Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-10-09
NO. $50.
Mistellaneous.
WlLD.rOWL MASSACRES.

grave and revisit his old Shooting grounds,
he would gaze with astonishment on bays
and sounds, now deserted. which in his
day Were the haunt of seemingly mex
haustible supply of wild fowl. What to
him was a source OF important revenue, is
to his posterity no longer field for the
exercise of his skill and enterprise. The
rapid increase OF population is not reSpon-
sible for this, but rather the greed of the
present generation, and the non-entorce-
ment ot the game laws. Not only is this
the case in the older settlements. but like
wise in the sparsely settled North and
West. Under an honest enforcement of
our laws. our bays, sounds aud lakes
should today witness but little diminution
in their myriads of winged inhabitants.
In all probability aquatic birds are rs
numerous as ever, but they have been
diverted from their former line of flight.
Instead of following the route of the coast.
a large majority strike directly south,
across the West India islands, and seek
the Central American states rs u secure
abiding place during the winter The
golden plover offers notable example of
this. In former times, about September
| he visited our coast in countless num-
bers. Now flight of this species is rare
indeed. 1t has been supposed by many
that this total determination had been ac-
complishcd Recent researches. however.
have revealed the fact that he passes in
vast numbers directly from his breeding
grounds across the West India islands, ca
route to Central America, where he abides
in security. 1t is the same with wild
geese and ducks.
If we follow the course of the latter
from the north To the extreme southwest,
and suppose them to pursue n course par
allel with the coast, we will readily un-
derstand why the modern bird has grown
to he somewhat choice in his line of flight.
When he quits the place of his birth, he
does so simple and unsophisticated
creature The blue-nosed Nova Sco;an
first awakens him to the pearls and real-
ties OF life. From him he is passed on to
the artful and ingenious Yankee. He en-
counters five different varieties of this
subtle race from Maine TO Connecticut.
He next meets with that apostle of true
inwardness, the Long Islander. Here,
indeed his troubles really begin. F;om
Montauk Point to Sandy Hook he is at
tackled with sleepless vigilance. Every
artlice which the ingenuity of man can
ttNiSt 10 uSth lci bIs ttNtiutlipi. anu 1t
passes from the hands of the Long Island
er into those of the meditative ,Ierseymen
plucked bird indeed. Nor is his rccep-
ton any the less warm on these shores.
Mutilated and infected with malaria, he
reaches the land of the buttcrnut Virgin
ian. lie finds no rest here for the soles
of his feet, but is hurried on down the
coast. battered and banged ut from every
point of the land. In Florida he formerly
found haven of rest but of late he is
pursued even there by the invalid and
sporting tourist, two of the most mercicss
specimens of our variegated race. There
There is no rest for him here, and he con-
tinues on. running the gauntlet of the
emancipatcd colored "brother." generous
in his use of ammunition. IIo next receives
the attention of the Texan. and from him
to the greascr of Mexico, in whose land
he makes brief but troubled stay. II is
now time for him to seek partner and
return north. He rctraces the course of
his southerly flight, and again runs the
gauntlet of his relentless pursucrs. Made
seven times a widower on his way, he at
last reaches his destination shattered
wreck.
The decoy--a fac simile in the wood of
the wild goose or duck-was the first de-
vice employed to allure wild fowl within
reach of a gun. Formerly but six or eight
were used. To-day full set will number
from 60 to 200, the larger number as
auxiliary to the battcry-a diabolical en-
gine of destruction. The machine consists
OF a square box of dimensions sufficient to
contain n man PROSTATE on his back. To
this box is attached a platform made of
cedar boards. The latter varies in dmen-
sions. Some are = feet square, others II
or IA feet. while many have canvas fend-
ers attached. the more completely TO break
the swash OF the waves. These machines
can only be used during moderate south
erly weather. They are transported on
large sail boats te the feeding grounds of
the birds. where they are launched and
anchored. About and on them are placad
large numbers of decoys, which are so ar
ranged as 10 lie head toward the machine
| The largest body of dccoys are usually
placed so that the birds in passing shall
swing off toward the left hand. We will
now imagine the gunner snugly slowed in
his narrow box. The tender lies off and
on to the leeward in readiness TO pick up
the dead.
| Cripples are seldom retrieved. As the
battery is placed wide of shore, sometimes
in the very centre Of sound or bav, the
crowd Of deeoys surrounding it are very
attractive to passing fowl. The gunner
prone upon his back on level with the
water. is entirely invisible. Flock after
flock, unsuspicious Of danger, and seeing
favorite feeding ground, will dash in
among the decoys. The occupant of the
battery at the proper moment rises to q
sitting position and pours in among them
a right and left hand gun. Possibly al
every shot four or five may be killed out
right and as many more crippled. The
dead are retrieved by the tender, while
the cripples find their way to the shore
where they either die lingering death
or are destroyed by animals or dirds o.
prey. When ducks are flying freely, ant
the man in the battery is armed with q
breech-loader, and is moreover expert
enced in the style of shooting. the slaugh
ter is immense. The proportion of woun
ded to dead is large. 1t requires no very
great effort to calculate the amount O
mischief, Of which the battery is capable
The machine, however, is available onl,
for certain varieties of fowl. Geese MAJ
he killed from IL also wid0aon oapvos