THE OOLOGIST. 



187 



The First American Martyr to Bird 

 Protection. 



The demand for aigrette tips by sup- 

 posedly thoughtful and cultured 

 women has resulted not only in the 

 extermination of nearly all individuals 

 of a certain species of one* of our most 

 beautiful and harmless birds, and the 

 starvation of their young in the nests, 

 but it has now culminated in the as- 

 sassination of one of the faithful war- 

 dens of the National Association of 

 Audobon Societies, who was shot to 

 death while in the performance of his 

 duties protecting the birds he loved. 

 Concerning this deplorable occurrence 

 Dr. William Dutcher, the president of 

 the National Association of Audobon 

 Societies has made the following state- 

 ment: 



"The startling announcement was 

 sent to the National Association on 

 July 14, that Guy M. Bradley was shot 

 and instantly killed while making an 

 arrest at a rookery on Oyster Key, 

 Flordia, on July 8. Full particulars 

 of this unfortunate affair have not 

 been received, although it is known 

 that his murderer has been captured 

 and is now confined in the county 

 jail at Key West. L. A. Harris has 

 been retained to represent the Nation- 

 al Association at the preliminary 

 hearing of the case. The deceased 

 acted as warden in Monroe county, 

 a wild and thinly settled district, for 

 over three years, having commenced 

 his duties in May, 1902. During all 

 this time he faithfully guarded his 

 wards, the plume birds, traveling thou- 

 sands of miles in the launch Audubon, 

 in order to watch over them. He 

 was originally recommended to the 

 Association by Mr. Kirk Monroe, one 

 of the Vice-Presidents of the Florida 

 Audubon Society, who said that he 

 was fearless and brave and had an 

 extensive knowledge of the country 

 and the birds that lived there. A num- 

 ber of well-known ornithologists and 

 members of the Association visited 

 Bradley at different times, and always 

 found him on the alert and faithful 

 in the performance of his duty, and 

 willing to undergo any hardship to 

 protect the birds. He took a personal 

 interest in his work and was gen- 

 uinely proud when he could report an 

 increase in numbers. He told the 

 writer in February last that he felt 

 while he was away from his home, 



cruising among the Keys, or patroll- 

 ing the swamp, that his life was in 

 his hands, for the plume hunters, 

 whose nefarious traffic he so serious- 

 ly interfered with, had sworn to take 

 his life. Even this knowledge did 

 not deter him, and he proved faith- 

 ful unto death. Personally he was 

 gentle and somewhat retiring, was 

 pure in thought and deed, deeply in- 

 terested in and a supporter of the 

 small Union church near his home. A 

 young wife is left to mourn his sud- 

 den and terrible death, and his two 

 children, too young to realize their 

 loss, will never know a father's care. 



"A home broken up, children left 

 fatherless, a woman widowed and sor- 

 rowing, a faithful and devoted warden, 

 who was a young and sturdy man, 

 cut off in a moment, for what? That 

 a few more plume birds might be 

 secured to adorn heartless women's 

 bonnets. Heretofore the price has 

 been the life of the birds, now is add- 

 ed human blood. Every great move- 

 ment must have its martyrs, and Guy 

 M. Bradley is the first martyr in the 

 cause of bird protection." 



Warden Bradley was as much of a 

 martyr to a good cause and a laborer 

 in the interests of his fellowmen and 

 showed as much bravery as has been 

 shown by those who have met death 

 at the mouth of the cannon. However, 

 there is no means of obtaining a na- 

 tional pension for the bereaved widow 

 and little orphans. These should re- 

 ceive the support of all persons inter- 

 ested in the preservation of bird life, 

 and it is only by the voluntary actions 

 of such persons that it will be possi- 

 ble to obtain financial means to rear 

 and educate these children. Therefore, 

 a movement is on foot to establish a 

 pension for Mrs. Bradley by inviting 

 voluntary contributions from all per- 

 sons who are willing to express their 

 sympathy in a material manner. Large 

 amounts are not asked, and if each 

 interested person would contribute 

 only a dollar, it would amount to 

 enough to insure the proper care of 

 the family and the education of the 

 children. Contributions can be sent 

 to Dr. William Dutcher, 525 Manhat- 

 tan Ave., New York City, or to the 

 office of the Economic Zoologist. Har- 

 risburg, when it will be forwarded to 

 him. 



During the past years the sight of 

 an aigrette tip has called to our minds 



