72 Bird -Lore 



of the Department of the Interior, with the request that Government 

 action be taken at once in order to prevent the total extermination of cer- 

 tain sea-birds in that district. The matter was presented to President 

 Roosevelt through the Departments of Interior and of Agriculture, October 

 3, and the next day the President, with his usual admirable promptness and 

 intelligent appreciation of the needs of bird protection, set aside a number 

 of large islands belonging to the General Government as a reservation by 

 the following order: 



EXECUTIVE ORDER 



It is hereby ordered tliat Breton Island, as shown by tlic General Land Office map 

 of the State of Louisiana, of date 1896, in Township 13 South, Range 20 East St. Helena 

 Meridian, when same shall be surveyed; and Old Harbor and Freemason Islands, in 

 Townships 14 and 15 South, Ranges 21 and 22 East, same Meridian, when surveyed, be, 

 and they are hereby reserved and set apart for the use of the Department of Agriculture, 

 as a preserve and breeding-ground for native birds. This reservation to be known as 

 'Breton Island Reservation.' 



(Signed) Theodore Roosevelt. 



White House, October 4, 1904. 



Adjacent to and just east of the Breton Island Reservation is a large 

 group of islands known as the Chandeleur and Errol Islands Light -House 

 Reservation. In order to carry out effectually the plan of bird protection 

 in that portion of the Gulf of Mexico, Mr. Bond was requested by the 

 National Committee to present the subject to the proper authorities in 

 Washington, which he did, with most happy results as indicated by the fol- 

 lowing correspondence : 



Department ok the Interior, General Land Office, 



Washington, D. C, October 7, 1904. 



Rear-Aomirai. John J. Reeo, Chairman of the Light-House Board, 

 Department of Commerce and Labor, Washington, D. C. 



Dear Sir: — The Audubon Societies of the United States, through their National 

 Executive Committee, are now arranging to employ a warden to patrol the islands within 

 the ' Breton Island Reservation,' created by Executive Order of October 4, 1904, for the 

 preservation of native birds. In connection with this patrol and protective work, such 

 cooperation by the employees of the adjacent islands contained within the Chandeleur and 

 Errol Islands Light-house Reservations, as may be proper, is greatly desired, and will 

 materially aid us in the work of protecting the birds. The Chairman of the National 

 Committee of Audubon Societies lias authorized me to bring the matter formally before 

 you, in the hope that we may secure the issuance of an order forbidding egging and 

 shooting of all kinds within these reservations, such order to be accompanied by instruc- 

 tions to the employees to warn off' haters and otherwise prevent trespass, whenever 

 possible. ^ 



In view of the fact that the pot-hunting season will open with the arrival of the 

 migrating water-fowl, early action will be necessary to save tiie birds this year. The 



