The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1920-10-29


The McIlhennys have a fine OLD nome
there on a knoll shaded by great i've
oaks. H. H. Dunn in the New lorH
Times quotes Mr.. Mcllhenny III SUI
stance as follows, regarding MS ="
Years of effort in behalf OF the pre-"
ervation of bird life:
Back in 1881, when was living DIS
now, on Avery island, used TO De III,
terested in the birds and in the piuine
hunters. who, travelling IN 'hen
long, unwieldy, lateen-sailed lugse,s'
would come into the bayous' the "e.N1
of their boats covered with the sA''i'
Of thousands of American egrets' siio"
herons. and other birds of beaut'i"'
nlumape shorn from the birds IN lile
midst of the breeding season. WIN
whole nests full Of young lett u pei
ish of hunger and thirst in the Droliiils
e,,n of the Gulf coast AS grew oiu-
err. these birds, once so plentllul' NC
oan TO disappear, until in 1913 anu
1884, l determined to DO What | co0'o
70 save the few remaining blr"s %
the vast flocks which once had let' al
most at ire doors of the homes OIL lily
family on Avery island.
"Just below the house there was ?"
wet suot-WiIIow 1.pond-partly COW
cred with willow, buttopwood' s9c",
more and other water-lovinG trees "n.
an abundant growth of marsh grasses
where each year constantly oecre"o-
ing number of pairs of green herois'
least bitterns, coots ana Dlachpl'"H
nestled. This marsh | increased 10
small lake by means of dam-slhce
those days the dams have been IN
creased five times, until now the poo'
covers 35 acres-but | am getting
ahead of the story.
"Hunting through the marshes much
OF the spring of 1895 found wv"
nests of the snowy heron-Where there
had been hundreds of nests ten years
before. The snowy heron, by the way
and the American egret both supply
the fairy plumes known as 'algrettes
and so much in demand at that tiine'
when they could be sold legally, Tor
women's headdress In each OF THESE
nests were four young birds. Ihese l
took and put in large cage hau
built at one end Of the pond. soon
they would perch on my shoulder anu
eat out of my hand. In November
set them free. ..-.-
Next spring six of the eight came
back. straight as homing pigeons 10
the spot where the cage had Deeh'
One disappeared, and of the hve re-
naming, two pair reared eight young
The 10 left that fall, and all returned
the next March. Five pairs nesteo
raising 20 young, and so on, year by
wear, there has been marked III
crease, until today there are at leas'
$500 palrs-5,O00 bfrds-of THESE
snow herons nesting on Willow pond
I believe this is the only place II
North America where these heron'
nest in any numbers, though | nave
recently shipped 1900 pairs of these
and of the Louisiana and little Dlut
herons TO another wild-life refuge JUS
being established in Florida.
'Today there are also breeding II
Willow pond, some 5000 pairs OF III
tle blue herons, 10000 pairs of Loulsl
ana herons, 300 pairs of green herons
so pairs of purple gallinules, % pair
of Florida gallinules, % pairs OF ieaS
bittern, 10 pairs of kingrails, and SO. OF
"In the course of time, | am sure
this whole rs miles of gulf coast WI
have become so completely sanctuar
TO the wild birds that they VIII be a
fame throughout its 500 square mile
as are those in Willow, pond.