WILD DUCK SANCTUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18742, 23 June 1924, Page 7

WILD DUCK SANCTUARY.

LOUISIANA LAND GIFT.

'Australian-arid N.H.i Cable Association. (Reed. 6.5 p.m.) \, : '"NEW.YORK; June 21. • The Association of , Audubon Societies, the pioneer in the protection of bird life, announces the receipt of an unusual gift. This comprises 26,000 acres of land m Louisiana as a memorial to the late Mr. Paul Rainy, a noted explorer and naturalist.' ', ■ - ;.'.■ j ''.-,; ; :'v- .;.'- ■-", The gift is made by Mr. Rainy sister, Mrs. Grace Rogers, who has also provided a large endowment to keep the land perpetually, planted with: cereals sufficient to feed 100,000.000 wild ducks every winter. The territory will '.'be carefully 'guarded against hunters in order that it may become a veritable wild-life sanctuary. »

The announcement states that the continued abundance of wild fowl must depend largely upon '• cultivated sanctuaries. The reclamation, of 77,000,000 ; acres ; of swamp land. for the purpose of agriculture has appallingly restricted the areas on which wild ducks. can feed; -j The present plans provide for the planting ■of eight kinds, of cereals to afford the ducks- a varied diet^ : ; Once "attracted- to . the sanctuary ducks will never be frightened by the sound of a. gun. Under such conditions they should grow to be 'more tame than domestic pigeons. '/