The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-10

Indignant Citizens Petition for
the Right to Stay Birds =
4 Of Prey. Ssss 5ss Szsssi5sS-:ii

the Elgnt 10 stay bTds
B. Of Prey S-ss55
Special to The Journal 4 stfs%$, Is
a. Washington, June 9.---In the capital
Of country Of 80,000,000 inhah itants
plonacy and high politics, its citizens
write hot and hasty letters to the pow
ers that be, protesting that hawks de-,
YOUR their Pekin ducks and that rab-
bits come after their corn. They argue
gravely the constitutionality Of their
right Of defense against the depreda
lions. Constitutionality is grave
word in Washington, full Of meat and
meaning. S The frequenters Of debates
are full of wise saws and "bromiaes., =
A man named Babcock has written to
the district authorities about the, dan:
gers of wild life in a great city.
"Hawks, he declares, "eome after
my chickens, and have actually, killed
and devoured,' within two weeks, at
least one Pekin duck, nearly full
grown, besides some chickens. I be-
lieve rabbits come after my turnips,
crows after my corn, English sparrows
say that one on his own land must not
shoot such depredators is simply mon
strous tyranny. ~ s...s zs*sa.:>z /.
"Now, I like wildness. The many
rambles we have taken together should
sufficiently show you that, but patches
Of thicket near the roads ought to be
reduced in area or they become dan
gerous. The tract, for example, imme-
diately opposite my; house and Just
| across the Ridge road, has been the
scene Of one horrible crime, and turns
- $ot6 DC Faof h
cred zdepredators. n ow, am to be told
| that + am to submit to their depreda-
,tions or be fned7. That, Is abomin-
| Partridges Ruin Rye. ST.
HTo take a mild instance. In the
autumn Of 1904 sowed rye and clover
road, chiefly to improve the looks Of
things. Before these seeds could
sprout over came a covey of partridges
in the early morning, again and again,
and ate 1t up almost clean over one
third of the area, making that place
uglier than ever for the next spring
Before they had eaten all we discovered
what was going on, and Git being in
season) shot several Of them on my
fFent aT to bsw gEstt'n t6bs svsn three
huge ones over my henyard on the 22d
when I stayed home. What possible
harm could I have done. anyone by
shooting up at them9 ~ didn It because
my gun was not at hand.
The plant Of this outraged land
holder comes from almost within sight
Of the Washington monument. This
protest was brought out. by bill pend
ing In congress having for its object
| trso ho ir&o Eof 1>,Jh co AZ
and bird life, and to make the suburb.
Of Washington practically refuge fol
native birds. The district is unusually
fortunate in the variety Of it's birt
life. OF the twelve hundred or NOR,
species Of birds which are found in tn
United States and Canada, POI hav'
thus far been found here. At leas
twenty-six species are known to breet
within the limits of the city. prope
in spring more than eighty species Q
native birds have been seen by one OBJ
server in a single day. The numbe
and variety Of birds to be encountere'
is one Of the most attractive feature
of the many parks in and about tn
city. . -. 49,: at.~ ,~.,:= -,
Squirrels Run at Large.
The experiment already made of lib
Grating gray squirrels, in the ground
; Of the capitol, the Smithsonian institu
!, tion and the department. Of agricultur
; shows how much public interest
aroused in work of this kind. The Ne
( tional Geological park and Game an
3 Fish Protective association and :privat
citizens are actively interested in il
. creasing the number Of gray SQUIRREL
2 and are DESTROYS of introducing an
liberating water fowl, pheasants an
= | other attractive birds in some of til
q parks. - ., g . T'':
t The bill, which. drew out the prote.
t of Mr. Babcock, has been amended 6
:; as to permit householders and landow,
ers to kill crows, copper hawks, shaI
= Skinned hawks and great horned ow
d found destroying crops or poultry.
e It is common practice when &c
j. tain kinds Of game become scarce
D. =, prohibit shooting for term Of yea
y or indefinitely. In the case of qua
d five states maine, Michigan, Montan
g Wisconsin and Wyoming) now prohib
Il killing turnout the year. Five 9th
q states where birds are scarce also pr
L. L. hibit killing in certain counties,
- nearly 20 per cent Of the state. Ca
fornia, Kansas and Nebraska ikewi
protect certain kinds Of squirrels thr
I out the year. Legislation Of this xii
Of recently has been enacted in Virgin
1T and Maryland for two of the. count
lle adjoining the district. In 1904 t
IN y, board Of supervisors Of .A1exandr
county, Virginia., extended protecti
=. to squirrels for six years, and at t
A. last session of the legislature Of Mar
r. land an act was passed prohibiting t
t. hunting of quail for two years in MOI
a; gomery county, which adjoins the nor
So border Of the district.