty.
A gentleman who was NARROWING
ON the island Q few days ago said that
he was ignorant Of the habits Of the
"a fowl, and one evening, near twi-
light, he was returning to his guar
ters, and when passing near a dense
thicket he heard . great chattering,
and many OF the voices sounded lke
that of humans. Resting on his gun
he listened attentively, and finally
came to the conclusion that it was .
colony Of cranes. He threw q stick
into the thicket, when, with q wild
shrek and screech, some 400 or 500
cranes few out, circled about while,
and having recovered from their
fright, settled down again from sight,
sti1 keeping up their chatter and clat-
tor.
Capt. w. ]. Thompson says the
cranes find in the dense underground
Of some parts OF the island secure
and almost unapproachable retreat
from intrusion. and there they lay
their eggs and rear their broOds Of
young. Few people have the temer
ity to invade the thicket to disturb
eggs or young birds, for it Is not only
home for the cranes, but paradise
for rattles and moccasins, which an
the only enemies which make muct
Roadway against the cranes. 1t is said
however, that one or two summer
ago q daring hunter, with difficulty
forced an entrance into the thicke
and carried of three barrels Of eggs
for which he found a ready marke
in Savannah at the price Of hens eggs
for which he sold them, but as tn
eggs are highly priced by epicures, h
might have more than quadrupled hi
, money If he had shipped them north
, The experience was 20 perilous an
difficult, however, that no one 'ha
ventured into the thickets to distur
the nests since.
Before leaving the nest the paren
birds bring them small fish, ofte
from q great distance, and feed tn
p young, and hunter who shot Q Gran
/ on the island said that she had nearl
two hundred small minnows in he
pouch. Az the young grow Older
larger fish are caught by the pareu
birdA which are carried in their bill
). and the fish eagle watches the high
of the stork and crane, and often pull
sues, forces the frightened bird to dro
the prey, and, with unerring descent
= the hsh eagle catches the fish before
e reaches the water or the ground.
The cranes 60 further south on th
y approach of cold weather, but if tn
: winter is an open and mild one the
# do not all migrate, and their tai
9 forms and snow white plumage ar
often seen in winter through the herl
ago OF the marshes like a picture.
8 The crane is pursued vigorously b
Il the hunter, who finds ready marke
for the plumage, as the snow whit
feathers are popular with the wome
8 Of fashion, and plumage dealers ]
a New York have hunters regularl
n employed at salary in the sont
Florida and along the Atlantic an
: Gulf coasts of the peninsula, and .
e through the almost impenetrable i
h goons and bayous Of the Everglade
n who keep up the warfare on the birt
Of plumage and song all through Il
!. winter, and this fact has led to Il
d agitation Of the question whether
:, rigid law should not be passed to pul
u ish by fines and penalties all who a
)f convicted of shooting any birds exec
}. those which are edible.-Savanns