The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-17

HERoNs AND fCoRM0RANTs AC-
CUsE DoF ILLEGAL FISHING.
State Game and Fish Comm sion Agent
Collects Stomachs of Crane Island
Denizens Which Will Be Examined
by Washington Expert-If Guilty,
Death; Innocent, Life.

Crane island herons and cormorants,
sole inhabitants of one of the most
beautiful islands on upper Lake Min
before the Minnesota state game an.
fish commission, and sojourners at the
lake are talking of united action in an
effort to save the birds from destruc
ton. The wholesale killing of game
fish is the charge which has been
brought against the Crane island birds
by Minnetonka tis<ermen, and if the
birds, after fair and impartial trial,
are convicted of the charge they will
be slaughtered by order OF. the. state.
Until yesterday things looked dark
for the feathered defendants. Com
plant after complaint had been regis
tered with the members of the game
and fish commission that the birds de-
voured enough fish to warrant cam
paign of determination. Altho w. G.
Edgar and other Minneapolitans pro-
birds which have long held undisputed
possession of Crane island, it was the.
general opinion that the game fish must
be protected even tho unique feature
of the big lake be destroyed. Yester
day, however, S. F. Fullerton, executive
agent of the game and fish commission,
took hand in the controversy and il
the hcrons knew OF the evidence which
had been piling up against them before
they would have rested easier in their
Crane island nests last night.
Summons Witnesses.
Mr.. Fullerton went to the lake armed
with double barreled gun, determined
to procure expert testimony for the use
of the state The herons were to be
given a chance to prove their limo
cence even tho their number were
slightly thinned in the&process of sum
moning witnesses. " /,
Two excellent specimens were killed
by Mr.. Fullerton after rather strenu-
Gus hunt The birds nest in the top
Of trees, rarely coming near the ground.
Herons and cormorants are OF entirely
different bird families, but they seem
to mingle promiscuously. Just at this
season of the year the parent birds are
busy procuring food for their young
and the hubbub that rises from Crane
island can be heard on the main land
half a mile away. '-.., .
tines of the birds killed, Mr.. Fuller
ton labeled each specimen and pre-
pared it for shipment to Dr.. T.. S.
Palmer of Washington, of the federal
fish hatcheries. DR.. Palmer will ex-
anime the specimens and report on the
amount of fish detected, thus giving
the fish and game commission interest
ing data on which to work in deter
mining the fate of the birds.
Collateral Evidence.
After his visit to the island Mr.. Full
lerton began a series of Investigations
among lake jewellers and fishermen. AS
result Of his Investigations, the cor
morants may be doomed to death, but
it is not likely that the historic heron
will be molested.
Two of the oldest sailors on the lake
both told Mr.. Fullerton that the cor
morants, a smaller but much greedie'
bird than the heron, were responsible
for the war against herons, and that
the latter birds did little damage to the
lake fish. Cormorants fish in f1ocks
usually in deep water, and they dive
after their prey, frequently rising with
large fish. Herons. on the other hand
according to the lake jewellers, confine
their fishing to the shore and seldom
catch live fish. The two birds have
they both occupy Crane island. Free
man P. Lane, who lives near Crane
island, testified that the cormorants die
much more harm than the herons an(
urged that the larger birds be left un
, molested.
, Awaiting the Sentence.
! Mr.. Fullerton will report the result
of his Investigations to the state gam
and fish commission, and action will b.
suspended until the results of d.
Palmer's investigation are announced
If the cormorants are found guilt,
} and the herons are acquitted there will
be trouble in netting out punishment t.
the eulprits without harming the limo
cent. If herons and cormorants ar
both convicted the small boy shotgun
brigade will be turned loose on Gran
island. If both defendant families ar
acquitted the matter will be allowed t
drop, but in. the meantime the cormc
/. rant will continue to capture the Tonk
Pr fish and the less fortunate Tonka fish
erman will continue to curse the COZ
morant.