The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-08

dents in North Carolina. SCVenty-five
to spend the summer months in our
yards fields and woodlands. Thus about
one hundred and fifty-five kinds of birds
are known to nest within the borders of
the State. Add to this sixty-five species
which pass through in the autumn on
their long trip southwark to spend the
cold months in a tropical climate; seven
ty species which come from the frozen
North to pass the winter with u.s. and
fifteen or twenty birds which have been
recorded in the State as stragglers from
their usual range, and a total of three
hundred and twelve species of North
Carolina birds is reached.
The State is favorably situated geo.
graphically for the occurrence of many
birds of widely diverse habits. In the
higher mountains may be found nesting
the raven, the golden crowned kinglet,
the snowbird and other which naturally
belong to a more northern fauna. In
Eastern Carolina the climate of the coast
line modified by warm ocean currents,
furnishes an almost sub tropical climate
white ibis, the wood stork, the frgatc
bird and other feathered forms from
Florida and the Bahamas.
Our birds are a source Of untold wealth
to the State. We are fortunate in hav-
ing game birds in great abundance and
the numbers of sportsmen who come from
a distance each year for the purpose Of
hunting bring tens of thousands of dollars
Mt bo pv tray bu h11iI
club houses, by the employment of hun
dreds of trainers and guides, money is
put into circulation. In partridge shoot
ing the hunters usually pay the land
owners for the privilege of cunning on
their premises 1t is universal custom
over large areas of the State for the
sportsmen regularly to pay the taxes on
the land, the owners conceding to them
the sole privilege of shooting in the pro-
tected territory. In Guilford county
alone over $1,000 was paid in taxes the
past year by parties who hold contracts
of this character, while the amount ex-
pended by them in keeping the club
houses and trainers aggregate the sum
to threefold that amount.
Whatever may be said against the sys-
TEN some things can of a surety be said
in its favor. The sportsmen who pay for
the privilege of hunting on the lands
keep away the heterogeneous throng of
local gunners, many of whom are pot
hunters. Others there are who often de-
generate to the lamentable plan of
shooting at everything in sight that
wears feathers. 1t is of course to the
interest of the sportsmen to protect the
birds from danger in order that their
numbers may not be unduly lessencd. 1t
is the custom of such parties in this sec
tion of the State to feed them during
periods of weather when they are liable
to suffer for want of food. Many bush
els of grain are placed out for the birds
whenever a heavy snow comes, and thou
sands of cartridges and other birds are
thus tided over times OF temporary fam
inc. 1t is matter of common observa-
ton that in sections where this tax
paying system has been put into practice
the numbers of birds have greatly in
creased.
Then, too, the partridge has a very
considerable value in barter. Great
numbers arc shot and trapped for the To-
cal trade of the towns and cities. Des-
pite the law to the contrary large guam
titles of birds, dead and alive, are
No region on the Atlantic scaboard is
more favorably situated than North
Carolina for accommodating the hordes
of wild ducks and geese which wing
southwark on the approach of winter.
Our broad shallow sounds and the nu-
merous fresh water lakes of the low
country furnish feeding grounds for the
innumerable water fowl. Twenty five
of -opSD e
brant, geese and swan frequent our
waters. Many hundreds of men are
drawn to the State each year to partici-
pate in the sport of hunting these great
game birds. Club houses have been
huilt in numbers on the islands and the
banks beyond Pamlico, Albcmarle and
Currituck sounds Keepers are employed
to care for these in summer and tend the
live decoys throughout the year. Guides
and boatmen are hired at good prices as
aids in cunning. The provisioning of
these club horses is no small source Of
revenue to the merchants of the neigh
boring towns.
Thirty species Of beach birds have
been found to come TO our shores. chiefly
during the periods Of migra ton. They
swarm by myriads along the waters edge
grassy beaches. yellow legs. Ilovcrs.
doWitchCrs and curlews are among the
kinds which often fan mt the gunncr's
aim. The method usually employed in
hunting these birds is for ( he gunner to
conceal himself behind screen &C grass
or bushes on tho feeding grounds, TWO
or three men or keys. employed for the
PURPOSE. drive" the fiocks Of birds
which upon taking wing frequently fly
near the hunters place of hiding.
Shooting ducks and beach birds for
market furnishes occupation for many
people. ! know of an eastern county in
which over four hundred men depend
solely for their living on killing these
birds for the Eastern cities. | have
seen as many as five barrels filled with
wild ducks unloaded from a schooner at
one time. The barrels with their dead
were soon afterwards shipped for New
York CITY.
Another way in which our birds have