Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-02-08
''City Of Refuge" For
Migratory Birds
Practical Philanthropy Practiced by
Canadian.

Deell telllng us OF bird loving neigh
Dor OF his, who established a sort OF
City OF Refugee for the migratory
birds, which in their southwark flights
were minus place to rest or secure
TODD in the wintry egion of Ontario
His neighbor, Mr. Miner, man Of
wealth and a. lover of birds, secured a
tract OF land, reforested it and built
an artltlclal lake-secured special leg
lslatlon from the Province, to protect
the birds which might take advantage
OF his hospitality, in their flight for a
warmer cline. As Mr. Kratz described
it, geese, ducks and others of the fea-
they tribes, gradually learned that they
were welcome at Miners ranch and
tens of thousands of birds of all des-
ccrlptions make it their stopping place
n their flights south and north. The
attached story, which we take from the
Albany Herald, is interesting and bears
out in full the story as related by
friend Kratz.
Several days ago there appeared in
The Albany Herald an account of the
finding on the leg of a dove shot by
Mr.. J. P. Myers near Doerun of an
aluminium tag labeled "Kingsville, Ont.
Box 49," Mr.. Myers wrote to the ad-
dress and has received an interesting
letter from Jack Miner, sportsman
and naturalist" Mr.. Miner acknowl-
edges receipt of Mr.. Myers letter as
follows:
Kingsville, Ont, Jan. 81, 1928.
Dear Mr.. Myer:
Have just arrived home, hence the
delay Many many thanks for re-
porting the dove. | planted a jungle
OF pines eight years ago. Got the
seedlings from our forestry depart
ment, and from what was a barren
clay field in 1914 | now have a per-
feet paradise for birds right near my
house The sixth year l had at least
50 pair of doves nesting there, and
last year they were too many to count.
| am starting to tag the young ones.
This is done just before they leave
the nest, but yours is the first one l
have heard from. Therefore l apl much
The accompanying printed
matter will give you brief explana-
ton of my enjoyable hobby. Will you
please write me WHETHER the tag (op
the dove) was easily noticed, etc Will
you please send me the tag, as I am
writing a book on the migration of
our birds, and I want to photograph
these tags, as proof that my book is
not almanac history" Trusting this
will be enjoyed as l enjoy
it, your friend and brother sports
man,
JACK MINER
The printed matter to which Mr..
Miner refers in his letter shows views
on his farm, where he has made a
small artificial pond which ducks and
geese have learned to consider a place
of refuge. 1t is close to main high
way and almost within the shadow of
Mr.. Miners dwelling, but wild water
fowl frequent it in large numbers as
they fly south in the autumn and north
in the spring. The ducks stay about
three weeks and the geese twice as
long, and a picture reproduced from
a photograph shows hundreds of Ca
madam geese on the water, around the
edges of the pond and in the air above.
Geese and ducks wounded by hunters
in the neighborhood come to this little
refuge to remain till they are well and
strong, and in March and April their
naturalist friend feeds them 1000 to
1000 bushels of ear corn. Every year
the number of birds and water fowl
on the place increases, for they have
learned that it is haven of safety,
and what each generation knows is
to its young.
The things this bird-lover of nor
thern country has in his mind and
heart can be gathered from the clos
ing paragraphs of a circular letter
which, we learn from having read it,
he rails to any who returns him a tag
from one Of his ducks, geese, doves
or robins he sends forth with his mes
sages. This is his Interesting explana-
ton, which is interesting even unique:
snow, my brother isportsmen,
please don't think that am opposed
to shooting few ducks or geese, but
will you please help us provide for
next years crop by turning down
any opportunity to slaughter? Yes, l
know that you will agree with me that
at the present day we should be very
considerate of what we are doing
with the gun. when this one bird,
whose WAYS are as old and as new as
the world, gives millions OF people
thrilling enjoyment and recreation to
see if alive, when its fall out of the
air from your or my deadly aim can
only give enjoyment to one, Don't
LET us lose sight of this fact that these
birds were created by the only per-
feet Manager this world has ever
known. Then after He created them
and blessed them, He created us ana
Gave us to dominate over them. Now,
are we going to exterminate them'
the same as our fathers did the pas
seneer pigeon? or are we going to
take their mistake as a lesson ana
say I will do my bit towards their
protection. so that rising and I'M
horn generation may be able to see
what God saw was good. Did you
ever stop to think of the many things
Won and I have to be thankful for
through the fact that we are citizens
of North America? Aud when we