The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1920-10-29
Audubon Society Urges Halt in
Destruction, Due to 50-Cent
Bounty Law.
BIRDS OF FREEDOM LIBelEO
Official Citea Instances Of Mistaken
Bird Campaign in Asking Suspen-
sion Of Bounty law-12,0oo
Killed Since Law Enacted.

New YOrk.--American eagles in
Alaska frequently kin full-grown
| deer, and are devastators Of sheep and |
other live stock, fur-bearing animals,
| domestic and wild fowl, salmon and
other food fish, according to Alaskahs
who have been writing on the sub
ject to L. Gilbert Pearson, secretary
Of the Audubon Societies National as
| ISOLATION.
Mr.. Pearson has been directing from
the New York offices of the associa-
lion an agitation to save the American
eagles in Alaska by removing the
price of so cents head, which was
placed on their heads by the Alas
Kan legislature in 1917, which made
them outlaws because of their sup
posed destructiveness. The accusers
Of the bird Of freedom in Alaska have
made out very black prima facie
case against him, but the bird experts
Of the Audubon societies generally be-
lieve that the eagle has been convicted
On hearsay evidence and without much
Of trial. BY way of giving the bird
his day in court. the department Of
agriculture has sent scientist TO
Alaska to make close study Of ways
and habits Of the defendant.
The number Of eagles killed In
AlaskS since the bounty law went into
. effect is not less than 1900. accord
, Ing to estimates today. G. d. Gar
! aeld, secretary of the Alaska Fish and
t Game club, in a letter to NJ. Pearson
IN August said:
J. "A vast difference is noted in the
numbers Of these birds showing II
u southeastern and western Alaska, ant
/ It Is safe prediction that. II thu
slaughter continues for few year
n longer, the species will become prac
n tically extinct in this country"
y Asks Suspension Of Bounty.
l. According to Mr. Pearson. one sec
a ton or another Of this country Is al
" ways working itself up into witch
" burning zeal against some particula
III bird, which usually proves in tim
to be not only innocent. but benef
&c cial.
u "Of course, human beings are NOR
u Important than Birds" he said. ian
u their concerns are entitled to first col
nc sideration. II the charges against tn
~ American eagle were all proved. II
W bounty law would be justified. BIZ
~ there have been so many mistake
o. slaughtering campaigns against val
able or harmless birds that We are as
w ing In this case suspension of, Il
bounty law until the study Of the ha
Its Of the eagle, which have been u
dertMken, show whether he really
IN serves slaughter or not.
u.s. "A few years ago there was an an
meadOw~lark campaign In Californ
is Speeches were made in the legislatu
to the effect that they were RUM
the grape crop in some sections. L
time Il seemed as II the mead
IT. lark was doomed. but careful Inv
as tigation of the origin Of the outt
the against the lark showed that II
started with & statement Of farm
that he had seen a lark sitting on
grapes.
om- "New Jersey had a similar per
va OF hysteria against the robin, VIII
at was alleged to be destroying
hey cherry crop. There was great pro
In eanda In Arkansas and Texas fol
time because Of the untrue cha
that they were destroying rice tie
Zone Of the most exciting CT
70 paigns Of persecution against a
'een eral bird started along the gulf &
ish- h 1918, when It was alleged that
y brown pelican was destroying food
turs q tha rate Of nearly million dol