Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-11-11
PROTECTION OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS

The writer passed close by it on the
steamer Frank Jones about a. m, July
18th. The whole top of the rock was so
white with gulls that 1t looked as though
it were covered with blanket of snow.
The pilot of the steamer told the writer
that the gulls were never disturbed there,
because no one could get at them, and he
added: I am glad of it,. for many and
many a time in a dense fog or in the
darkness, the gulls have told me that
was on the true course Their cries
were always vented on the approach of
the steamer whether in daylight dark
ness, or fog. He thought that the de-
struction Of that colony of gulls would be
a distinct menace to navigation"
1e#
And very fascina ting is No-mans-land.
The largest colony of Herring Gulls q.
a. smithsonianus) in the state of Maine
is located the island of No-mans-land.
This island has an area of about II acres
and is situated abou a mile from Matin-
icus island, some II miles south of Rock
land II is, like all the islands on the
Maine coast, very rocky, with practically
no beach, and is consequently difficult to
land upon. 1t is about half covered with
spruce and fir trees of moderate size and
is we'll carpeted with red-top grass, clover
and weeds. 1t is an ideal home for gulls
and about $500 to 5000 pairs breed there.
On reaching the crest of the island, the
large painted notice of Captain Mark
Young, in full view from every direction,
was seen warning all persons to keep
off, and forbidding the firing of guns or
taking eggs. The result Of this protec-
ton was everywhere. visible. for walker
had to step with care or he would be in
danger of crushing a young bird that
was hiding in the grass. The most I'M
mature birds usually selected some cover
under which to hide, sometimes going so
far under the shade of stump on log
that they looked like balls Of chinchilla-
colored yarn. Others were content with
a more exposed position closer to the
nest in which they were Matched. The
young seen in the grass were in all stages
of downy pluInage. some just showing
feathers mixed in the down, others furth-
er advanced, still others, that had almost
left the downy stage, and others whose
fight feathers were quite large. In the
last stage before flight the birds were tail
less but the plumage was perfect, the
down having entirely disappeared. They
were large strong birds and could run
through the grass and among the spruces
as fast as a man could. 1t was only by
cornering one on a ledge Of rocks that
photograph was secured.
Mrs. Florence Merriam Bailey has sent
the following in regard to plume hunting
while working in Texas last spring
Mr. Bailey and spent two weeks in the
neighborhood of Corpus Christi. In talking
with the settlers we gradually discovered
that we were in the heart of a plume
hunting district. The discovery was grad
ual, as the people seemed afraid TO talk
to us at first, apparently on account of a
rumor Of some prohibitory legislation in
the north. AS an old bird hunter said
afterwards, he report was that they were
not going TO buy any more birds-there
was some law about it,
$50 absolutely is the southern plume
hunting business controlled by the north-.
ern market that this rumor had held up
the trade. and It was only as time went
BY without its confirmation that the hunt
ers prepared to start out again
''As they watched our work the people
came to talk quite freely TO us and we
learned a good deal about the number of
birds killed. the principal kinds taken,
and the prices paid for them. One man
boasted-moved perhaps by the small
number Of birds we found II important to
shoot-that he and another plume hunter
had, in 1882. shot SIG birds I'm five days, and,
j .02S in six to seven days. .~-Ff
Now all this is not the fancies or work
of sentimentalists, but of harc-headed'
soft-hearted business men.