The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-02-12
TO GUARD SEAB|RDs
OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN

NEW YORK, N. Y, January 29.--
dred miles of Pacific coast. recently
reserved as a bird refuge. millions of
water foul may suffer death to them
selves and their young at the nesting
season, it was declared here today.
With thousands of acres of such
breeding Ravens, which they have pre-
viously obtained and must patrol with
hardy and expert men, the national
association of Audubon societies finds
itself today unable to extend it's bird
guard over the newly-acquired stretch
of inaccessible sea-coast Unless
funds are forthcoming for this eco
nomic movement, officers of the asso-
citation declared today, American bird
life would again suffer such ravages
as are admittedly bringing it's valu-s
able seabird. species close to the point
of extinction.
Both men and boats of the stanchest
sort are required for the perilous work
of patroling the reefs and rocks of
the nesting birds in all winds and
weather. Some $1,000 were devoted by
viding this protection against poach-
ers for the defenseless birds on their
breeding grounds. To extend this SER
vice to the new refugees, which the
government has just coded, several
thousands of dollars more will be re-
quired. Beyond paying the Wardens |
81 month for the purpose, of their
nominal control, the Federal authori- |
ties have left the entire burden of |
maintaining this little army of bird |
guards upon the national association |
of Audubon societies.
Just what New York city would |
soon become without its street clean |
ing department, ornithologists assert, |
the entire seaboard regions of Amer
lea will soon be, if the Waterfowl are
allowed to approach extinction much |
longer. AS scavengers the sea birds |
are the only agents that stand be-
tween the people of this country and /
pestilence. Once the birds become so
few as to allow the coast refuse to
accumulate the entire country will |
stand in grave danger of being swept |
by plague.
Only the annual IS bills of less than
thousand members of the national |
association of Audubon societies to- |
day support the extensive work of |
this body, of which the economic |
movement to preserve the nations sea
ic-o
and the limited endowment their |
command the workers of the associa-
ton are today unable to carry out |
adequately the work of preserving the |
sea fowl, which has become national
in scope. Unless several thousand I
persons, representing every section of |
the country. enrol with these Audubon
workers this year much in the eco
nomic campaigns which demand their
support must be left undone.
THE nations sea fowl must be pre-
served now or never said William /.
ITO carry out this great economic
work in time we must have the moral |
as well as financial support of at least
5000 members. &eel sure we are 60
ing to find as many and more thinking
persons in this country who will con-
slider it a patriotic privilege to enroll
in a movement so essential to the
health, wealth and general weIl-being
of the entire country, entirely aside
from sentimental and esthetic mo-
tives." There ought to be those 5000
members, and considering the small
sum required, it is amazing that there
are not.