Daily Republican., 1880-09-01
REED AND BAIL.
The Opening - the season Next
MONDAY - kEii2fOns or Birds ON
tho christians Marshes.

MOm0ny - m1s<hOmD Oh nhEus VI
tho christians Marshes.
Possibly for the first time in the his
tory of reed and rail bird shootin
around Wilmington ne cunning will
take place on the first day in the sess
lon. The reason for this and posi-
bly, the only reason which could bring
about such abstinence on part Of oul
spoYtsmen, 10 that the first day comes
by some unlucky chance, on Sunday
next. Owing 10 this Monday will b.
the opening day, and the crack! crack
ofthe sportsmsn's breech-loaders on the
Christians and Delaware marshes from
rorning till night will be thicker than
fire crackers on the Fourth of July.
Reed birds were "hardly ever" &c
plentiful as this year. Already the
reed. Lowered marshes, along the Chris
tiana, Brandywine and Delaware, are
alive with millions of them, ready for
the sportsman's skill. The reeds this
year have ripened early, and kave
given the little fsathsrsd epieurss a
splendid opportunity to become fat.
They have profted by the opportunity,
said an old gunner to reporter yester-
day. ST Is seldom that reed and rail
birds are SO fat as this year, and i
don't think have seen them more nu-
merous for long time"
"Robert-of- Linooln," the bobolink,
that sweet.voised singer which Bryant
made famous. commences his year early
in the Spring in New England's green
meadows. About the first OF July, or
a few days before, when the young
have attained suffcientsi2e and strength
to stand q long journey, the entire
family of Robert-of. Lincoln commences
it's migratory life and leaves the land Of
its birth until next Spring, should it
be so fortunate as TO escape the keen
eye and quick shot Of the hunter. They
arrived here q month or 60 ago, and
will stay as long as there are nutriti-
tious reed seeds for them 20 eat and
grow fat upon. The black feathers Of
the bObolink with beautiful yellowish
white tints have been changed TO the
dull, grayish yellow ones of the reed
bird, and the lone song of the male
bird, SO excellent, voluble and fsrvent,
has been changed to the oft.repeated
clinking note Of "Ps-eet! Pe-set"
The habits and character Of these
birds are to we'll known, and to de-
scribe them here is but to travel ground
gone over many times before. His shy,
wild nature is overcome by the practic-
ed gunners caution and experience,
and after to day the leaden hail will
convey immense numbers Of them from
their feeding grounds to the tables and
larder of the consumer. This season
will be shorter than many of the pre-
ceding ones, as the reeds on which
they feed are much more forward than
common in ripeping the grain. This
will cause the bobolink ofNew England,
the reed bird of the Middle States to
seek the rice fields Of the Carolinas
earlier than often times before, where
it will be known as the "rice bunting
After feeding here awhile, what there
is left of the large numbers that start |
Ell early in the summer from their
Yankee homes, move on to the feeding
grounds of Cuba, where its extreme fat
ness causes it to be known as the but
tsr.bird.
The greatest destruction Of reed birds
Is by professional gunners, who make
a good living by selling them at re-
prices in all the neighbor-
ing markets. The gunner who goes
for sport-genuine sport-pays but lit
lie attention to the shy chirpiug reed
les but saves his ammunition for the
more bold aud venturesome rail.
Rail bird shooting is one of the finest
sports of the gunner, and many who
,are nothing for any other kind Of gun
ning are ready TO take hand when it
,omes to hunting this fine eatable bird.
The rail bird is q mystery even to the
professional ornithOlogist. Just where
they come from or where they 60 to is
hard to tell. The sportsman is satisf-
I'd To know they come from the egg and
still more satisfied II the go to his boat.
Already Wilmington gunners are
for the first day. Boats are
being fixed up, long-legged gum boots
aiken out, breech leaders Furnished
1p and cartridges loaded. The season
It Pennsylvaaia opens to-day, and hun
lreds OF gunners around Chester are
popping away to their hearts content.