Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-02
STATE HOUSE.
Gov. Cobb and Council
Visit Widows Island.
Forest Fires Still Raging in
Northern Part Of State.
Prof. Hitehings Says Birds are Decreasing,
and Names Causes Thereof.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next meeting Of Governor and Council,
Thursday, Sept. z, at 4 p. N.

uUVU000yp 0VPks - 49,
Friday was the date of the visit of
Governor Cobb and his Council to the
summer hospital for cOnvalescent
patients who are receiving treatment
at the Insane hospitals in Augusta and
Bangor. and the party which visited
the new institution at Widows island,
was a large one, numbering about 80.
and including. in addition to the Gov
ernor and Council a number of the Of
ficers of the institutions, together with
their ladies.
Governor Cobb, who had been at
Bangor tc attend the Eastern Maine
fair, left that city. Thursday after
noon, on his return to his home in
Rockland, being accompanied by Mr..
and Mrs. Chas. f. Field, and Thomas
White and Miss White of Bangor, Mrs.
Oramandal Smith of Litchfield, and
Judge E. Z. Chase of Bluehill. After
passing the night in ROckland, the
party which was augmented by all the
members of the Council, with the ex-
ception of Councillor T. NJ. Burns Of
WestbroOk. and also by Supt. B. T.
SanbOrn and Treasurer Campbell Of the
ton. private secretary of the Governor.
was also of the party.
The trip was a most interesting one.
and was productive Of great pleasure
to all who participated. The institu-
ton was thoroughly inspected, and the
site of the hospital. the building. itself.
and the comfortable and convenient
way in which it is fitted up for the re-
quirements of the patients who pass a
portion of their time on the island dur
ing the summer months, was the sub
ject of much favorable comment on the
part Of the entire party.
The forest fires which are raging in
| the northern part of the State are the
| subject of much concern. and although
everything possible is being done to
prevent the ruin which they are work.
| ing. the end has not yet arrived. In
speaking of the situation. yesterday
Hon. f. f. Ring. commissioner of for
estry. stated that the southern counties
of the State were practically free from
fire, and not SO much damage had re-
suited in those sections. because of the
fact that they have been visited by
showers of rain. In Aroostook county.
however, the situation is very serious.
and many fierce fires are still burning.
The fire wdrdens are doing their ut
most. and as yet no very extensive con-
fiagrations have occurred. but unless
rain comes very soon, a great amount
of damage will result. In order to aid
in the work of fighting the flames. the
commission of inland fisheries and
game has sent out special notices for
all it's wardens and guides to be on the
alert. and to assist the fire wardens i'm
extinguishing the fires.
Prof. E. F. Hitchings. State ento-
molOgist, was at the department Of
agriculture for a short time, yesterday,
on his way to his home in Waterville.
Prof. Hitchings is engaged in the work
Of nucsery inspection. on which he has
been busy for some time past, but NOW
has the work completed. with the ex-
Ceptfon of one nursery. at Palmyra. III
speaking of the brown-taiI moth. Prof.
Iiitchings said that the latest report re-
ccived regarding tie presence Of the
Fest was from the town of Pittston.
where it was supposed that some of
them had located. Mr.. Hitchings was
unable to investigate. himself. but Prof.
w. L. Powers. principal of the Gardi
ner High school, will go over. today.
and see IL the suspects are really
browntails, or something else.
In speaking OF things in general,
Prof. Hitchings said that another mat
ter which would soon have to be taken
up. would be that of the protection Of
the birds. These feathered songsters.
and friends as well as assistants of
man. are growing less, yearly. and I'M
less something is done to prevent the
slaughter which is now going on. there
will be no birds. When asked what
was killing the birds. he replied in five
words, as follows: Crows, red sQuir-
ieis, cats. shrikes, and English spar
rows.
1t is a well-known fact that tire crow
and the red squirrel are two of the
worst marauders of the woods. Both
cat the eggs of small birds. and not
only that. but they do not turn aside
from the young birds which they find
in the nests. Red squirrels have been
| seen carrying off young robins nearly
as large as themselves, and one crow
will devour more young birds in five
| in a season.
The propensity of cats to catch ami
kill birds is too well known to elabor-
ate upon. The .hrike, or butcher bird,
is also deep dyed murderer of small
birds, and while the English sparrow
may not have the blood of the feath-
cred innocents on his head, he is of a
disposition that is so quarrelsome that
other birds flee any vicinity where he
establishes his headquarters.
A gentleman in Sidney. in convers-
| ing with Mr.. Hitchings about the scar
city of birds, laid a large amount of
the cause to the door of the common
house cat. The birds. he said. came
last spring, and built their nests. but
where there now ought to be many of
them, there was not one. He said that
the cats caught them. The average
farmer keeps from two to five cats
around his place. and that number OF
cats will destroy a large percentage =:
the birds that hatch in any vicinity
during the season.
The State board of veterinary ex-