Roosevelt, friend of the birds [1] /

A narrative of TR's role in bird preservation which includes factual footage taken on his visit under the auspices of the National Audubon Society to bird sanctuary islands off the coast of Louisiana, June 1915. Mating habits and domestic life of snowy egrets and their plunder by hunters are dramatized. Scenes of egrets' nest and the hunt, kill, and plucking of birds serve as the prologue to depiction of TR as bird preservationist. Views of TR and John M. Parker, leader of the Louisiana Progressive party, aboard the Audubon Society's boat, the Royal Tern; views of TR standing in marshes, with what is perhaps the Louisiana Conservation Commission yacht in background. Herbert K. Job, photographer for the expedition and noted ornithologist, appears on the beach with his camera; TR examines eggs and talks with other members of the expedition: a man who is probably J. Hippolyte Coquille, a local photographer; M. L. Alexander in light pants, president of the Louisiana Conservation Commission; John Parker, with his back to camera; and game warden William Sprinkle. Additional scenes of TR exploring island and observing birds along beach and views of a variety of shore birds including royal terns, black skimmers, laughing gulls, brown pelicans, blue herons, and egrets.
Copyright: Roosevelt Memorial Association. 1Feb28; MP5938.
Copyright catalog lists title as Theodore Roosevelt, friend of the birds, and author as Caroline Gentry.
Photographer, Herbert K. Job.
Appearing: President Roosevelt, John M. Parker, Herbert K. Job, J. Hippolyte Coquille, M.L. Alexander, John Parker, William Sprinkle.
Duration: 4:07 (part 1), 4:07 (part 2), 4:11 (part 3), 2:06 (part 4).
A narrative of TR's role in bird preservation which includes factual footage taken on his visit under the auspices of the National Audubon Society to bird sanctuary islands off the coast of Louisiana, June 1915. Mating habits and domestic life of snowy egrets and their plunder by hunters are dramatized. Scenes of egrets' nest and the hunt, kill, and plucking of birds serve as the prologue to depiction of TR as bird preservationist. Views of TR and John M. Parker, leader of the Louisiana Progressive party, aboard the Audubon Society's boat, the Royal Tern; views of TR standing in marshes, with what is perhaps the Louisiana Conservation Commission yacht in background. Herbert K. Job, photographer for the expedition and noted ornithologist, appears on the beach with his camera; TR examines eggs and talks with other members of the expedition: a man who is probably J. Hippolyte Coquille, a local photographer; M. L. Alexander in light pants, president of the Louisiana Conservation Commission; John Parker, with his back to camera; and game warden William Sprinkle. Additional scenes of TR exploring island and observing birds along beach and views of a variety of shore birds including royal terns, black skimmers, laughing gulls, brown pelicans, blue herons, and egrets.
Interior titles suggest location of TR sequences to be Pelican Island in the Indian River, a bird sanctuary off the eastern coast of Florida which TR had established by unnumbered Executive order in March 1903 (not 1904 as RMA title states). Pelican Island marked the beginning of the national wildlife refuge system. Research indicates film locations are the Breton Island Reservation and Audubon bird sanctuaries off the coast of Louisiana; areas visited by TR included the Chandeleur Islands, Grand Isle, Breton Island, Bird Island, Last Island, Battledore Island, and Barataria Bay. Breton Island Reservation was established by Executive Order 369-A on Nov. 11, 1905. Exact location of sequences is undetermined.
National Park Service acquired from Roosevelt Memorial Association. Interior titles spliced, throwing frame line off. Flash title ca. 325ft. Film composed of footage taken in 1915 by Herbert K. Job on a National Audubon Society expedition with TR and undated dramatic footage of plight of the snowy egret. DLC
Sources used: The Times-picayune, New Orleans. 6/7/15:2; 6/8/15:16; 6/10/15:10; 6/12/15:1; 6/13/15:(real estate sec.):7; Harvard University. Library. Theodore Roosevelt Collection; Roosevelt Memorial Association. Roosevelt, friend of the birds (script); Roosevelt Memorial Association. Annual report. 1924:10; Scribner's magazine. v. 59, no. 3, 1916:261-280; Audubon magazine. v. 17, no. 5, 1915:410-412; Louisiana history. v. 12, no. 1, 1971:5-19; Gabrielson, Ira N. Wildlife refuges. 1943:10-11, 70-71; Historical Records Survey. New York (City). Presidential executive orders. v. 1, 1944:38; Harper's magazine. v. 119, 1909:290-299; United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. Designating Pelican Island Wilderness Area. 1969.
Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as digital files.
Received: 6/1976 from LC film lab; ref print, dupe neg; preservation; Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection.