THE MISSISSIPPI RESERVES 315 



cepted the gifts, and is taking care of the re- 

 serves and refuges through its State wardens, 

 with the result that wild birds of many kinds, 

 including even the wary geese, which come 

 down as winter visitants by the hundred thou- 

 sand, have become very tame, and many beauti- 

 ful birds which were on the verge of extinction 

 are now re-established and increasing in num- 

 bers. These reserves, which lie for the most 

 part in the low country along the coast, are 

 west of the Mississippi. 



Job had just come from a visit to the private 

 reserve of Edward A. Mcllhenny on Avery 

 Island. It is the most noteworthy reserve in 

 the country. It includes four thousand acres, 

 and is near the Ward-Mcllhenny reserve, which 

 they have given to the State — a king's gift ! 

 Avery's Island is very beautiful. A great, 

 shallow, artificial lake, surrounded by dwellings, 

 fields, lawns, a railroad, and ox- wagon road, does 

 not seem an ideal home for herons; but it has 

 proved such under the care of Mr. Mcllhenny. 

 He started the reserve twenty years ago with 

 eight snowy herons. Now it contains about 

 forty thousand herons of several species. Com- 

 plete freedom from molestation has rendered 

 the birds extraordinarily tame. The beautiful 

 snow-white lesser egret, which had been almost 



