Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-09-14
GOVERNMENT CEOES
COAST ISLAND
TO BIRDS
Extraordinary Realm in Gulf of
Mexico Devoted Entirely to
the Preservation of National
Bird Life.

New York, Sept. 13.-At prices OF
from two to sevenNdollar5 an acre per-
petual homes n breeding grounds
Tor the Wild birds of America are now
being secured by friends Of the ma
tional bird life. In addition to the
twenty-five islands, in the Gulf OF
Mexico, east of the Mississippi, which
it now maintains as an undisturbed
haven for the native wild fowl. the
National Association of Audubon So
cieties has today completed the pur-
chase of Shutdown island off the
Louisiana coast. The ceding of this
t~hirty-acre island tract TO the birds
as an everlasting homing spot. it is
announced, marks the beginning of
"a widespread movement among bird
lovers in this country. This. 10 Is
hoped, Will result in the eventual ac-
QUESTION of all the native haunts in
the island and coastal region of the
Atlantic. Pacific and of the Gulf
where at present the breeding hocka
are sadly molested and unprotected.
AT the head of the subscription list
toward securing the homes of the ma
TONS birds, Uncle Sam has already
placed himself with the reservation
of the entire "mud-lump' region Of
The Mississippfs delta and the Shell
Keys" somewhat further west. Off
cial orders from President Roosevelt
calling for the setting aside OF these
breeding tracts ave just been for
warded to Audubon headquarters in
this city in answer to an earnest rec
concentration of this measure which
the association made early in the sum-
mer. With this cordial endorsement
and continuation of the reservation
plan by governmental authority. III
now remains to complete the project
of establishing an adequate bird
realm, by private purchase of such
islands as are owned by private per-
sons and yet remain unguarded from
the molestation of human d~estroyers.
That a few dollars may secure to all
bird posterity a full acre of home and
breeding ground, carefully patrolled
by Audubon wardens, lis an idea tina
is appealing to friends Of American
wild life all over the country. In sup
port of the general movement the Au-
dubOn workers have already begun
10 receive contributions to their fund
for the purpose of retaining these
national bird haunts to their own once
more.
BY the governments reservation Of
Shell Keys a multitude OF national
wild fowl ave already become as
sured of the preservation of their
homes and offspring. On this reef,
which Is composed of oyster shells
and extends only a mile and a half in
the waters of the upper gulf. some 800
brown pelicans, coo man-o'-war birds
and almost a thousand royal terms
were recently observed by an Audubon
patrol exhibition. More than POO
nests of the terms We're also counted
on the little reef which has now been
placed under Careful guard against
marauders.
In addition TO the Shell Keys and
the equally ~frequented mud lump"
reservations at the Mississippi's
mouth, which have today come under
the surveillance of the Audubon work. ,
ers, some 700 acres OF island region
have been purchased or acquired by
the association for the same purpose
Of the rivers delta. Many more
either privately held or UNI
discovered, must be bought or held
under perpetual lease. the ornitholo- ,
gists declare, before the bird life of ,
his country will be adequately safe J
guarded.
The only hope for the preservation {
IF the wild birds of u nation lies =,
n acquiring their home breeding =
rounds on the coast of the United ,
states n carefully maintaining them
against m~olestation." said william T,
butcher, president of the association
Il its headquarters, l41 Broadway. to-
lay. Every American should be in- f,
crested in the preservation and eN- ,
ension OF this country's bird life. and !,
10 uue patriot will care to see a !
ace Of his nations birds die cut for y
ack Of their ancestral homing .