The Coolidge examiner., 1934-02-16

pants Win myrladS or nsh cruS-
taceans, and other food which In
winter sustain millions OF swans,
geese. ducks. gulls, waders, and
other Wild fowl
Fine for the Water Fowl.
Fortunately for these birds, the
broken shore line and submerged
lands have prevented the opening
OF highways and limited agricul-
tural development. Large areas
are occupied only by fishing villages
and by hunting clubs in Maryland,
Virginia. North and South Carolina,
Louisiana and Texas.
One chronlcler records that at
the time OF his first visit 10 eastern
Canada. In 1906 and 1907, the amaz-
Ing number OF caribou In Newfound-
land and their annual migration
across the island each fall were
recognized as one OF the marvels
OF American wild life. At the same
time the moose OF New Brunswick
were extraordinarily abundant.
Although this region has long
been accessible with comparative
ease. yet its unsuitablllty to agri-
cultural development has left vast
areas so sparsely occupied that
they remained true wildernesses.
The coming OF the World war
brought period OF intensive pur-
unf Of D. fev In, ali
for its meat value This slaughter
OF moose. and especially caribou,
dangerously lowered their numbers.
Probably the migratory herds OF
caribou will never again troop
across the barrens of Newfound-
land in anything like their former
numbers.
With well-enforced protection.
however. caribou In Newfoundland
| and moose In New Brunswick and
Maine may be maintained In fair
abundance. Caribou appear to be
/ going forever from Maine, New
Brunswick. and Nova Scotia, the
] white tailed deer having taken their
| place in many districts The deer
continue to extend their range.
Protected by Treaty.
At the present time II would seem
that the shore birds have returned
In large numbers along the eastern
coast since the migratory bird
treaty became effective. and while
many Of the species go into Mexico.
and even South America to winter,
most OF them are too small to at
tract the pot-hunters OF those re-
glons.
The great flights OF geese, swans,
| and ducks that annually sweep
south and southeasterly in the fall
through the eastern states and
along the Atlantic coast mainly
congregate in and about Chesa-
peake bay and Currituck sound.
North Carolina. Many OF these birds
however. remain about Long Island
sound and Barnegat bay until the
coming OF severe weather, when
most OF them also move down the
coast.
Georgia and Florida, having few
shallow fresh-water bays and little
wild-fowl food along the Atlantic
| coast. form a rather marked area
| OF almost complete separation be-
tween these two groups Of migrants
which winter along the Atlantic
coast and those Of the Gulf; the
| Atlantic geese and swans In par
I, tlcular not usually being found far
| ther south than the Carolinas.
Currltuck sound Is an ideal
home for wild fowl during the win
ter months It Is shallow. sur
rounded by marshes, bays. and
| ponds OF almost entirely fresh wa
ter In which various kinds Of
excellent wild-fowl food plants
abound. Fish. shellfish. and crus-
taceans are also plentiful.
On its deeper and more open wa
ters are thousands OF canvasbacks.
numerous redheads. scaups. and
golden-eyes. while in the shallow
bays and connecting ponds are to
be found great numbers OF marsh
ducks, such as black duck. mallard.
widgeon. plntaIls. aDd teal. which
usually assemble In smaller hocks
than species frequenting deep wa
| ter
/ One of the most interesting birds
on the Currituck Is the whlstling
swan. The local estimates Of these
birds vary from total Of fifty thou
sand to nearly one hundred thou
sand birds. Although the swans
are undoubtedly very numerous, yet
these estimates are no doubt far
| too high. AS a matter Of fact, they
probably do not reach the lowest
number given. Fifteen or twenty
years ago, in this region. through
overshooting, the swans were be-
coming dangerously reduced In
| number.