Paragould soliphone. (Paragould, Ark.) 1918-1950, 1922-05-12

BIRD films
IN PARACOULD
Biological Survey Bureau of
Washington Grants Per-
mission to Show Interest
ing Pictures.

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The beauty of bird life, its value
to mankind and the humane side of
caring for the feathered tribe and
other points of much interest to
the public generally concerning
them will be faithfully and inter
estingly presented at the Majestic
theater Friday afternoon and eve
ming and Saturday afternoon and
evening. Two films will be shown,
supplied direct from the biological
survey bureau of the Department of
Agriculture of Washington, upon
the solicitation of Med Donaldson,
who procured the films after much
effort and upon giving guarantees
that they would be properly handled.
The first film is entitled: "Annie's
Aigrettes." This perturbation shows
the life of the herons of Mississippi
county, Arkansas, and of the ever
glades of Florida. The herons, as
is commonly known, supply beau
tiful plumage used in trimmings of
millinery. The aigrettes are grown
by the fowls during the breeding
season, and are the most beautiful
when the herons are feeding their
young 1t is during this period that
ignorant or ruthless hunters shoot
the birds to their death for their
plumage to be sold the plumage of
the aigrettes when in it's loveliest
form, represent the fact that the
mother bird had been slaughtered
when she was feeding her young
and that the commercial ambitions
of the hunter caused the baby
herons" to die of starvation.
Few people residing in this sec
ton realize that fowls of the egret
tyne existed in this section, but the
biological survey bureau of Wash
ington reports them in large but
rapidly diminishing numbers in Mis-
sissippi county, Arkansas. The ac-
tion of hunters who seek the plu-
mage of the birds is causing an
almost total destruction of the tribe
in this section, it is said. 1t is
the desire of the government to dis
courage the slaughter of the fowls.
particularly in their breeding sea-
son, that the films are being shown.
The law is supposed to protect the
herons from slaughter but some
hunters appear to be constitutional
ly opposed to observing the man
dates of the government in this as
we'll as in other respects.
The second film will show the
birds in the famous re-
serves along the Gulf of Mexico
coast; how they are fed and pro-
tected. Both pictures, made under
the direction of the government, are
said to be of'unusual interest and
very instructive. The two films will
be shown in addition to the regular
program at the Majestic theater on
Friday and Saturday, matinees and
nights, and everyone is earnestly
invited to view them.
The subject of protecting bird
life in the United States is becom-
ing a widely discussed one, result
ing in rigid observation of protec-
tive measures in most sections, and
the idea appears to be growing in
much favor everywhere. 1t has
been pointed out that unless the
birds are given more protection
than has been accorded them with
in the past a few years will see
the nation almost depleted of those
fowls, and the country left to the mcr-
cF of pests that would destroy plant
life and cause human existence to
become almost intolerable.
1t is assured that the two films
to be offered at the Majestic will
be well worth seeing and will APP
peal with force to those who are
inclined.