360 



Canadian Forestry Journal, Scplerubcr, 1919 



JACK MINER'S SCRIPTURAL FLIERS 



Readers of the Forestry Journal are well 

 acquainted with the wonderful work of Jack 

 Miner, of Kingsville, Ont., in constructing a 

 bird sactuary and studying the migrating habits 

 of ducks and wild geese, season after season. 

 Here is a new feature of Mr. Mnier's unique 

 story, dealing with his custom of attaching lags 

 to the legs of birds before they start on th^ir 

 journey to the north or south: 



The Story of the Tags. 



Nothing more clearly exemplifies the origin- 

 ality of Jack Miner than the story of the tags. 

 Since 1911 he has set his mark on 287 wild 

 ducks, and over 100 tags belonging to them 

 are now in his possession. He has also had 

 returned 34 goose tags. These are little strips 

 of aluminum. Upon one side of each is print- 

 ed, "Return to Box 48, Kingsville, Ont," and 

 on the other outlined in large, clear characters, 

 is a verse of Scripture. 



."I believe I am the first man on earth to use 

 the bird as a missionary messenger," said Mr. 

 MineY. "The idea came to me one day, and 

 I acted upon it. It can't do any harm, and it 

 may do good." 



Here he produced a letter from a man m 

 Illinois, who shot down a bird whose tag bore 

 the message, "He careth for you." "While this 

 really belongs to you, I would like to keep it 

 on account of the message it brought me," read 

 the letter. Needless to say, the writer was 

 granted his wish. 



A still more impressive story had to do with 

 a colony of negroes in the State of Louisiana. 

 It happened that several negroes on a plantation 

 went to hunt for wild geese. Into the hands 



of a negro preacher there fell a grey goose 

 bearing a tag. To the superstitious mind cf 

 the negro the verse of Scripture it bore was as 

 a voice from heaven, and in a state of great 

 excitement he returned to his people and forth- 

 with there began one of the greatest revivals 

 ever known in that part of the country. The 

 truth of this tale is vouched for by a Iidy who 

 was visiting in the vicinity when the evangelistic 

 fervor was at its height. She afterwards heard 

 Mr. Miner lecture, and gave him the story in 

 writing. 



A Home for Bob White. 

 The quail, Mr. Miner declares, is the most 

 valuable of all Canadian birds, and is well de- 

 serving of protection. Owing to the fact that 

 it does not migrate care must be taken to carry 

 in through the severe winters. In January, 

 1918, a terrific three-day storm almost exterm- 

 inate this bird in the neighborhood of Kings- 

 ville, but the very mild winter of a year ago 

 was favorable to the few survivors, and they 

 are increasing very rapidly. Delightful winter 

 quarters are being made ready for the quails 

 in the sanctuary. Hundreds of Scotch pines 

 have been set out by Mr. Miner during the past 

 five years. These mature quickly, and when 

 larger grown will form a close covering for their 

 winter residents, so that no storm will ever 

 harm them again. Plans are also under way 

 for the building of food racks. And just here 

 let me say that Mr. Miner advises the planting 

 of wild grapes, elderberry bushes, mulberry 

 trees and any other shrubs that bear fruit, so 

 that birds, once in safe quarters, may not nnd 

 a scarcity of food. 



FOREST FIRE ITEMS OF THE MONTH 



The United States Government has been spending $15,000 a day to fight forest 

 fires in Montana and Idaho. 



A sawmill owner near Fort William, Ontario, was forced to take to a small boat with 

 his wife and family to escape forest fires that destroyed his $25,000 mill. The party 

 spent the entire night in the middle of a lake. 



Camp fires started by fishermen in the Elbow River districts of Alberta have caused 

 serious timber losses this year. One of the worst timber fires in Alberta's history was 

 started by a fisherman in 1910. He was fined a ten dollar bill "and severely repri- 

 manded." 



