Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-10-30
A12EEDZWG GDOL0VD Of ROYAL ZZENG ON
RAT7LEDORE Zc2ZAWD

The National Association of AudO-
bon societies have undertaken the
preservation of the bird life of the
region of the Gulf of Mexico. their
plan contemplating the establishing
OF a great reservation under govern
ment protection and supervision
where members of the feathered tribe
may find a peaceful haven in which
to dwell and to rear their young. The
celebrated ornithologist, H. H. Kop-
man, has just completed an eXplora-
ton of the remote sea isles off the
coast Of Louisiana from the Sabine
river to Pascal Outre. and as a re-
suit, it has been decided to add all
OF this insular tract, if possible, to
the reservation of twenty-seven SINH
lar islands now maintained by the
Audubon workers east of the Missis-
sippi's mouth as undisturbed Ravens
for the hosts of birds that wing by
looking for breeding places.
Application for the right to retain
for this purpose such of these islands
made by the Audubon association to
the federal authorities in the near
future and every effort exerted to
secure similar rights on islands held
by private interests. In the formation
Of their coast reservation east of the
Mississippi prompt assistance has al
ways been given the Audubon work
ers by the government in the &C
QUESTION of the island territory
which they have found it a heavy
financial burden to acquire from pri
vate holders and maintain. With the
island stretch both east and west Of
the delta of the Mississippi thus &C
quired, this country will afford its
birds the most extensive and usefu
breeding reserve in the world.
The Kopman explorations, as re
ported to William butcher, president
of the association, will prove {
valuable addition to geographical
as we'll as pathological record:
Many islands not named on the Off
cial charts were discovered. and sew
eral colonies of birds were fount
whose existence in these particular
regions could previously be only con
jectured. In all, some 22,700 pelicans
terms, black skimmers, herons ane
gulls were found in breeding condi
ton. Although on islands of thu
present Audubon reserve the bird!
have become so tame that they pa.
practically no attention to man, in :
great many of the remote region
Just visited they exhibited signs o
fear, which showed unmistakabl,
that they were frequently moleste,
even in these inaccessible breedin,
grounds.
Most mysterious Of all the observa
tons made by the Audubon expedi
ton were the "mud-lumps" of tn
passes Of the Mississippi outlet Thes
weird islands rise, sink and reappea
elsewhere in an unaccOuntable man
ner, and are used by the timid bir'
focks very extensively for breedin
/ colonies They often cover an acr
and rise or feet above high It'd
level in their shifting processes. Tn
action of gas and oil domes and tn
effects of sedimentation are variousl
assigned by scientists as the cause
of these phenomena.
The exploration of this region
almost the final step in genera
survey of the Atlantic coast line Q
the entire country, which was starte
down from the upper boundary c
Maine some years ago. At great e.
pense the national association c
Audubon societies has now obtaine
full and complete information on a
the haunts and habits of the bird
who frequent the east coast countr.
One more survey will be made, a
soon as available funds warrant i
down to the lower extreme of tn
Texas coast. Eventually the Audubo
| workers intend to continue thes
valuable and productive observation
along the entire line of the Pacifi
coast as thoroughly as they hav
covered the Atlantic seaboard.
At prices of from two to seve
dollars an acre perpetual homes an
breeding grounds for the wild bird
of America are now being secure