The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-19
Great RESERVE
FOR BIRD CULTURE
Audubon Workers Plan to
Establish Island
Retreat.
UNCLE SAM ASSISTS.
Unknown Isles Discovered
in a Very Recent
Survey.
UNCLE SAM ASSISTS.

~N-N~NNN
unknown island region of the Gulf of
Mexico one great reserve for the birds
of the nation is the project which, it
was announced here to-day, will be
Immediately undertaken by the Ma
tional Association of Audubon Soci-
cites. Reports of a dangerous and diff
cult exploration of the remote sea isles
off the coast OF Louisiana from the
Sabine river to Pass a L'Outre have
just been received from H. H. Kopman,
the celebrated ornithologist who was
dispatched by the association several
months ago in quest of complete in
formation on this practically unknown
territory of the United States. las a re-
suit, 1t has been decided to add all Of
this insular tract, if possible, to the
reservation of u similar islands now
maintained by the Audubon workers
east Of the Mississippis mouth as I'M
disturbed 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 as
ara government property will be made
by the Audubon Association to the fed
eral authorities in the near future and
every effort exerted to secure similar
rights on islands held by private inter-
ests, In the formation of their coast
reservation east Of the Mississippi
prompt assistance has always been
given the Audubon workers by the gov
errment in the acquisition of island
territory. which they have found 1t a
heavy financial burden to acquire from
private holders and maintain. With the
island stretch both east and west Of
thu delta of the Mississippi thus ac-
quired, this country will afford its birds
the most extensive and useful breed
ing reserve in the world.
The Kopman explorations, as report
ed TO William butcher, president Of the
association, today. will prove a valu-
able addition to geographical as well
as ornithological records. Many islands
not named on the official charts were
discovered and several colonies of
birds We're found whose existence in
these particular regions could previous
lily be only eonjectured. In all, some
22700 pelicans, terms black swimmers,
herons and gulls were found In breed
ing condition. Although on islands Of
the present Audubon reserve the birds
have become so tame that they pay
practically no attention to man, in a
great many of the remote regions Just
visited they exhibited signs of fear
which showed Enthusiastically that they
were frequently molested even in these
inaccessible breeding grounds.
Most mysterious Of all the observa-
tons made by the Audubon expedition
We're the mud Jumps" Of the passes of
/ the Mississippi outlet. These weird ISL
ands rise, sink and reappear elsewhere
in an unaccountable manner and are
used by the timtd bird fiocks very ex-
| tersively for breeding colonies. They
often cover an acre and rise six or
eight feet above high tide level in their
shifting processes. The action of gas
and oil domes and the effects of sedl-
mentation are varlously assigned by
scientists as the causes Of these phe.
lnomena.
The exploration of this region Is al
most the final step in general survey
Of the Atlantic coast line Of the entire
country, which was started down from
the upper boundary Of Maine some
years ago. AT great expense the Ma
tional Association Of Audubon Societies
has now obtained full and complete
information on all the haunts and hab,
it's Of the birds who frequent the east
coast country. One more survey will bt
made, as soon as available funds war
rant it, down to the lower extreme 0.
the Texas coast. Eventually the Audu
bon workers intend to continue thes,
valuable and productive observation
along the entire line of the Pacif
coast as thoroughly as they have com