Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-08-09
ROOSEVELT NEW FAD
President Roaming the Woods to
Study Bird Life.
OFTEN GOES ABOUT ALONE.
Rar,bles Over His Estate Almost Daily
With Field Glass Observing Habits Of
eirds-Said to Be Familiar With
Many Long Island Specimens.


President Roosevelt is studying orni.
thology this summer Almost every
morning, opera glass in hand. he
roams through the woods and fields of
his estate, observing the habits OF the
birds, writes an Oyster Bay N. "
correspondent of the New York Even
Ing sun. On most occasions he is ac-
companied by some of his children. but
he often goes alone. The presidents 5
! favOrite time for bird stalking is in
the morning before the heat of the
day. He is reported TO have told a
friend that he is greatly interested in
the study. Always Il lover of the open.
the president has taken to his new fad
with accustomed impetuosity. He is
receiving instructions in the study
from his friend, John Burroughs. and
( Is said TO have already become famil-
lar with over seventy varieties of
Long Island birds. Since the nature
taking controversy with Or. Long the
president has become more of Il nature
student than ever.
The president rested the day after
his all night camping out experience ON
Lloyd's Neck, where he went with his
boys and the children of Emlen RooSe-
Welt. 1t is yearly experience which
the Roosevelt youngsters look forward
to with unabated interest and excite
! ment. The president took advantage
of his trip this year to study the haD-
its of owls. lie went alone into the
woods after the campfire had been
lighted and was out sleuthing for sew
eral hours.
The presidential camping ground is
an object of exceeding interest to sum
mer visitors at Oyster Bay. As soon
as the yearly trip is over scores of
curiosity seekers hunt out the spot
where he built his campfire and biv-
ouacked for the night They carry away
every conceivable kind of memento,
not disdaining even to gather up hand
fuls of earth. In few days the place
looks as if it had been devastated by
a Swarm Of locusts.
Although the president does not ride
horseback as much as he did, that eX-
ercise Is exceedingly popular with the
younger set. The boys and Miss Ethel
go for long gallops with their instructor
every day. They seldom ride through
the village, however, but keep to the
picturesque back roads. Mrs Ro0se-
welt rides a good deal on her saddle
horse Yaeganka. Bleistein. the pres
ident's old time hurdle jumper, has
been turned out to pasture.
The president has shown DISPOSE
| ton to be alone as much as possible
this year. This propensity gave the
service men a scare the other day.
| The president had gone aboard to
take short cruise up the sound, and
when the boat got back to her dock
and anchored the president was no.
! where to be found. The captain made
a hurried but Intellectual search, and
the secret service men were falling
over each other in their anxiety The
searching party looked in all the state
rooms and above and below deck but
the president was nowhere to be found,
"Where's the presidentt' asked the
captain of one of the jackies in great
trepidatiOn.
search me-" replied the sailor. HE
was here a minute ago. Maybe he has
gone down in a submarine"
Suddenly one of the sailors spied a
rowboat near the wharf. The captain
looked and saw the president, coat off,
rowing for shCre as if his life depend
ed upon it. The secret service men
scrambled to the dock, and laugh
went up at the way the president had
| given every one the slip.
The president spent several hours In
the bayfield, again the other afternoon
when he returned from his camping
trip. All his hay is now in, and he is
turning his attention to the grain.