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OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE WISCONSIN AND ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETIES. 
One Year 25 Cents Single Copy 3 Cents 
Published by the Wisconsin Audubon Society at Appleton, Wisconsin 
Entered as second class matter, May 16, 1904, at Appleton, Wis., uuder the act of Congress of Mar, 3. ’79. 
VOL. X. SEPTEMBER, 1907. No. 3- 
Protect Wild Birds. 
Aside from the constantly increasing 
number of bird enthusiasts, few persons 
are aware that for the past three or four 
years the good right arm of Uncle Sam 
has been quietly extended to protect and 
preserve our more interesting water-birds. 
The executive order of President 
Roosevelt, setting aside certain islands 
off Louisiana, Florida, and at one or two 
points in the West, as reservations where 
various wild birds could establish their 
breeding places and winter homes with¬ 
out danger of extermination at the hands 
of ruthless hunters, has brought to light 
the fact that the sentiment against the 
wanton destruction of birds for com¬ 
mercial purposes, has invaded the govern¬ 
ment circles, and found a prompt ally in 
the President and the Department 
, 
officials. 
Here and there throughout the United 
States, isolated islands and rocky pro¬ 
montories have been adopted by various 
wild birds, as retreats during their nest¬ 
ing and wintering seasons. Unmolested 
for years, these birds had collected in 
vast number, until at length their remote 
hiding places were discovered and the 
work of extinction began. At this time, 
an ardent bird-lover and Audubon 
follower, who had already accomplished 
much through the medium ol the Audu¬ 
bon societies, William Dutcher of New 
York, sought out the chief of the bird 
division in the Biological Survey of the 
Agricultural Department in Washington, 
to see if something could be done by the 
government to protect the homes of the 
various gulls, pelicans, terns, ducks, and 
similar birds. The islands occupied by 
the birds were unsurveyed islands, and 
therefore could not be secured by the 
Audubon Societies, who would gladly 
have given their protection. The islands 
were all rocky, inaccessible places, use¬ 
less for any practical purpose, and there¬ 
fore they had never been included among 
the government lands. 
Dr. T. S. Palmer of the Survey, him¬ 
self an enthusiastic student and lover of 
birds, took the matter up, and finally se¬ 
cured the consent of the Secretary of the 
Interior to setting these islands aside as 
bird reservations, to be protected by 
government wardens. However, as the 
lands were not surveyed, the customary 
procedure in the disposition of govern¬ 
ment lands could not be followed, and so 
it happened that the President himself 
issued the order making these various 
islands the pernymant, protected homes 
of the birds who have chosen them. The 
alacrity with which he sanctioned the 
movement may be readily imagined. 
The first reservation established was 
the famous Pelican Island, in the Indian 
River, set aside in 190T This bird-haunt 
is widely known and much visited. 
Since they have been under protection, 
