ECOLOGY OF ISLE ROYALS. 5 



illustrated bj' the birds upon Isle Royale. This paper, with some ad- 

 ditions, is included in this volume. Detailed references to these papers 

 will be found in the accompanying bibliographies. 



From the above remarks, is it quite evident that very little attention 

 has been given to the biological conditions of the island, and much 

 remains to be done. In all probability other naturalists have visited 

 the Isle, but I have not learned of their results. 



4. Historical Note. The history of Isle Royale, since its cession 

 by the Chippewa Indians in 1843, is, in brief, one of prospecting, 

 mining explorations, fishing, summer resorts, and scientific surveys of 

 the topography, hydrology, geology, and biology. 



A general historical account is given in Lane's report ('98) on the geol- 

 ogy of the island, and need be mentioned here only in outline. There 

 is abundant evidence that in prehistoric times the Indians mined copper 

 on the island. Within three or four years after the cession of the island 

 to the United States, it was invaded by prospectors and explorers, so 

 that by 1847, according to Lane, "the island presented perhaps as lively 

 a scene as ever in its history." At this time the Linear Survey was 

 made by William Ives. But this period of activity was only of short 

 duration, for the decline was almost as rapid as had been the ascent, and 

 by 1855 the "island was a desert once more, with no permanent in- 

 habitants." (Lane). This passive condition of affairs lasted until the 

 Lake Survey engineers arrived in 1867. This survey continued until 

 1871, during which interval explorations were somewhat revived, and 

 continued for several years, only to be followed by another relapse and 

 still another ascent in 1891, when a number of careful and detailed 

 explorations were made for copper by means of the diam^ond drill. 

 But this activity also ceased about 1892. A year later, and again in 

 1895, Dr. Lane visited the island for geological investigations. 



The mineral sources are thus seen to have been the main attraction. 

 The forest growth is too stunted and inaccessible to have merited the 

 attention of lumbermen, although several timber prospectors were pre- 

 sent during the summer of 1905. During more recent years the fish- 

 ing and summer resort business have attracted some attention to the 

 island, and have made it accessible during the summer through regular 

 steamboat service. The climate, sceuery and the fishing make the 

 island very attractive as a summer resort, but it should be recognized 

 that if the scenery is to be preserved the forests must be protected 

 from fires, because reforestation is exceedingly slow on land with such 

 a shallow soil. It is to be hoped that the geographic isolation may be a 

 protection from such devastation, beca,use the cool summer climate, 

 the rocky coast, the forests, the picturesque scenery, and the 

 surrounding Lake Superior, are natural features which should long- 

 remain attractive to summer visitors. If the interest in copper should 

 revive permanentlj^, the biota Avill become greatly modified, in which 

 case some conception of the conditions upon the island in 1904 and 

 1905 will be preserved by these records. 



[It may be of interest to note here that 86,000 acres of the island 

 were for sale in the winter of 1908 for $150,000. Lane.] 



5. Available Maps of Isle Boyale. The available maps are not 

 generally known to the public, and are therefore listed here, especially 

 those which are of value from a biological standpoint. 



