Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-26

waiting for sufficient light to see to shoot.
They are dressed in all manner of costumes
and armed with all sorts of blunderbusses.
Some who have had the forethought and
means to engage a skiff and pusher are off
in style with the tide. Others go In couples
in skifs and shove and push each other,
while the rabble take to the marshes and
wade.
Bulletin Of Interest.
In connection with the sport Of bird shoot
ing in the District of Columbia. the Ma
tlonaI Museum authorities have issued a
bulletin In which appears much Of inter-
est to local sportsmen. This pamphlet
was originally prepared by DR.. Elliott
Coues and Prof. d. Webster Prentiss and
has since been revised and rewritten. In
its opening chapter appears this statement:
Years ago with a population of about
GDOOO the national capital was a mud
puddle In winter a dust-heap in summer
cow-pen and pig-sty all the year round;
there was good snipe-shooting within the
city limits. and the country all about was
as primitive as the most enthusiastic nat
uralst could desire. But with the assist
ance of Mr.. Alexander Shepherd, who ought
to have a statue, we have changed all
that; Washington has grown up TO large
proportions, and become .'citifed into
uuite respectable establishment; the
suburban wilderness has been reclaimed
from nature and largely given over TO art;
while ornithology has long been more as
siduously and successfully pursued within
than without the walls of the Smithsonian
Institution. Besides all this, we have the
sparrows now"
In the bulletin Is given the game laws of
the District which show what species OF
birds can be shot beginning September l.
These include wild ducks, geese and brant;
snipe or plover, waterfall, ortolan ana reeo
birds.
Old Game Law.
In the~o5st, game Law, Approved June 10,
1878 all persons are prohibited from killlng
or exposing for sale. or having in his or
her possession dead. at any time any tur-
key-buzzard, wren. sparrow, blue plrd'
humming bird. blue jay. robin or migratory
thrush. wood or song robin, Martin knocking
bird swallow, oriole. red or cardinal bird,
cat bird. pewit, whip-poor-will, goidhnsh
sap-sucker. hanging bird. woodpecker
crow blackbird or any other insectyorous
bird under a penalty of 81 for each blrd
killed or in possession dead. Exemption
is made for persons killing or trapping
such birds for scientific purposes.
Heavy fines and damages were provided
against persons trespassing on the lands
of another for the purpose Of shooting
or hunting thereon"
There IS also given list OF the birds
TO be found In the District Of Columbia. 1t
shows ii permanent residents: A winter resi-
dents; 80 summer residents; u regular visi-
tants or migrants neither summering nor
wintering in the District and % accidental
vistants or stragglers, making a total OF
226 There are also indicated - "proba-
bilities.'' not. however. enumerated. Later
the compiler eliminated one species, leaving
a total of 30 After this official compila-
ton had been made certain orntholOgists
Submitted to the Smithsonian Institution
severe. additional species, increasing the
total 70 24s.
1t is stated that although the area of the
District Of Columbia is comparatively
favxy Nt
scenery to attract almost every species OF
bird incident to the latitude and longitude
In considering the pathological aspect of
this territory. the District is divided into
three regious-the Potomac river region. the
Anacostia river region and the Rock creek
region.
Describing the birds in the vicinity OF the
Chain bridge, 1t is incidentally stated that
at the time of the freshet of February IL,
1881, the water in the swollen river at its
highest flood came up TO within twelve feet
OF the floor of the bridge. This great vol
ume of water can be reckoned when Il is
stated that Chain bridge is 50 feet above
The bed Of the stream and Al feet above
mean low-water mark. This bridge. which
spans the river from cliff TO cliff. being an
IRON structure built upon buttresses of
stone, derives Its name. Chain bridge -
from the fact that the old original bridge
was suspended on chains.
Some of the Species.
Among the species of birds to be found in
this locality are mentioned the woodcock.
the spotted sandpiper. the kingfsher. green
heron and the Maryland yellow throat.
AT the head OF the Little Falls. about half
a mile above Chain bridge a dam has been
constructed feeder to the canal. This
creates extensive lake of smooth water.
extending from High Island at the head OF
the rapids, up the river for mile and a
half. and has an average width OF half q
mile. Here are found during the winter
season many species of ducks, and In the
summer the beautiful wood duck (Aix
sponsa) breeds In the neighbOring forests
Over its surface during the summer are
continually skimming the various species OF
swallows. At the upper end OF this broad
expanse OF water are found the beautiful
timbered islets appropriately named BY
Prof. Lester F.. Ward Box Elder. Sugar
Maple and Larkspur islands, where many