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Distribution. A bird of the interior, breeding northward from the northern boundary 
of the United States, west of the Great Lakes. 
The Trumpeter was at one time a fairly common migrant in the 
Great Lakes section and a regular nester throughout the prairies and 
British Columbia. Now, only a few small flocks and individual pairs are 
known in British Columbia and Alberta. The causes of its nearly complete 
disappearance were various. It nested in what is now well-inhabited 
country and it is very difficult to retain such a spectacular bird in com- 
munities that are much shot over. Swans are not prolific and once their 
number is reduced it takes several generations of undisturbed peace to 
restore them. They are not nearly as wild nor so difficult to kill as the still 
common Whistling Swan. The latter migrates in great flocks that pitch 
out in the middle of the larger waters, rarely coming inshore except at 
night, or when it is perfectly certain that there is no danger. In 
spite of their great numbers, very few Whistling Swans are shot. The 
Trumpeter, on the other hand, travels in smaller companies, often family 
groups, coasts the shore more frequently, often passing the hunter's blind. 
This difference in habit may have been a determining factor in the dis- 
appearance of this bird over most of its range, whereas the Whistling Swan 
has survived. In the early days, the Hudson's Bay Company did a very 
large trade in Swan's breasts; the Trumpeter, being the larger and more 
valuable bird and more easily killed, was probably cleared from its more 
northern ranges at an early date. 
At present strenuous efforts are being made to preserve the last 
remaining individuals of this beautiful species. Attempts have been made 
to make reserves of waters they frequent, but they refuse to stay in narrow 
but safe confines and their numbers are still diminishing. Unfortunately 
only the stations at one end of the migratory range can be reserved, the 
other end is difficult to discover or to protect from occasional intruders 
when discovered by them. A single visit of an irresponsible White or 
Indian may occur at any time on the loneliest lakes of the northland and 
destroy a small community and it has now come to the point where every 
pair counts. Naturally, under these conditions exact information as to 
the localities these birds frequent has been kept confidential, but it is 
also necessary that no information of this kind should be lost. All who 
know of a new station for these birds are urged to communicate with the 
officials responsible for their protection, not only to assist them in the 
present but that the data may be preserved until such time as it is safe to 
publish it more widely. 
Order— Herodiones. Deep-water Waders. Herons, Storks, and 
Ibises 
General Description. Usually large birds with long legs, neck, and bill, fitted for wad- 
ing and obtaining food below the surface in rather deeper water than do the majority of 
Waders. Bills may be either straight and sharp (Figure 19, page 26), or gently curved and 
blunt as in the Ibises. Legs are bare for a considerable distance above the heel joint and 
all four toes are perfect, well shaped, and adapted for perching as well as walking on soft 
ground, and with only small rudimentary webs or none (Figure 18, page 26). 
Distinctions. Birds of this order may be mistaken for either the Cranes or the Cur- 
lews. From the Cranes they may be distinguished by their feathered foreheads and hind 
toe not elevated above the others, and from the Curlews by the bare space in front of the 
eyes. 
