BIRD-PROTECTION BY GOVERNMENTS 205 



of gulls) to the very large Hawaiian Island reserva- 

 tion, which extends over five degrees of longitude 

 and includes the breeding-ground of over a million 

 sea-birds. 



The National Association of Audubon Societies 

 has agents in the field making searches for areas 

 suitable for such reservations, and when found they 

 are brought to the attention of the President of the 

 United States. Birds are given protection at all times 

 on these reservations, wardens are stationed on the 

 most important ones, and the National Association 

 of Audubon Societies cooperates with the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture in protecting the birds. The 

 policy thus initiated by President Roosevelt has 

 been followed by Presidents Taft and Wilson till 

 the Government has sixty-nine bird reservations 

 up to January 20, 1915. 



The purpose of these reservations is threefold: 

 first, to protect important breeding-colonies of 

 water-birds; second, to furnish refuges for migra- 

 tory species on their northern and southern flights; 

 and third, to furnish refuges for migratory species 

 during the winter. 



These bird reservations may be grouped into six 

 districts : 



1. The Gulf District, including ten in Florida, 

 four in Louisiana, and one in Porto Rico. The chief 

 birds protected are brown pelicans, gulls, terns, 

 herons of various kinds, and ducks. 



