Page 366 - Our Vanishing Wild Life

344 OUR VANISHING WILD LIFE
The Sequoia and General Grant National Parks were created for the special purpose of preserving the famous groves of "big trees," {Sequoia gigantea) . The former is in Tiilare County, the latter in Tulare and Fresno counties, California, on the western slope of the Sierra Nevadas. The area of Sequoia Park is 169,605 acres, and that of General Grant Parkis2,560acres. TheyareunderthecontroloftheInteriorDepart- ment. These Parks are important bird refuges, and Mr. Walter Fry, Forest Ranger, reports in them the presence of 261 species of birds, none of which may be hunted or shot. Into Sequoia Park 20 dwarf elk
and 84 wild turkeys have been introduced, the former from the herd of Miller and Lux.
Other National Parks
Sully Hills National Park, at Devil's Lake (Fort Totten), North Dakota. Area960acres.
Platt National Park, Sulphur Springs, Oklahoma; on account of many mineral springs. Area 848 acres.
Mesa Verde National Park, Southwestern Colorado; on account of cliff dwellings, and wonderful cliff and canyon scenery. Area, 66 square miles.
National Monuments
Under a special act of Congress, the President of the United States has the power forever to set aside from private ownership and occupation any important natural scenery, or curiosity, or wonderland, the preser- vation of which may fairly be regarded as of National importance, and a dutytothewholepeopleoftheUnitedStates. Thisisaccomplishedby presidential proclamation creating a "national monument."
Under the terms of this act, 28 national monuments have been created, up to 1912, of which 17 are under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior, and 11 are managed by the Department of Agriculture. The full list is as follows:
Alaska: