Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-12-12

NF'1 va wy ~ BNfN s'iIA fNA
the people ought to he Interested in the
protection of the seabirds, we gladly do
SO. Ed. Free Press.)
Monadnock, n. H., Nov. 2S.
The few people who really care whether
our Seacoast birds disappear forever, or
Increase to their former beautiful throngs,
are now summoned to rally about the
standard, unless the noble work for which
their subscriptions have backed the Amer
lean OrnitholOgists' Union committee in
IN" past two years is to be undermined or
undoue.
me great achievement of this commit
tee has been the procuring OF effective
state laws and eftectual wardcning of all
re naming sea bird colonies along our At
lantic coast.
The American Ornithologists' Union
has begun several suits in New
York state, with good hope of success
but this winters fight looms big before
them, and is wholly dependent on the
subscriptions for which we are now solic-
iting.
Short-siehted dealers have in the past
few years changed. from New Jersey to
the Gulf. a beach thronged with millions
of exquisite white sea birds, filling the air
with their wild voices, to a waste, silent,
but for the sound OF the surf, and whore
there is little hope that Il distant object
will prove to be anything more inspiring
than an old shoe.
This devastation (wrought by attacking
the birds in their breeding colonies. as
they madly hover over the invader was
only complete as far northward as New
Jersey. while in Long Island, Vineyard
Sound. and in Maine good colonies both Of
terms and gulls remained. These and some
remnants in Virginia and Maryland the
dealers were about to finish, when. two
years ago, they found themselves con-
fronted by a system of wardens, paid by
subscriptions Of this small body OF beau-
ty-loving Americans. Our triumph has
been complete. Nearly every colony has
greatly increased each year. The dealers
plead that We are gripping an industry.
hat which passes like a blight across the
fields, leaves no seed Tor the morrow, is
not an industry.
Half our work is tho securing improved
laws and the watching them to see that
they be not sctttled in the next Legisla-
turC by amendments instigated by the
dealers.
rhc American Ornithologists' Union
committee. consisting of two men who
can i'll spare the time and who give their
services gratis. will conduct the whole
warden system and be present at the
meetings of Legislatures all over the Uni
ted States east of the Mississippi, if we
can raise the money for their expenses.
The committee has used almost the last
of OUr remaining n and every one who
VI ANTS the work to go on must send them
at once any money he can spare, as their
winter and spring ca npaign will involve
heavy expenses.
The Legislature work is to cover the
protection of all birda threatened by mil
liners, and to watch for violations of this
protection. and of the Lacey act of Con-
erO-s, which prohibits sending unlawfully
procured bird-skins from State to State.
Sea- birds are wholly essential as scav-
Du..rS of the coast and harbOrS, and as
pilots for fishermen to schools OF fish.
English fishermen allow no one to kill
thom.
The work already accomplished is only
q lightning and if the committee can get
thc money. they will extend the protection
ta the breeding colonies of the Maine
coast and those of iowa Scotia and New
brunswick, as well as to inland breeding
colonies, and will strengthen the proteC-
ton Of the Florida pelicans and the com
parativcly few hcrons that remain there.
Sportsmen, too, will find themselves in
dcbted to our wardens, who have not only
protected sea birds, but, equally. rails and
shore birds.
Thc smallest subscriptions will be thank
fully received and if every one east of
tho Mississippi who has ever a slight de-
nature would send a small contribution,
tho agere gate result would go far toward
accomplishing the desired end.
The whole splendid work of patrolling
our coast from New Brunswick to south
crn Virginia, Louisiana, and the long jour
ncys to visit Legislatures and inspect the
work Of Wardcns cost about $1,000 during
the past year.
Money should be sent either to William
butcher, 525 Manhattan avenue, New
York city or to the Undersigned. a. IL.
'Thayer, Monadnock, n. II.