The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-10-15
KILLING OF BIRDS
CHECKED
RUTHLESS SLAUGHTER OF vAIU.
ABLE CREATURES STOPPED
TO SOME EXTENT.

New York. oct. li.-That ihe threat
ened determination of the valuable
birds IF the seacoasts and lakes oi
this country has been checked to some
extent by the operation of reservations
during the past year was announced
mt the headquarters of the National
Association of Audubon societies in
this city today. At some 50 points
along both shores of the continent and
on its inland waters the breeding birds
have this season been shielded from
the rayagcs of egg poachers. plume
hunters and market butchers accord
ing to annual reports that have Just
been received from the wardens en-
pios cd by this association. In over 80
per cent of these bird refugees. which
the Audubon workers are struggling
to maintain with the help of the gov
eminent. increases of from 10 to 60
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, Flor
ida, Louisiana, Mississippi. Michigan.
and oregon careful census has been
made of the bird broods reared this
year in the breeding places set aside
by the government or leased by state
and national Audubon societies.
While the wardens generally report
that the sea birds and water fowl are
rapidly multiplying within the limited
territory in which the. are guarded
from human devastation, storm tides
the whole check of nature-are held
responsible in half a dozen notable in
stances for the destruction of thou
sands 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 threat
enins the nation with the rapid extinc-
ton of some species of these birds,
according to ornithologists who have
summarized the situation on the basis
of these records.
More than $4,000 eggs of gulls. herons
and terms are reported as taken. in the
temporary absence of one warden. by
dh tSsiHS tSpeiittpn on the Breton
island reservation off Louisiana. in
violation of federal statute Only a
score Of the herons whose nuptial
plume furnishes the aigrette to the
millinery market are reported as sur
Niving recent butchery on each of two
Audubon reservations in South Caro-
lima and Florida. From wardens sta
toned on 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
follow the determination of the sea
bird scavengers along our coasts and
crop pests will run riot about the in
land waters il their insect-eating
water fowl are allowed to become ex-
tinct." said William butcher. president
of the National Association of Audu-
hon societies, at its headquarters. 141
broadway, today. Our wardens 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 ac-
uFities of the commercial despoilers."