Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-10-01
NEW MEXICO
WILD CAME
Becoming Scarce and Hard to
Find Colony Of Beaver on b
CostiIla Creek.
SOME DEER is FOUND
Include Black Tail Species. mo Noun.
tain Sheep or Wild
Turkeys.

II VI IIl6 last lew AUutuS VCAA MI
Bailey, chief field worker of the Uni
ted States Biological Bureau, accom-
panied by his wife and assistant, ha
been busily engaged in making a stud,
of animal life in New Mexico for thu
Department of Agriculture at Wash
ington The following letter. received
by Page B. Otero, Territorial game
warden, partially shows what work has
been accomplished Mr.. Bailey camps
like hunter on the trail of game anG
studies the manner of life and the
numbers of each wild animal or fou
Indigenous, to and living in New Mex
leo mountain ranges and on the
plains:
Dear Sir-"From the high peaks
north of Taos we followed the range
north to the Colorado line, working
near the Latis Peaks and the highest
peak of the Culebras north of the Cos
tella River, the peak called locally
Costilla Peak but not the Costilla
Peak of the land Office map. Then
down to the Costilla River Valley to
Costilla and across to Antonito, Col
orado.
Il am Sorry to say that we have not
found any recent trail of the Elk or
Bighorn or any good evidence of their
present occurrence in these ranges.
owls domesticus' tramps the life out
of the region above timber line and the
little parks and meadows below. We
found few Ptmarigan in the Taos
peaks and secured specimens, but had
to snatch them from under the feet OF
the sheep-so to speak. In the Guile
bras we found signs Of them and heard
of few killed by the sheep men but
found none of the birds. I am afraid
their determination will follow that OF
the Elk and Bighorn. NJ
s"Of the Baud-Tailed Pigeon a few
focks were reported around the fields
in the Canon of the Hondo and Red
Rivers. They were feeding on the
black gooseberries on Red River. and
we saw them in the oak scrubs, ap.
parently eating acorns, on the Hondo
They are said to come into the fields
and even around the threshing floors
for grain at times. The habits of this
bird the likely to lead to it's extermina.
tion sooner or later unless it is pret-
ty closely protected. Since the dis
appearance of the Passenger Pigeon
this is the largest and finest pigeon in
the United States and it ought to be
kept here. They are nowhere abund-
ant and perhaps nowhere more so than
in New Mexico.
We have found no traces of turkeys
so far and very few blue grouse, but
we hope to find both southwest OF
here. One blue grouse is all we have
taken in the way Of protected game.
or deer we have found only blacktail
and seen but few of them.
"The only fresh signs of beaver we
found are on the Costilla River, just
above The Narrows,' or some fifteen
miles east Of Costilla town. Here we
found an extremely interesting colony
with two large dams and pond, each
containing large house. We camped
nearby for couple of days to watch
the beavers and study their work. AS
near as I can judge there are some.
where from eight to dozen beaver In
the colony. We saw as many as three
old ones at a time and saw several
half-grown young am inclined to
think there are, two families of young
in which case there are probably ten
or twelve beaver all together. They
are comparatively unsuspiciOus and we
watched them shoveling mud on the
dam and swimming about within TWEEN
ty feet Of us. l allowed my assistant
to collect one specimen, which with 8
skeleton procured from a dead one
found in the pond, will serve to identity
the Species. hope you will not disap
prove OF this as it seemed important
"The colony occupies about five o.
six acres Of willow bottoms on the riv
eer. the two ponds covering most OF 1t
The dams are about six feet high II
the highest places and presume thu
water is eight feet deep above tnen
from the amount of mud dug out To-
building the dams. A lot OF small as
pens have been cut along shore nu
most OF the building material used !
willows. There are no ranches with
in i've miles (below the Narrows) ant
the land occupied Is worthless for 9th
Yer purposes. although ideal for tn
home OF the beaver. Old stumps an
works Indicate that they have occupie
the ground for ages.
.sThe wagon road runs close to tn
ponds and people pass there daily
One OF the dans has been cut thi
summer and dead heaveE found !
the upper pond that had been shot
month Or six weeks before. 4 have q