The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-09-22
ties and of Another for Manatees and Dolphins.
Where the Moose Calves Are Born

CalveS Are Born.
pelicans. hundreds of which were killed
by hurricane in 1906. The island Is only
twelve feet above sea level, and on that
occasion the waves ran clear over II.
While a good deal Of damage was done.
the result of the catastrophe was on the
whole highly beneficial. because II wiped
out all of the raccoons and muskrats,
which formerly occupying the place in
large numbers, preyed upon the nesting
birds.
The Audubon Society. by the way. Is
now engaged in making an interesting
experiment on Old Mans Island. near
Machias Bay. which II has leased from
the State of Maine. 1t hopes to accom-
piish there the semi-domestication OF
the elder duck-an enterprise more
promising than one might imagine. in
asmuch as IL has already been carried
out very successfully along the coast
of Norway, where the birds breed in
enormous numbers on islands not far
from shore. Women carry the duck
lings in baskets to the sea when they
are big enough to take care of them
selves, and regularly gather from the
nests the crop of precious down. The
nest of this species of duck Is built OF
grass and sticks. and the female plucks
her own breast for the down, which
she forms into a mat big enough to
fold over and keep the eggs warm
when she Is absent. These mats are
Systematically collected. being worth
25 cents apiece at first hand. and are
sorted. cleaned. and put up in small
bags for export.
One of the most remarkable of the
government refugees for wild game Is
Fire Island. in Cooks Inlet, on the
southern coast of Alaska. II is not far
from the mainland. and the moose
swim over to give birth there to their
calves. The island is of small size. but
II harbors no wolves. and the young
moose. when old enough to look out
for their own affairs. are escorted back
to the mainland by their parents.
Home for Ducks.
Two other small islands in Cooks
Inlet. Egg and Chisick. are natural
breeding grounds of the elder duck.
and are now protected by law. on the
south coast of Alaska is Afognak
Island. which has been made a refuge
for the almost exterminated sea otter.
But the greatest and by far the most
important of the reservations for wild
III Jul tEdt OI
the Yukon Delta, where an area as
large as the State of Massachusetts, has
been set aside by the government ss a
breeding area for wild fowl-chiehy
ducks and geese. including the superb
Emperor goose.
This region of the Yukon Delta is a
treeless tundra country" swampy, with
many lakes. and of no possible useful
ness for agriculture or any other pur-
pose in particular. II is the winter home
OF birds. which. at othe> seasons. are
eagerly sought as game in various parts
OF the United States. Properly protected,
it should be in the future a permanent
source of food supply for Alaska and
the entire Pacific Coast. But. in order
that this shall come to pass. IT is neces-
sary that the birds shall he protected
against wholesale slaughter-one method
commonly adopted by pothunters in the
past being TO drive the helpless crea-
lures into Enclosures built for the pur-
pose. and there to murder them ruth
lessly.
curious situation of affairs. by the
way, has arrived In California. where
the wild geese have taken to destroying
the crops. As the grassy plains where
they formerly fed are converted into
wheat fields. they are adopting the habit
of eating the grain. thus doing a good
deal of damage 1t is considered of great
Importance to preserve these magnificent
birds. not only on account of their value
as game. but for sentimental reasons,
and inasmuch as they are increasing
in numbers. thanks to the protection
now afforded them. the problem is some
what difficult of solution
Our four most important native big
game mammals are the grizzly bear. the
moose, the elk. and the buffalo. All OF
them are disappearing. The grizzly is
now practically extinct in California,
and its species is represented only by
scattered remnant IN parts OF the Rocky
Mountains. There are a few of these
magnificent beats in the Yellowstone
National Park. where they are not al
lowed to be shot. and it is strongly
urged that those remaining alive in
other places ought to be protected. They
have lost all of their old trucuient and
aggressive spirit: they never attack man
when they can run away, and they are
as humbly grateful for charitable ra-
lions as any reformed Apache Indian.
Buffalo Almost Extinct.
A recent census of the buffalo shows
that there are 40 captive and forty-n!ne
wild in the Yellowstone Park On the
Montana bison range there are eighty,
md on the Wichita game preserve forty.
Canada still has something like 1000 I'M
Ter fence, mostly in two herds. In ad- |
iition, we have in this country 1000 buf- |
falo in private holdings The finest herd. !
nearly So belongs to the
Philip estate. in South Dakota. The |
owner died a year ago. and the estate !
S somewhat puzzled TO know what to do |
with them.
On the Coronados Islands, off the Pa /
life coast. seven miles south of the Mex |
can boundary line. is a large colony of |
brown pelicans. Owing to their geo.
location. they are not protect
ID. Utmost efforts have been made to !
induce at least some of them to come d
title further north and 10 build their
tests on other islands within the terri
DRY of the United States. where they |
would be safe from egg-hunters and
,ther marauders. But II is impossible to
make them understand the point. and
hey obstinately- refused to be enticed.
One of the most noteworthy refugees
S Destruction Island, off the coast of
the home of the curious
hinoceros auklet. This rock. long
lreaded by mariners, stands boldly out
n the Pacific. its fiat top, sixty acres in
xtent. covered with a 1uxuriant veSe-
alton and cut OFF on all sides by pre-
ipitous cliffs.
Here 1000 auklets dwell They are
ooty black. and the vertical sea walls.
re fairly hoHeycombed with their bur-
ows wherever there is clay or sand in
which 10 dig holes. 1t Is no small task
d. bird TO bore ten feet or more INFO
|. hard clay bank. but many of the bur-