The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-09-10
To RESTORE SLAIN BIRD RACES.
Coded Haunts May Save Nations Water
Fowl Presidents Grant of Bird Ha-
vens Grasped as Great Chance.

Coded Haunts May save Nations water
Fowl. Presidents Grant of Bird Ha-
vens Grasped as Great Chance.
NEW YORK, Sept. 7. To insure per-
petual home refugees to many millions
of the dying races of Americas water
fowl two of the largest bird feserva-
tions in the world have today been
turned over by the government to the
care of the National Association OF
Audubon Societies in this city. Al
most three hundred square miles OF
the most thickly populated haunts OF
water birds on this continent are In
cluded in these two tracts in Oregon
and California about the klamath,
Malheur and Harvey Lakes. Where
an army of the worlds plume and mar
ket hunters have practically exterml-
mated the white heron, grebes, terms,
ducks. geese and pelicans of this once
prolific region at profits of thousands
of dollars week, the Audubon Of
ficials declared today they could restore
whole races of the watered fowl, II
the people of the country would rally
behind them in this late chance for
some restitution of the nations winged
resources.
For three wears at frequent Intervals
two daring explorers OF the AUDUBON
association have been Drawing the dan-
gers of Nature and the wild poacher
l.
the information upon which the Fresi-
dent has quickly acted. Pushing about
by automobile, canvass canoe ana ralC'
Finley and Bohlman, both expert ornl-
biologists, have eagerly sought to mas
ter the secrets of these wild haunts OF
the birds and their butchers. Today their
renorts have convinced the authorizes
that their task has been accomplished
not a minute too soon. Where few
wears ago the commercial hunters ao-
NIT making $4,000 in one summer by
the slaughter of the aigret-bearlng
heron, scarcely a single specimen OF
this beautiful bird could be found al
ter months of search. The sllvery
breasted grebe still survives through
ont these important breeding grounds,
though its slayers confess to single
shipments of its tiny skins worth $780,
600.
From the klamath region alone
hundreds of tons of butchered ducks
have been shipped to market in recent
wears. the Audubon officials assert,
some hundred and twenty tons OF their
carcasses having been removed from
this breeding ground in the season OF
1905, Strengthening hundred and nifty
ducks day each member of the gangs
that infest the region have sent a con-
slant procession of wagon-loads OF their
prey away for many years. In spite OF
this ceaseless carnage, however, 1t has
been found that ducks, geese, terms,
cormorant, grebes, pelicans, great blue
heron and gulls still frequent these,
their natural homes, in the breeding
season and still greater hosts during
the vernal and fall migrating periods.
To retake for the birds their
ancestral homing grounds from the
desperate force of poachers that still
infests the region and threatens
violence to all bird guards, force OF
hardy wardens and a little fleet OF
stout boats must be at once sent to the
front by the Audubon workers. Every
inch of the Businesses over which the
wild fowl have trustfully streWn their
eggs must be carefully guarded at all
times in wind and weather. Though
every resource of the Association is
taxed today to maintain the score of
similar. reservations upon which the
work of restoring the country's water
fowl is being pushed, its officers declar-
ed today that they did not despair of
rising to this greatest opportunity OF
all which has just been opened to them.
''Pestilence and plague is staring the
whole country in the face with the
alarming decrease of Natures scaven-
gers, the water fowl, while market
butchery threatens to put an end to ali
game" said William butcher, presi-
dent of the National Association of
Audubon Societies at its headquarters,
14l Broadway, today. cat last our ex
pioratons and the prompt action of the
President have given US chance to
restore the most important source OF
this bird life in the country. | believe
that every American who has all ounce
of patriotic pride will rally to help us
hold these vast tracts of homes for our
birds, as soon as he learns of the oppor-
tunity. 1t the people do not rise to
support us now at this critical juncture
l fear we may be obliged to let slip
golden and final opportunity to restore
its water fowl to the country"