Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-19
.SEAFOWLP PROTECTION
President Comes to Aid of the
Graceful Terms.
GIVEN A RESERVATION
Mud Jumps" at Mouth of Missis-
sippi Set Apart.
SAVE GULLS AND PELICANS
Ruthless Destruction by Plume and
Egg Hunters Stopped and Safe
Homes Afforded Birds.
SAVE GULLS AND PELICANS

several wild turkeys are hidden in the
woods of Virginia glad to have escaped
the honor of meeting the chief executive.
But with the birds of the sea It is differ
ent. The President has declared himself
protector of the feathered fleets of the salt
air and he is doing all in his power to
prevent the ruthless determination of a
species of life which is one of the chief
charms of the ocean.
Many transatlantic voyager has leaned
comfortably on the rail of a liner on
sunny day and watched the strong winged
guls sailing gracefully above and al about
him. He has watched them many hun
dreds of miles from shore. their white
and gray plumage shimmering in the sun
light as they followed the ship or sank
down to rest upon the blue waters, and
their every movement seemed to suggest
power and Self-reliance.
Yet though they appear more than able
to take care of themselves they need
guardian, and the President has accepted
the task.
Almost as numerous as the fish in tho
sea, these birds were found not many
years ago breeding in every nook and
sandy inlet all along the Atlantic coast.
They swarmed over the beaches, they
perched on the cliffs and they sailed in
thousands and tens of thousands along the
shore.
with the gun went too. There were no
state regulations TO guard the birds.
they were non-game variety; and too,
being deniZens of the deep like sailors,
landsmens laws gave them small recog-
milton. Behind the man with the gun was
Dame Fashion, who needed wings and
quilts for various hats, and while the
hunter slaughtered the pretty creatures,
the egg collector robbed every nest he
could ind.
Effect Soon Seen.
The raid on the birds soon had it's effect,
and presently there was an appreciable
decrease In the vast number seen a.ong
the beaches. They sought out secluded
spots and finally most Of them quit the
mainland for barren islands off the shore.
This was especially noticeable on the
southern coast, where, off louisiana and
Florida, the gulls appropriated hundreds
of sandy keys and tried to raise their
families in peace and quiet. But the quill
hunter and the egg destroyer followed,
and things looked still worse for the ref
ugees.
This was where the Audubon Society,
the national protector and friend of all
birds, stepped in, did a splendid piece OF
work on its own account and then inter-
ested the federal government. This So
cety went into the legislatures OF the
various states on the Atlantic coast ana
put through a number of protection bills;
then it set about to purchase the barren
them apart for reservations. Keepers
were placed on the islands and every
possible precaution YVES taken to prevent
further slaughter.
The society finally got the government
interested in its work and succeeded two
years ago In having set apart as ma
tional bird reservation two groups OF
small islands off the coast of Florida and
one group off the Louisiana coast at the
mouth of the Mississippi river.
1t is to the latter reservation that Presi-
dent Roosevelt has just added another
preserve adjoining the original Breton
reservation, as it is called. BY executive
order just issued the Tern Island reserva-
ton, which comprises the mud Jumps
at the mouth of the Mississippi, mas been
set apart for the birds OF the sea, ana
the federal government will protect them
as zealously as she is protecting the in
FAINT industries" of the country with the
tariff.
On this southern coast the government
has taken two distinct types of birds
under its sheltering wlng-the gulls ana
the pelicans. The latter find safe breed
ing PAGES on the Florida reservations,
the most important island in this group
being Pelican Island, which is alive with
these birds.
The terms or sea swallows, which are
the most numerous of the small gull fam
iy,.are breeding in vast numbers all over
the mud Jumps" or small flats formed by
sedimentary deposits at the mouth OF the
Mississippi Here among the grasses and
eggs in the sand and Matching their young
under the watchful eyes of Keepers. THESE
keepers are now in the employ or the
government, although the Audubon So
ciety formerly raised funds by popular
subscription to pay them, and does mann
tain number even now, independent or
the federal authorities
BY some unexplained instinct the terms
seem to know they are prote cted, and they
virtually cover the little island. They
vary in size from nine inches long to two
feet, and in color from white to blush
gray and darker shades to almost black.
In the winter months thousands of ducks
also find refuge on the tern reservations.
By far the most interesting of the pro-
tected birds, however, are the pellcans,
the big ungainly creatures which are al
ways the delight and wonder of the vis-
itor to the zoo. The white and brown
species are found off the Florida coast
and Pelican Island. Near Sebastian Is an
ideal spot for the birds to breed. Here In
the warm climate especially suited, for
them they live in peace. unmolested by
the hunter or the egg col ector Accord
ing to a government report on the island,
one egg collector who visited the place in
1896 carried off 125 sets of eggs in an
hour, which must have represented a
very considerable proportion of the eggs
then in the nests" 1t was just this ruth
less destruction of bird life which inspired
the President to extend federal protection
to the feathered tribes.
A Pelican Tradition.
In connection with the pelican it IL
interesting to note the fact that the
bird was the subject of a tradition in
olden days. The tip of its long hooked
beak is bright red, and because of this
there was a belief that it fed its young
with its own blood which 1t took from
it's breast. The fact that the bird has
a habit of burying it's beak in its bos-
ON doubtless gave rise to the belief
which, of course, was merely myth
At the same time the legend made the
pelican an emblem of heradry, and il was
emblazoned on many noble crest as
a symbol of self-sacrifice.
The Department OF Agriculture, by
which the bird reservations are
Quoted, makes this interesting comment
in connection with its efforts to save
the birds of the United States IN gen.
eral and the sea birds in particular:
lone of the far-reaching results of
the movement for the protection of nom
game birds has been the elimination OF
the plumage of native species from the
millinery trade. This has been accom-
plished partly by legislation prohibiting
possession and sale of such plumage, and
partly by cooperation between the Audi
bon societies and the principal wholesale
mlliners of the country. In 1903, agree
ments were made between the Audubon
societies of several of the eastern states
and the Merchants Millinery Protective
Of ole no