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Bird - Lore 



exercising ingenuity, based on a knowledge of the habits of the birds, has 

 built up a colony of perhaps 2,000 nesting Snowy Egrets almost in his dooryard. 

 Late in the afternoon these and other Herons of the colony begin to arrive in 

 numbers. Standing with Mr. Mcllhenny on his lawn I have seen the birds 

 arriving at a height of from 100 to 200 feet, until nearly over their nests, then 

 with wings partly closed they volplaned almost to the bushes. A few vigorous 

 wing-beats, and they would settle among the assembled hosts. Flocks of these 

 snowy creatures dropping from the sky make a stimulating and most charming 

 spectacle. 



This is one of the birds that has been extensively shot by agents of the 

 feather trade, the result of which has been that but for the active efforts put 

 forth to guard their nesting places, the species would probably be on the very 

 verge of extinction in the United States today. Thanks to the liberality of 

 members of the Audubon Society and the friendly guardianship afforded by a 

 few private individuals, there are still some thousands of these beautiful crea- 

 tures left in our southern country, although their numbers have not materially 

 increased in the United States even under protection the past ten years. 

 Many people still shoot them when they have the opportunity, and Fish 

 Crows are ever on the lookout to take their eggs. 



It would appear that the preservation of the species can be assured only 

 by a persistent effort of guarding their nesting and feeding territories. 



If this can be continued without interruption until the rising tide of 

 interest in bird protection can penetrate the minds of the people dwelling 

 about the haunts of the Snowy Egret, its numbers may again increase and 

 the species be saved to our country. 



(To be continued) 



