The Republican journal., 1909-10-28
GUARD BliD BKOODS.
Audubon Wardens Report on Nations
Nestlings. Sea-Bird Scaveneers and In
sect-Eating Waterfowl Grow Scarce.

1
Nestlings. Sea-Bird Scavengers and In
sect-Eating Waterfowl Grow Scarce.
NEW YORK, October rs. That the
threatened determination of the valuable
birds OF the sea coasts and lakes of this
country has been checked to some extent
by the operation Of reservations during
the past year was announced at the head
quarters of the National Association of
Audubon Societies in this city today. At
some nifty points along both shores of
the continent and on it's inland waters
the breeding birds have this season been
shielded from the ravages of egg poach-
ers, plume hunters and market butchers.
according to annual reports that have
just been received from the wardens en-
ployed by this association. In over 30
per cent of these bird refugees, which
the Audubon workers are struggling to
maintain with the help of the govern
ment, increases of from ten to sixty per
cent in the sea-birds and water fowl
most economically useful to the people
OF the nation are reported.
On the waters of Maine, Massachu
sets, New York, New Jersey, Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Michigan, Min
nesota, North Dakota, Washington and
Oregon, careful census has been made of
the bird broods reared this year in the
breeding places set aside by the govern
ment or leased by State and National
Audubon societies. While the wardens
generally report that the sea-birds and
water fowl are rapidly multiplying with
IN the limited terrific ry in which they are
guarded from human devastation, storm
tides-the wholesale checks of nature
are held responsible in half dozen nota-
able instances for the destruction of
thousands of the young of species on
whose activities the country must rely
for the disposal of floating refuse and
the consuming of harmful insects.
Throughout the regions where the shore
birds must still breed unguarded the raids
OF plume hunters are threatening the
nation with the rapid extinction of some
species of these birds, according to Or
nithologists who have summarized the
situation on the basis of these records.
More than Is, 900 eggs of gulls, herons
and terms are reported as taken, in the
temporary absence of one warden, by an
egglng expedition on the Breton Island
reservation off Louisiana, in violation of
federal statute. Only score of the
herons whose nuptial plume furnishes
the aigrette to the millinery market are
reported as surviving recent butchery on
each of the two Audubon reservations in
South Carolina and Florida From war
dens stationed in both the upper Atlantic
and Pacific coasts and the inland waters
of the country good promise of saving
and increasing the birds in their charge
is held out.
Plague and pestilence will surely fol-
low the determination of the bird
scavengers along our coasts and crop
pests will run riot about the inland wa
tiers if their insect-eating water fowl are
allowed to become extinct" said William
butcher, president of the National As
ISOLATION of Audubon Societies, at it's
headquarters, al Broadway. "Our war
dens are doing a noble work in shielding
the breeding birds from human harm;
but the natural checks to bird life, such
as storm tides, fogs, forest fires and
cold storms during migration. operate
each year to thin the ranks of the birds.
The only way to offset the natural losses
of bird life is to extend this bird refuge
work and prevent the activities of the
commercial despoiIers.