El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-09-21

I mainland by their parents.
The Yukon Reserve.
Two other small islands in Cooks in
let Egg and Chisick, are natural
breeding grounds of the elder duck, and
are now protected by law off 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
game in our arctic province is that OF
the Yukon delta, where an area as
large as the state OF Massachusetts mas
been set aside by the government as
breeding area for wild 1oWl-chleIIy
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 otner pur-
pose in particular. 1t is the winter
home of birds, which, at other seasons
are eagerly sought as game in various
parts OF the United States Properly
protected it should be in the future
permanent source of food supply for
Alaska and the entire Pacific coast
But in order that this shall come 10
pass. it is necessary that the birds shall
be protected against wholesale slaugh-
ter-one method commonly adopted by
pothunters in the past being to drive
the helpless creatures into Enclosures
murder them ruthlessiy-
A curious situation OF affairs, by the
way. has arrived in California where
the wild geese have taken to destroy
ing 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 senti-
mental reasons, and, inasmuch as they
are increasing in numbers, thanks 10
the protection now afforded them, the
problem is somewhat difficult of solu-
ton
Grizzly Is Almost Extinct.
Our four most important native big
game mammals are the grizzly near,
the moose, the elk and the buffalo. al
OF them are disappearing The grizzly
is now practically extinct IN California,
and its species is represented only by 4
scattered remnant in parts OF the
Rocky mountains. There are a few Of
these magnificent bears in the Yellow
stone National park, where they are
not allowed to be shot, and it is strong
" urged that those remaining alive IN
other places ought to be protected
They have lost all of their old trUculent
and aggressive spirit; they never at
tack man when they can run away,
and they are as humbly grateful for
charitable rations as any reformed
Apache indian
4 recent census of the buffalo shows
that there are 40 captive and 40 wild
in the Yellowstone park. On the Mon
tana bison range there are so, and on
the Wichita game preserve 40 Canada
still has something like 1000 under
fence. mostly in two herds In addi-
ton, we have in this country 1000 buf-
falo in private holdings The finest
herd numbering nearly 500, belongs TO
- IT TN11- no
owner died a year ago, and the estate
is somewhat puzzled to know what to
do with them
On the Coronados islands, off the Pa
cific coast, seven miles south of the
Mexican boundary line, Is a large col
ony of brown pelicans. Owing to their
geographical location, they are not
protected. Utmost efforts have been
made to induce at least some of them
to come a little further north and to
build their nests on other islands with
in the territory of the United States,
where they would be safe from egg
hunters and other marauders. But it is
impossible to make them understand
to be enticed.
Home of the AukIets.
One of the most noteworthy refugees
is Destruction island, off the coast of
Washington, the home of the curious
rhinOcerous auklet. This rock, long
dreaded by mariners. stands boldly out
in the Pacific, its flat top, so acres in
extent, covered with luxuriant yege-
tation and cut off on all sides by pre-
cipitous cliffs.
Here $4,000 auklets dwell. They are
sOoty black. and the vertical sea walls
are fairly hOneycombed with their bur-
rows wherever there is clay or sand in
which to dig holes. 1t is no small task
for a bird to bore 10 feet or more into
a hard clay bank, but many of the bur-
rows are even deeper, the diameter OF
the tunnel being about five inches and
terminating in a dome-shaped chamber
lined with dry leaves or grass Each
tunnel has a spur or blind alley, pre-
sumably occupied by the male during
the honeymoon The female lays sin
gle egg.
Late in April the cave-dwelling fowls
muster from the wide seas and seek
the "aukery," on Destruction island
They always arrive at night, and crash
into the bushes like meteOrs, taking big
chances of breaking their bones. The
tribal homecoming is signalized by a
tremendous connection. and, once ar
rived, the birds promptly engage with
old neighbOrs in disputes about boun-
diaries. If grOwls and barks and
shEeks mean anything, the Cuarreling
is vigorous. At length, however, order
emerges and the auklets set 20 Work
renOvating old tunnels or driving hew
ones, as a preliminary to the business
of reproduction.
An odd fact about these birds is that,
hiding in their burrows, they are never
seen in the daytime. Another species,
known as Cassin's auklet, which
breeds on the Farallones and other Pa
cific reservations, has similar noctur-
nal habits On the South FaralIone
care has to be taken not to carry a
lantern at night. in the o-eedirg sea
son, because the auklets. coming in
from the sea by hundreds at q speed of
80 miles an hour, and aiming for the
light are likely to knock down the
man who bears il.
Yet another nocturnal bird, which
breeds on the South Farailone (and
which, by the way, breeds nowhere else
within the limits of our territory is
the ashy petrol It is exactly the colCr
Of thick fog, and nests N crevices