Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-10-30
OF
THE GAME FISH
Reckless Slaughter for Years Pest
Leaves Some Of the Species
Nearly Extinct.
VARIETIES FAST VANISHING
But Little Protection js Afforded BY
Law, SO the Sportsmen a.
sert.

Those who are interested in game
protection are aware that while most
or the state carefully protect such
game as the partridges and deer thu
laws for preserving migratory birds.
such as ducks, woOdcocks and snip0.
plover, etc, have always been made
quate. The result has been far great.
er destruction OF game of this class
than the annual increase could re-
place.
One OF the best known of them il
The wood duck, which has, perhaps,
The most beautifully coIored pIumage
OF all North American birds. One OF
the Chief reasons why it is so fast dis
appearing IS that instead of going far
north to breed it BREEDS in the tenn
perate regions within the limits of tho
United States. The chance Of so con.
spicious bird as duck being able
TO raise its brood in safety is in most
parts of the United States a remOt0
one.
Created Protection Needed.
The wood duck is not the only spec
les of wild duck that is sadly in need
of greater protection. The famous
canvas back has been almost entirely
driven away from it's haunts in Chez
apeake bay and is becoming rare in
other parts of the country where 1t
was formerly found in abundance. It
appears never to have been common
as far east as New England. The rud-
dy duck is also fast becoming rare,
both because it is not as wary and
clever in avoiding it's enemies as most
OF the other species and because it,
flesh is OF unusual excellence. One
American species OF wild duck has
been absolutely exterminated, al
though in the first half of the last
century they were often to be seen
, in the New York markets. This is the
: pied or Labrador duck.
But of all the important families OF
, game birds none is vanishing faster
than the plover and snipe, popularity
. known as shire birds, bay birds and
by other names. In some states they
, get no protection whatever; in many
. others the close times are arranged
to cover only or chiefly the seasons
when the birds are absent at their
breeding grounds in Attic America.
Once Abundant; Now Scarce.
The numerous species of these two
families were formerly abundant and
, furnished fine sport in the summer
| anu Ctii lg IAN teiLiu dlSO II LiuSL UU
. added, in the spring, though shooting
i at that season should never have been
, allowed) along the New England, Ions
} Island and the New Jersey coasts.
: A few are still to be found there
' perhaps one bird where there were
: fifty thirty years ago. On the Virgins
4 and Carolina coasts and further south
!. they may yet be found in somewhat
: greater numbers and at some point
y in the interior and western state
e some kinds are abundant, but anon
n the American species of these familie
g there are some that are fast approach
Il ing extinction, many that are alread,
g growing rare and probably not ON
It that is holding its own.
4. One well known game bird OF Till
r kind that is disappearing from tn,
n eastern section of the country Is thu
v upland plover. Though called q plover
!. it really belongs to the snipe family
r AS its name indicates, 1t Is not q birt
@ of the seashore or marshes, but q
O the hills and pastures.
II Golden PIover disappearing.
n In the last ten years there has beeI
J. an even more pronounced decrease u
!. the numbers of another bird oftel
!. found in similar situations, though o
!, different habits. This Is true plover
II the golden ployer. The golden plove
g has disappeared absolutely from larg'
4 sections of the country where up to
II few years ago it was to be found q
II the proper season in hundreds or eve1
n in thousands. This bird breeds onl,
n in the far north and winters in Soutl
II America going even to Argentina ant
h Patagonia.
. In the United States 1t occurs onl,
a as a migrant in the spring and fall
"a In the spring it travels northwart
:. through the inland states and is no
# found on the Atlantic coast. In fal
:. Its southwark migration until recent,
took place by both routes, but nov
10 1t is very rarely found on the cOaa
10 and has become much less commo
g. in the interior.
y Threatened With determination.
Il In the case of the larger snipe fan
q. lily, dozen or more species of whic
8. are or were game birds Of more or les
10 importance, the outlook is hardl
% more promising. At least one of then
which was formerly not uncommo
along the Atlantic coast as far eai
as Cape Cod, though never as hume
Gus there as farther south and ives
- is already practically extinct, exceI
~ in some of the southern and wester
parts of the country. No protectiv
measures, even if taken promptly, ar
likely to save it. This is the largea
80 and finest species of the family, tn
sc long billed curlew, os sickle bill.
A much more familiar species, tn
90 the woodcock is now often mentione
as threatened with determination
r. There is, however, every reason =
expect that If it receives protection
!: promptly it may be preserved.-Wash
ingtOn Post.
Id -