414 Bird - Lore 



waters for irrigation purposes is rapidly drying it. Inside of three years more, 

 this will be accompHshed and the greatest Federal bird-reservation in the 

 country will pass out of existence. An effort was made at the last session of the 

 Oregon legislature to straighten out the Malheur Lake matter and secure its 

 permanency as a bird-reserve, but this failed. The fight is against the prevalent 

 commercialism that would destroy everything of beauty in the hope of turning 

 it into money. If a sufficient fund can be raised, it is likely that a bill will be 

 initiated to save Malheur Lake and put it up to a vote of the people. 



On August 1 8, 1908, when Malheur Lake Reservation was created, the Egrets 

 (Herodias egretta) had been exterminated by plume-hunters. In 191 2, we found 

 a small colony at Silver Lake, some twenty or thirty miles to the west. At that 

 time, a few pairs were nesting in some willows on an island. These were the only 

 Egrets known to be nesting in the state. Two or three years later, this lake 

 dried up and these birds evidently went back to Malheur Lake or to a patch 

 of willows near its northern edge. 



On June 23, 1919, Mrs. Finley and I visited a small Egret colony on Mal- 

 heur Lake. From a distance, we counted seven or eight of the big white birds 

 nesting in the tules as neighbors to some Great Blue Herons. We did not go 

 very near the colony for fear of disturbing the birds. If Malheur Lake Reserva- 

 tion can be maintained, these birds may grow in numbers. 



On June 26 and 27, we visited a second Egret colony which is on the Island 

 Ranch, a holding of about 60,000 acres owned by the Miller & Lux Company. 

 South of the ranch buildings, about five and a half miles in the swamp, are two 

 patches of willows, each of which is two or three acres in extent and about two 

 or three hundred yards apart. There were twelve nests of Egrets in one colony 

 and perhaps fifteen nests in the other. Most of the nests in the first patch of 

 willows contained four young birds about two-thirds grown. Malheur's 

 millions of birds, including Ducks, Geese, Grebes, Pelicans, Egrets, and Gulls, 

 will soon be driven away forever unless the unexpected happens. 



REPORT OF HERBERT K. JOB, IN CHARGE OF THE 

 DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED ORNITHOLOGY 



The Department has recently passed the fifth anniversary of its organiza- 

 tion. In that time it has published the only general treatise as yet issued in 

 America covering the whole field of applied ornithology, which includes the 

 propagation of game-birds and wild water-fowl, and has furnished Bulletins 

 II and III, based upon sections of the above Manual, for general distribution 

 by this Association. It has also supplied the Association with motion pictures 

 of wild bird-life in various phases. Inspections have been made for many 

 estates, preserves, and public parks, and plans furnished for attracting, con- 

 serving, or propagating wild birds and game. Through the work of the Depart- 

 ment, the National Association of Audubon Societies has secured recognition 



