Protecting the White Egret 



T. Gilbert Pearson, secretary of the National Association of Audubon Socie- 

 ties, says that there is a splendid prospect of restoring to Florida and other states 

 the beautiful white egrets which once frequented the lakes and rivers. On a 

 visit of inspection to the rookeries along the South Atlantic and gulf coasts, he 

 found the Audubon wardens everywhere, faithful in their work and gratified at 

 successfully protecting the colonies of herons and other water birds, fast becom- 

 ing rare, thanks to the plume hunters. 



"It is now my opinion," says Mr. Pearson, in an interview in the New York 

 Evening Post, "that we will be able to bring these birds back just as our warden 

 work on the Atlantic coast and about the great lakes has restored the gulls, terns 

 and other seabirds which fifteen years ago were nearly exterminated by the milli- 

 ner}' feather hunters. Of course, we have to watch the state legislatures every 

 and other seabirds which fifteen years ago were nearly exterminated by the mili- 

 ners," he added. 



The birds protected, especially in the southern colonies, are the white egrets, 

 whose nuptial ornaments furnish the delicate "aigrettes" so coveted by milliners 

 and so tempting to gunners. The Audubon Association employs wardens armed 

 with extensive police authority to guard them in many swamps in Florida, Georgia, 

 South Carolina and North Carolina. Each warden has charge of a more or 

 less extensive district, and they protect in the aggregate nearly all known egret 

 colonies in the United States. Herons, roseate spoonbills and other beautiful 

 species of subtropical birds are guarded in the rookeries, along with the egrets, 

 and large numbers of ducks, gallinules, rails and other water fowl. Here they 

 rear their young in undisturbed security on the association's reservations to the 

 benefit of the whole country. 



Mr. Pearson visited one rookery in the Big Cypress swamp in south Florida, 

 which he estimates contains not less than 100,000 specimens of the wood ibis 

 alone, besides other water birds. 



The Audubon Association expends not less than $10,000 a year safeguarding 

 rare water birds in various odd corners of the United States. The large ex- 

 penditure, which at first was somewhat experimental, is showing itself to be well 

 justified, and there is good reason to believe that a continued maintenance of 

 the present system of guarding heron rookeries and the breeding places of the 

 other useful and ornamental birds of the country will restore them to their ancient 

 haunts in approximately their former abundance. 



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