PUBLIC PARKS OF IOWA 247 



With the formulating of plans such as these above outlines, I believe 

 we oould better protect and preserve our beautiful and beneficent bird 

 life. 



PROTECTING THE MIGRATORY BIRDS. 

 By Charles F. Clarke. 



I am in receipt of a telegram from W. T. Hornaday of the New York 

 Zoological Park, which reads as follows: 



"New York, N. Y., April 11. Charles F. Clarke, Ad el, Iowa: The fed- 

 eral migratory bird law is in danger of being rendered ineffective through 

 lack of funds to meet legitimate costs of enforcement. Senator Robinson 

 of Arkansas is trying to cut out all funds from the agrcultural appropria- 

 tion bill. Arouse your state to demand of your senators $100,000. Quick 

 and strong action is imperative. W. T. Hornaday." 



Certainly Mr. Hornaday ought to be loyally supported in his effort to 

 have the migratory bird law made effective. Especially here in Iowa 

 should the people give their support unqualifiedly to the efforts to pre- 

 serve the birds. Probably there has never been any place in the entire 

 world which has been a home for as many and varied a species of migra- 

 tory waterfowl as has been the territory in the upper Mississippi valley 

 now embraced within the limits of the state of Iowa. When the pioneers 

 first crossed the Mississippi river and stepped on the soil of Iowa they 

 stepped on a hunter's paradise. When the ice of the great river was 

 breaking up and when it went creaking and cracking through the wil- 

 lows along the shore the flight of waterfowl from the south was on. And 

 will the people of Iowa ever see such a sight again? 



Then the land was new. No one but the Indian made it his home. 

 The wild things of nature were undisturbed. The deer lived in the 

 bottoms along the river, the lordly elk shook his mane in the morning 

 breeze and from the rugged bluffs that overlooked the "Father of Waters" 

 greeting the sunrise with challenge of freedom and defiance. The buf- 

 falo roamed the prairies that extended westward toward the setting sun 

 and on the high prairies far toward the Missouri river the antelope in 

 graceful bands grazed on the grass of the prairie." But behold the water- 

 fowl on their spring journey to the northland! With the utter abandon 

 of perfect freedom they came in long lines over the southern horizon 

 great V-shaped flocks of geese and brant and innumerable hundreds and 

 thousands of mallard and teal, widgeon and pintail, and all the rest of the 

 wonderful and beautiful array of feathered folk that make up the galaxy 

 of America's waterfowl. Who ever saw that flight of ducks and geese 

 on a bright spring morning a little over a half century ago must have 

 He/lt !a thrill of ylifle in his soul that made him glad to bej alive and 

 that made him worship at the shrine of nature pure and undefiled as it 

 was on that glorious morning. Out of the bayous along the shore 

 where the willows and cottonwoods grew in profusion the feathered 

 throng kept coming and going. With whistling wings grand 

 flocks of mallards would swish by with a rush and alight with a splash 

 in the nearby water and at the same time with loud splashing and 



