THE 



Oregon I'^Sf Naturalist, 



Vol. IV. Palestine, Oregon, March- April, 1897. No. 3-4. 



A BIRD REVROSPECT. nowadays mosi of the Ducks we see are safely 



skulking on the bay in locations where the dis- 



HOW THE BIRDS HAVE RETREATED BEFORE THE charge of fire arms is contrary to law. Gunners 



PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION OF ALAMEDA AND on the railroad trestles over the sloughs, a dozen 



ITS ENVIRONMEN IS. weapons at a time, will blaze incessantly all day 



and far into the evening when a fliglit is steady 



Weciften recall with pleasure the times when but the Ducks are sky high and very few are kill- 



oiir leathered friends were found in abundance td, but the flash of the powder after sunset scares 



anil in all places, but now the country is so thick- thi'm worse than the noise, 

 ly .settled that our birds are only found in the .Snipe, Plover, Curlew and other water birds 



most restricted localities, and it seems but a are fast becoming scarce and those that are here 



question of time until they vviH be, foot by (ui-t, aie r; markably wild. 



forced out altogethjr. I he idvanceufcivi iz'ation The California Clapper Rail are practically 



into new country, agriculture especially, brings exterminated at the close of every shooting 



the birds along with it and new species in new season, and if it were not for new birds that come 



districts, but when farms and orchards give way in and breed extermination would be fulfilled, 

 to streets and hou.sesthe birds introduced by the The wily Great Blue Heron is well able to 



former medium are driven out by the latter take care of himself. His nest is in such "hard 



medium. to climb" trees that the collector don't often get 



Every bird on ihe "A. O. U." list has its tlie eggs, while the rookeries are not known to 



sharenl mortal and immortal enemies. In this the gunners. On account of its usefulness in 



region excessive heat, cold, drouths, floods, wind exterminating gophers, those noxious animals 



storms and other such dangerous elements are that destroy root crops and undermine levees, 



practically of no consequence, so the chief dan- it is protected by law, yet ,the pothunter is no 



ger to the avian race is man. respecter of laws, but it takes a rifle to reach one 



I i^ave heard old timers recount on the myriads of these wary birds as he sits like a sentinel on 



of Ducks, Cieese, .Swans and sea fowl in .San Fran the marsh. 



cisco harbor and that Gulls nested on Goat Is- Although a few Gulls and Terns are shot they 



land, hut this has long ago been changed to a do not seem to have diminished in numbers, 

 harbor bustling with all kinds of water craft with The Mourning Dove is now very scarce, but 



the birds in the background. The Gull? are there is found in profusion in out-of-theway places in 



fin'l n ew Du ksand Cormorants, but Geese and the County. i 



S*ans are no longer seen. The only thing that keeps Quail alive is city 



The duck shooting hereabouts w.is an assured ordinancespreventing shooting and "No Shoot- 



suocessany winter's day, but the pothunter has ing" signs out of town, but traps are noisele.ss 



killed und frii^htened ihe birds so constantly that and diminish the flocks. The worst cur.se of all 



