The sun., 1905-09-12
SLAUGHTER OF RICE BIRDS.
Thousands Shot and Trapped Along SCUM
Carolina Coast Lands.

From the CharIeston Evening Post.
The rice ird or bobolink or reed bird. as the
game Is known further north. is now in great
abundance on the rice fields about Charleston
and the coast section Of South Carolina, and
thousands of the birds are being killed every
day with no evidence Of any dminution In
the supply.
The business Of killing the birds is a proft-
able one for those who engage In 1t, whether
they indulge in the exercise as sportsmeh
in bringing down the game for the pleasure
of shooting and supplying their own tables
or kill the little birds for market and TO
exterminate the destroyers OF the small
grain. There are hundreds Of parties all
over this lower section OF South Carolina
hunting the birds, and although great auanti-
ties are killed. yet the birds seem as numerous
as ever during the morning and evening.
when they feed.
Killing the birds for sale is mostly done
In pot hunting" fashion in this section
system Of killing the birds which Is not In
vogue in any other place where the kind OF
game is found. A large fire is built on the
marsh and big net is arranged In such way
that escape is impossible when the bird once
enters 1t. The marsh Is beaten and the flying
birds, attracted by the light. enter the nets
and are caught in large quantities. The
birds are killed and shipped to market Many
negroes are employed In this work OF trap
ping and killing the game. working for them
selves in some cases and In others for firms
which make a regular business OF dealing in
the dainty and succulent morsels.
Where q gun Is used the IL gage double
barrel shotgun Is generally preferred. al
though some sportsmen use gun as small as
a 20 gage As the birds are not hard to kill.
and lot Of shooting has to be done in the
average days sport. this smaller shooting
iron Is desirable. The shell usually taken
along is loaded with one ounce Of No. 10 shot.
backed by two and half to threc drams OF
powder Of the semi-smokeless or smokeless
variety. Dogs can be taken. but are not nee
essary, and in some sections. where skins are
used in whole or part. the dogs have to be left
at home.
The birds are found In the eastern section
Of the country at this season Of the year.
subssting on rice, oats. millet and other
grain grown in swamps and marshy places.
1t is a mystery where tho rice birds come
from. Many Of the knowing ones are of the
opinion that they bury themselves in the mud
from season to season. after the manner OF
snakes and frogs. but the more plausible
theory is that they come and go In the night.
The birds do not fly any great distance in the
daytime rarely more than thirty to forty
yards. That they do most Of their flying at
night is proved by the fact that hundreds OF
birds may be picked UP in the morning dead.
having come in contact with live electric
wires in places where these agencies of mod
ern civilization are found. The birds disap-
pear almost as suddenly as they show up.
When the birds first show up they are very
thin and ragged looking. When they strike
the rice and oat fields they soon fatten UP.
and after three or four days Of giuttony they
are as fat as the proverbial butter bali. The
birds are slow liers. which makes 1t possible
for a man of only ordinary skill to bring down
large numbers with his gun in the course OF
his days sport. The size OF the bag depends.
of course, upon his skill, and remarkable
stories are told through this section Of the
number OF the little birds which have been
killed at single shooting, but as stated above.
the slaughter Of the birds seems to show no
diminution In the supply. which gives an idea
Of the great quantity of the birds which infest
the country.