Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/134

 Editorials

kirbzlnre

A Bi-monthly MAE-zine Devoted to the study and Pmtution ol Birch orrtcm. onrmts or nut AIlDIlImV sot-muss Edited by FRANK M, CHAPMAN Published by THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

Vol. V!

Published June t. 1901 No. 3

SUBSCRIPTION RATES

Price in the United States. Canada nntt Mexico Iweﬂly cents a number. one dollar a year. t. age paid.

an“ M. ('HAPMAN

ﬂunk n-rso two. av

Bud-Lore's Motto: A Him! in [Ire Burl: t'r IVaI'M Two in the Hand

A Letter From Florida

The editor has just completed a totlr oi observation through parts of Florida. in the results of which, so tar as they aliect the future of bird protection in the state, Blab- Lottz‘s readers may be interested.

The region passed through extends lrom Kis immee to Lake Okeechobee anti thence to the east coast at Sebastian. The K s- simmee river trip is made very comfortany by boat. two days being required to reach Kissinger tront Kissimmee. The remainder of the trip was made by wagon. camps being made by the way.

After passing through the lakes and reaching the Kissimme: river, one voyages through a vast marsh. The river is narrow, barely wide enough in places (or the pas- sage of the quaint little steamer: birds are abundant, and there is doubtless no journey in Florida. il indeed there is in the United States. where the tourist can see so many kinds of birds to such advantage.

Seven days were passed encamped near the heavily iotcslcd north shore of Okee- chobee. and three days were consumed in driving thence to the east coast. No oppor- tunity was lost to acquire information con- cerning the plume-bearing Herons anti Paroquets, which once thronged this region. and it is probable that a fairly correct idea of the status of these birds was obtained. The ‘Pium: bird.’ or Snowy Heron.is prac-

tically extinct. Not one was observed or

103

reported. The White Egret exists in small numbers; than a dozen birds were seen and only a single rookery was heard of, This have been formed in the upper St. John distrirt. about sixteen miles west of Sebastian. Nuts of its formation tt-as ' ompanied by the ~tate- ment that it had been “shot out." 'l‘l it may be added, in the writch opinion. the certain fate of every roultcry of aigrettc— hearing Herons. unless an armed warden

not more

was said to

be detailed to guard it day and night.

No law will ever prevent robbery. if thr temptation to thievc be sufﬁciently great: and with Herons’ plumes worth twice their weight in gold. there are hundreds oi ex» pittnters waitng to loot any rookery which becomes large enough it) make the returns worth the risk of prosecution

l’aroquets are apparentlv though it will probably be species becomes extinct. tlnly twelve indi« uals were observed, and d gent inquiry showed that the species has greatly tie» crcased in the past ten years.—thotlgh no

very rare.

ars belore the

cause for this diminution is evident.

Reaching Indian river at Sebastian, Peli- can island was v ted and lountl to have been wholly deserted by the birds, not a Pelican old or young being seen. Six httn- ttretl and ﬁfty nests were found on two small neighboring islands. These were all occupied in January, when Warden Kroegel reports that a heavy norther raised the water and ﬂooded all the ground nettt. while many or the young birds which escaped drowning were starved. the parents being evidently unable to provide for them. The old birds are now scattered along the coast. and it is not probable that any further at~ tempt will be made to nest this year.

Subsequently the site of a Wood Ibis rookery at the head of the Sebastian river was visited. Four years ago. the writer found it occupied by several hundred pairs or birds. and nesting with them were White Herons and Water ‘orkeya. Today the great cypresses do not support one occupied nest. and we now turn toward the Keys. in the hope oi ﬁnding some isolated place where primreval rontlitiona still ex t. a Miami. Florida, May 2. l9o.‘.