of
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911, pages 262-263
SHOOT PELICANS ON THE LAKE. At one time Andy Mull and Will Braunwarth, in company with three others, were hunting ducks at Barrow's Point when a big flock of strange birds came in sight. The birds circled around King Lake and came in range of the hunters. Then all the boys let loose with their breach loaders. The air fairly rained feathers and nearly a dozen pelicans dropped in the lake, one of the boys getting three birds. This Barrow's Point extended almost midway into King Lake and was noted not only as one of the best places for ducks, but also as a place where all of the larger denizens of the air made for when passing north or south in these parts. Many swans have been seen at this point and were a great delight to the hunters as they would circle them for hours, keeping just out of gun range, always singing that doleful yet sweetly melodious song of theirs. One hunter of this period tells of killing a beautiful specimen of this bird and being haunted until this day with the quaint melody of its death song. Another beautiful bird that at times was quite often seen at this point is the blue and white heron. These birds are prized very highly, for of their plumage secured at maternity time is made "My Lady's aigrette." When studded with diamonds and worn in the hair these feathers are counted the most beautiful adornment a woman can wear, and alas! has caused the extinction of this bird. The Sunday papers of our large cities and the Audubon Society conducted a campaign against the cruel fashion that robs the young herons of their mother bird in order to secure for society dames the proud emblem of the motherhood of the heron to wear in their hair.
We have digressed a little in speaking of the larger birds once found in these hunting grounds. At Barrow's Point the following have been killed: Mallard duck, canvasback, Sprigtail, wood duck (cannon ball or black jack), blue wing teal, green wing teal, spoonbill, butter duck, winter duck, whiffle duck, fish duck, or saw-bill, mud hen and hell diver.
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