314 



Bird - Lore 



From Lije 



WHY WARDEN WORK IS NECESSARY 

 The Remote Cause The Immediate Cause 



AUDUBON WARDEN \A/^ORK 



From the time when Abbott H. Thayer, 

 back in 1901, first directed public atten- 

 tion to the value of guarding and pro- 

 tecting breeding colonies of water-birds, 

 the Audubon Society's effort in this line 

 has increased annually. At the present 

 time, our wardens guard almost every 

 colony of importance on the islands and 

 beaches of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of 

 the United States. Many nesting colonies 

 in the interior of the country likewise 

 receive this protection. 



During the summer of 1913, about 

 2,000,000 water-birds, embracing many 

 species, are believed to have been gathered 

 in the rookeries, made safe from human 

 intrusion by the National Association's 

 agents. The most hazardous positions in 

 connection with this work are held by 



those wardens who in the Southern States 

 stand guard over the colonies of White 

 Egrets. 



Thanks to the very liberal support 

 which the members and friends of the 

 Association have provided during the 

 past few years, we have been able to seek 

 out these colonies, which are usually 

 hidden deep in the cypress swamps, and 

 safeguard them during the season when 

 the birds bear plumes. Some killing, of 

 course, still goes on, especially at the 

 feeding-grounds, miles away from the 

 rookeries, but the great slaughter in the 

 United States has been checked. Already 

 the birds are showing a marked increase 

 in several important regions of the South. 

 We may yet be able to bring these birds 

 back in great numbers. 



