The Coolidge examiner., 1934-02-16
Prepared by National Geographic Society
Washington. u. C.--wSU Service.


Washington. u. C.--WSU asrvice.
Tn SPITE OF mans destruction
OF forests and building OF great
cities. the face OF nature has
changed but little along the At
lantIc and Gulf coasts OF North
America
A number OF large or otherwise
noteworthy species OF wild animals
originally here have disappeared,
but these were OF kinds apparently
untitled TO survive I'm a populous
country. Among them may be men.
toned the bison and the elk. which
once roamed the eastern forests.
and the wolves and cougars which
preyed upon them and other wild
things. In addition, among the birds.
the great aux. the Labrador duck.
the heath hen. passenger pigeon,
and parrakeet have vanished.
As against this there is
marked renewal OF forest In prog
ress and large numbers OF species
OF wild creatures have adapted
themselves TO share their world
with civilized man. Moose and carl
bou hold their own in some OF the
wilder places, and the whlte-tailed
deer is probably more numerous
than at any previous time In its
history. Each yearly hunting sea
son. within a radius OF 300 miles OF
New York city. sportsmen take more
than 10000 OF these deer. In Penn
sylvania their increase has been so
great that the entire stock OF deer
has been threatened with starya-
ton. owing TO lack OF sufficient for
age.
Probably the total number OF
small birds now Is vastly greater
than existed In the day Of the Pill
grim Fathers, owing 10 the increase
Of food available on farms and In
second growth forests. Millions OF
migratory wild fowl continue TO
troop southwark every fall to win
ter In the coastal waterways and
marshes.
Many small creatures OF field and
forest have developed such an In
sight into man and his ways that
they outwit him at times when their
interests conflict. Cottontail, swamp
and snowshoe rabbits, squirrels.
muskrats. beaver. mink. otter. rae
coons, bobcats and other small nam
mails. and even the black bear. are
common In many places. Doves,
Wild turkeys. ruffed grouse and bob
whites continue TO lead the hunter
afeld.
Tropical Beasts and Birds.
SO far we have had to do only
with the creatures OF more north
ern latitudes. but within our south
ern limits come such tropical beasts
as the jaguar. ocelot, jaguar-undi
cat. coatimundl. peccary, and pre-
hensIle-tailed porcuplne. with par
rots and other strange birds and a
very different plant life, that make
new world to the northern yls-
Itor.
With so much OF the original capl-
tai In wild life to go on. II Is spe-
cially pleasing TO note the great
awakening that has taken place
among the people OF the United
States during the last twenty years
In their recognition OF the value OF
wild life as a great national asset
that must be maintained and per-
petuated. This change from com
parative indifference has come as
the direct result OF an educational
campaign conducted for years by
many organizations.
The survival Of so much wild life
along the eastern coast and its bor-
dering hlnterland is due largely to
this regions physical characters
tics. To the north. In Newfound-
land, Nova Scotia, New Bruins
wick, and Maine, are vast, thinly
peopled. forested areas aboundlng
in streams and lakes. There travel
Is still 80 largely by rough roads
and small boats that conditions re-
main favorable TO Wild life.
Beginning near the mouth of the
Hudson. a great coastal plain ex-
tends southwark TO eastern Mexico.
To the north 1t begins with a width
OF only a few miles. broadening to
from 100 to $50 miles In places,
until IL narrows again near Tam
pico. In this entire distance
there are no outcroppings Of meta
norphlc rocks and apparently none
Of sedimentary formation except the
coauinas OF Florida. Long stretches
OF this plain are fronted by sand
beaches penetrated here and there
by bays, sounds, inlets, and the
mouths Of rivers. Back of the ex-
posed beaches lie many great marsh
areas and shallow bays. with num-
beriess sand bars, low islands. and
mud fats.
.faooo