The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-01
GREAT YEAR FOR MUD-HENS
THOUSANDS OF Binds KILLED ON
SOU1H JERSEY MARSHHS
Causes that Mako this Season Like Those
of Forty Years Ago-The Birds of Good
Size, Too-Some High Scores-Outlook
Good for Ducks-Quail Also Thriving.

Of Forty Years Ago-The Birds Of Good
Size, Too-Some High Scores-Outlook
Good for Ducks-Quail Also Thriving.
SEA Isle CITY n. j., Sept 0'rhe thou.
sands of acres Of meadow lands that constitute
much of the area Of Cape May county have been
a paradise for gunncrs during the past ma2th,
and for good four weeks to come sportsmen win
find splendid marsh hen shooting. 1t has been
many long year since the mud hens 30
plentiful they have been this season Tho
meadows stretching from Great Egg Harbor Bay.
on the north TO Sewell's Point on the south, q
distance Of thirty-hvc miles with an average
width Of two miles, have been alive with marsh
hens Along the banks OF every little creek. in
the tall sedge grass, hundreds Of them were 10 DO
found. The open season began on Aug. 25, but
on account of the extremely low tides the gunners
met with indifferent luck. During the past ten
daystho greatest number of birds have been killed
The tides have been running full and much of the
marsh-land has been flooded, driving the mud
hens from their hiding places into the open.
Many OF the sportsmen who came here in the
opening days Of the season. and in q tide killed
from twenty to nifty birds, thought they were do
ing well They had really no idea OF the great
number Of birds that were In hiding behind the
scres Of sedge grass Some Of these same gun
ners have been out on the meadows during tho
past week and have baggcd from sixty to one hum
dred birds in a single tide. with less hard work
than a month ago. Capt. Bill Sutton won't
out on the first day Of the open season with DR.
John p. Frey Of Philadelphia, and came ashore
with 1877 birds Of whioh he himself killed more
than hundred. In speaking Of the abundance
Of the birds he said
This ia great season FOR the marsh hon gum
ners have not seen so many birds in ten years
And such BIRDS why they all big fellows
with not n chick among theni. Last season, at
this NJ the rda
fedglinss not more than thirty per cent Of them
bong full feathered. Can account for this? Why,
yes This has been Just such mud hen year
as l used to see forty years ego. Everything
favorable for the full growth Cd the birds.
The old birds mate IN early May, and May 20,
or 25 their full complement Of eggs are laid and
they ready to begin their duties OF incubation.
For ten years back, this year being exception,
heavy nor east storm has como along late inAay,
flooding the meadows and washtng out Of thou
sands Of nests every egg Then. after the birds
laid their second clutch, have several occasions
seen big tide come along in mid July and repeat
the destruction. This would discourage many
Of the binds and as result only portion OF them
would rebuild their nests and raise o family These
young birds coming late In August. when their
food Ia far less plentiful than 1t 10 earlier in the
summer, naturally are weddings. and less able
TO run the marshes with the parent bird. When
inc cunning season opens 'here are thousands
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