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Notes from Wardens 
Many of the colonies of water birds 
guarded by the wardens of this Associa- 
tion, and the United States Department 
of Agriculture, are showing splendid in- 
crease in numbers each year. For example, 
Captain William M. Sprinkle, of Pass 
Christian, Miss., who guards certain 
of the large reservations on the Louisiana 
Coast, reports under date of June 6, 1910: 
“JT have located four more nesting 
colonies of Laughing Gulls. These include 
six nesting-places, which will average 
I,ooo nests each.” These are overflow 
colonies from the reservations where the 
birds have been increasing with wonderful 
Tapidity since adequate protection has 
been furnished them. 
Warden L. Alvah Lewis, of the Kla- 
math Lake Reservation, situated in 
Southern Oregon and northern California, 
states that this year there have been 
notable increases of Canada Geese and 
Mallard Ducks. Of the White Pelicans 
and Cormorants there are at least twice 
as many this year as last. 
From the Atlantic Coast, Warden N. 
F. Jennett, of the Cape Hatteras Colonies, 
reports a decided increase of Least Terns 
and Laughing Gulls. These two birds 
were on the very verge of extinction when 
the Audubon Society began its work in 
these stormy waters a few years ago.— 
—T, GP. 
Destroying Cats in New York 
A New York correspondent recently 
called attention to the undesirability 
of permitting cats to wander at large in 
Central Park, particularly during the 
spring and summer months, when their 
destructiveness to bird life is well known 
to be extensive. A letter addressed to 
Mr. Charles B. Stover, Commissioner of 
Parks for the Boroughs of Manhattan and 
Richmond, brought out the interesting 
fact that a man is employed to guard 
Central Park from the depredations of 
creatures calculated to be destructive of 
birds. He further states that from Janu- 
ary 1 to June 1 of the present year, this 
Bird - 
Lore 
guardian of the birds destroyed 16x cats 
found in the park. 
While it is a well-known fact that that 
excellent institution, the American So- 
ciety for the Prevention of Cruelty to 
Animals, annually kills many cats, it 
may be interesting to some to learn that 
according to a letter recently received 
from Mr. W. K. Horton, General Mana- 
ger, the organization killed in New York 
City 100,904 cats between January 1 and 
June «1 of the present year. If all the 
towns and cities in the United States had 
as good a record for destroying homeless 
or discarded cats, there would be more 
song birds to brighten the earth —T. G. P. 
Specific Charges Against Cats 
Iam a recent subscriber to Brrp-LORE 
and notice with interest the campaign 
against cats. Although one may be ever 
so fond of cats, the numerous bird- 
tragedies of the nesting-season caused by 
them should lead to the lessening of their 
numbers. Lam skeptical when anyone says 
“My cats never catch birds; it is only 
the hungry ones abandoned by their 
owners.” 
I have seen an active mother cat in one 
season devour the contents of almost 
every robin’s nest in an orchard, eyen 
when tar, chicken wire and other pre- 
ventatives were placed on the trunks of 
the trees. The robin builds so conspicuous 
and accessible a nest, and isso easily agita- 
ted by the approach of a cat, that it is dif- 
ficult to save the young. Shutting up cats 
at the time the robins are leaving the nest 
is a help. One cat brought in Meadow 
Larks, Chippies, Bluebirds, a Wilson’s 
Snipe, an Ovenbird, two Hummingbirds, a 
a Flicker, a Swallow and a young Partridge 
within a few days. As a rule, cats eat birds 
in secret after being pursued and scolded 
and having their prey wrested from them, 
so only a heap of feathers tells the tale. 
I have been surprised to note how un- 
conscious people can be to the cries of 
alarm of the commonest birds about them. 
If we are educated to notice, it is second 
nature to fly to the rescue——ANNE KE. 
Perkins, M. D., Gowanda, New York. 
