San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-02
Ornithologist Photographs
Only Khooping Cranes Known

| by Mr.. Camp. In fact, no one with the
exception Of Mr.. Camp. few Crnl-
/ biologists and the owner Of the land
where the colony lives knows their
whereabouts. The secret is jealousy
guarded. and Mr.. Camp is confident
that within a few years their num-
bers will increase, and if given the
proper protection will again become
numerous in the streams and lakes of
the unsettled areas of the United
States. DIR. Allen secured numerous
photographs of the whOOping crane
colony. and these will probably be
published in several Of the publications
devoted to bird life.
Largest Bird in America.
The whoOping, crane is the largest
native bird III North America. The
largest are over nine feet from tip 10
tip. They are white, with a few jet
black feathers on the tip of the wings.
They are a migratory bird, and i'll the
old days tremendous flocks of the
whOOping cranes swept down from the
north each year to spend the winters
in the Valleys lakes and lagOons, re-
turning to the north for the nesting
season. Their flesh was greatly priced
by the early settlers of the central
states, but few of the present genera
ton are familiar with the bird, as it
has been practically extinct for the
past decade.
Game Warden Camp has watched
the crane colony closely, but so far
as he can determine, the birds have
shown no tendency to migrate during
the nesting season. They remain close
to the place where he discovered them
4 few years ago-at point where no
hunter could get within gunshot with
cut wading for miles through waist
deep lagUons. So far as he can learn
the birds have never been seen except
by the naturalists he has taken with
him and few ranch employees. and
the latter guard the birds as jealousy
as the scientists.
Valley Natural Bird Refuge.
DIR. Allen called attention to the
fact that the Rio Grande Valley is a
natural bird refuge; that this region
has greater variety of bird life than
can be found in any other part of the
United States ;@and stressed the neces-
sity Of Valley spOrtsmen organizing
and assisting the scientists and state
and federal governments in preserving
the bird life Of the country.
The Rio Grande Valley is the win
tering place for uncOunted millions Of
aquatic birds. as well as game and
song birds of all kinds" he stated,
| Every real sportsman deplores the
slaughter Of birds, which has brought
| several species and varieties almost 10
the point Of extinction. The Rio
Grande Valley is practically the last
stand of some varieties: in fact there
are several, like the whooping cranes.
which can be fCund in no other part
OF the country, and if the real sports
men Will organize to give these birds
the protection they should have, they
VIII be able 10 accomplish a great
work for poSterity No scientist could
or would object 10 the sportsmen get
ting the legal limit Of game birds. but
what they do object To is the ruthless
slaughter Of birds merely TO crafty
the killing instinct an instinct which
seems to dominate some alleged sports
men.
The Rio Grande Valley has an on
portunity To accomplish more in the
way Of bird conservation than anv
other part Of Texas. and through the
cooperation of sportsmen and farmers
the bird life could be made one Of the
valleys most attractive features"