140 



Bird -Lore 



of inclosing with a high wire fence a 

 pasture of two hundred acres on the Na- 

 tional Niobrara Bird Reservation in 

 Northern Nebraska. 



Mr. J. W. Gilbert, of Friend, Nebraska, 

 presented the Government with a collec- 

 tion of buffalo, elk, and Virginia deer 

 which he had been maintaining for some 

 years on his estate. These animals were 

 given with the understanding that they 

 should be enclosed on a good range pro- 

 vided for by the Government at some 

 point in the State of Nebraska. 



The work of constructing the fence, as 

 well as capturing, transporting, and liber- 

 ating the animals, was conducted by Mr. 

 Fred M. Dille, Special Agent of the United 

 States Bureau of Biological Survey. The 

 first post-hole was dug on November 22, 

 191 2, and in less than ninety days the work 

 was completed and the herd removed to 

 its new quarters. 



To carry this enterprise into execution, 

 the Directors of the National Association 

 of Audubon Societies voted an appropri- 

 ation of fifteen hundred dollars — about 

 five hundred dollars was subscribed by 

 the citizens of the town of Valentine, near 

 which the reservation is located, and one 

 hundred dollars was contributed by the 

 Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Com- 

 pany. 



The accompanying photographs taken 

 by Mr. Dille show the height and general 

 character of the wire fence, the method 

 used in transporting the animals to and 

 from the railroad, as well as some of the 

 individuals of this herd of big game, the 

 future of which we trust is now assured. 



Just before Hon. James Wilson retired 

 as Secretary of the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, he wrote this office 

 expressing his appreciation of our assist- 

 ance in this matter, and also took occasion 

 to speak of the cooperation which has 

 long existed between his department and 

 the National Association. Under date of 

 February 27, he wrote: 



"I beg to advise you that the herd of 

 big game contributed by Hon. John W. 

 Gilbert, of Friend, Neb., has been success- 

 fully installed on the Niobrara Reservation 



near Valentine, Neb., in the enclosure 

 erected through the cordial cooperation 

 of the National Association of Audubon 

 Societies and the citizens of Valentine. 

 A committee appointed to examine the 

 work has reported that the fence, con- 

 structed of Page woven wire, is well and 

 substantially built and satisfactory in 

 every way. This fence, 766 rods in length, 

 encloses some 200 acres adjoining the 

 headquarters of old Fort Niobrara, and 

 affords an ideal pasture for big game, with 

 abundant feed and shelter. The present 

 herd consists of 6 buffalo, 17 elk, and 2 

 deer, which I hope will be largely increased 

 in the near future, and the present en- 

 closure can be enlarged from time to time 

 whenever necessary. 



"I take this opportunity of extending 

 the thanks of the Department for the 

 timely cooperation of your Association 

 which has made possible the acceptance 

 of this herd and the establishment of a 

 National herd of buffalo similar to the 

 herds previously provided in Oklahoma 

 and Montana through the cooperation of 

 the New York Zoological Society and the 

 American Bison Society. 



"I also take this opportunity of express- 

 ing my appreciation of the cordial co- 

 operation of the National Association of 

 Audubon Societies in the work of inspect- 

 ing foreign birds and in the establishment 

 and maintenance of National bird refuges. 

 March 14, 1913, will mark the tenth 

 anniversary of the creation of the first 

 National Bird Reservation (that on Peli- 

 can Island, Florida) which was set aside 

 on the recommendation of your Associa- 

 tion. Since 1903 these reservations have 

 increased from one to sixty, and are now 

 distributed in nineteen States and Terri- 

 tories, from Porto Rico and Michigan in 

 the east to Hawaii and Arctic Alaska in 

 the west. In guarding the birds on these 

 reservations, the Department has received 

 substantial assistance from the Associa- 

 tion, particularly in the maintenance of 

 the reservations at Pelican Island, Mos- 

 quito Inlet, and Key West, Florida; 

 Breton Island, Louisiana; Siskiwit and 

 Huron Islands, Michigan; Klamath Lake 



