Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-06-22

ton seldom found in the East. On the
south shore is the only true Atlantic
ford on United States territory.
Somes sound. Among the hills are a
number of narrow sparkling lakes, fill
ing basins scooped out of the rock by
the powerful grinding force Of gla-
ciers ages ago.
All lovers of birds and plant life
can find an interest in Lafayette Ma
tional park aside from its beautiful
scenery and the climbing 1t affords.
IL is wonderfully fitted 10 be a great
nesting and feeding ground for both
land and water birds. This is true.
too. of course. of the adjoining islands
and coast. So numerous are the in
d~entations hat the tide washes fully
$500 miles of shore from Casco Bay
north TO Canada. All along the coast
are to be found extensive flats and
salt marshes, flooded twice a day by
tides. At Mount Desert these tides
rise u feet or more; and each leaves
deposited on the flats of the island
much floating marine life, and con
tributes to the growth of fixed vege-
table and animal forms. In this way
Nature really sets a gigantic table for
the birds.
Bird Life Sadly Depleted.
But unfortunately private control Of
many of the islands and coast fats
and more or less promiscuous shoot
ing and nest destruction have greatly
depleted the bird life along the Maine
coast until now only a pItiable rem
nant is left of the focks observed by
early explorers. One OF the results
looked for by the creation of the La
fayette park and the extension which
1t is believed IL will undergo, Is the
protection of bird life, and the gradual
restoration of larger fiocks.
This matter of bird protection at
Mount Desert Is made easier by the
fact that perhaps no other area In the
northeast In the line of important mi
grations is better fitted to grow a
great variety Of fruiting plants for
bird food. On the exposed portions
of the islands, both headlands and
Dogs, are found numerous species of
plants typical of the regions of the
north. including the Arctic. And In
sheltered hooks are scores of plants
that there reach their extreme north
ern limits-plants of the southern
coastal zone. Finally the soil types
are varied so that both plants of acid
and of basic areas thrive. Nearly
every food plant. then, known to birds
in northern or central regions, either
grows or can be grown on Mount
Desert island.
Just as Lafayette National park diff
fers from the western parks in sur
roundings and type OF scenery, so 1t
differs In origin. When the era of
national park creation came. the fed
eral government owned vast stretches
of mountain and plain and valley in
the West, and was able to select that
which was most picturesque and mere
ly designate 1t as public Fairgrounds.
But all public lands In the East had
long since passed into private hands.
and for several decades there were no
Mount Desert island led persons famil-
lar with IL to feel that 1t would be
the ideal eastern park. An association
of private individuals was formed and
tract after tract of the rugged bills of
the island were purchased These were
rendered to the national governmentin=
1916, and In 1919 congress passed an
act accepting the land and creating
the park Ii Is contemplated that other
tracts Will be added from time TO time
eventually a large part Of the
mountainous island win be a federal
49,