The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-18
DISAPPEARING GAME BIRDS.
SOME SPECIES or DUCKS ARE
NOW ALMOST EXTINCT.
Wood Ducks. Canvasbacks and RuddieS All
In Need OF ProtectiOn-snipe aeu
Flower Suner From the Pot Hunters
Tho Golden PIOSer Already RARE

GIONtI SUICE vi IN
Tho Golden PlOYer Already Asare'
Those who are interested In game pro-
lection are aware that while most OF tno
States carefully protect such game ~
the cartridges and deer the laws for pre-
serving migratory birds, as ducks, wooo-
cock and snipe, plover, &C., have always
been inadequate.t The result mas Deen q
far greater destruction Of game OF TINS
olass than the annual increase could 10"
place.
One of the best known OF them Is tho
wood duck, which has perhaps the most
beautifully colored plumage OF all North
American birds. One Of the chief reasons
why it is 70 fast disappearing is that In
stead OF going far north to breed 1t breeds
In the temperate regions within the limits
Of the United States. The chance OF 80
conspicuous a bird as a duck being Ole
to raise its brood in safety Is in most parts
OF the United States a remote one.
The wood duck is not the only species
of wild duck that Ia sadly in need OF greater
protection. The famous canvasback mas
been almost entirely drive away from
it's former haunts In Chesapeake Bay n
is becoming rare In the other parts OF the
country where it was formerly found IN
abundance. 1t appears never TO nave
been common as far East as New England.
The ruddy duck is also fast becoming rarei
| both because it is not as wary ana clever
| in avoiding it's enemies as most OF the otner
species and because its flesh is OF unusual
excellence. One American species OF wild
duck has been absolutely exterminateo'
although 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. A fine mounted group OF these
birds. which it would now be impossible
to duplicate, may be seen In the American
Museum Of Natural History.
OF all the important families OF game
birds none is vanishing faster than the
plover and snipe, popularity known as
shore 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 Arctic America.
The numerous species OF these Two iami,
lies were formerly abundant and Furnished
fine sport In the summer. early fall
land also il must be added, in the spring.
though shooting at that season should never
have been ~allowedl along the New England,
Long Island and the New Jersey coasts.
Anew are still. to be found t~here-perhaps
one bird where thirty years ago there were
fifty. On the Virginia and Carolina coasts
and further South they may yet be found
in somewhat greater num6ers and at some
points in the interior and Western States
some kinds are still abundant, but among
the American species of these families
there are some that are fast approaching
extinction, many that are already growing
rare and probably not one that Is holding
its own.
One we'll known game bird Of this kind
that is disappearing from the Eastern SEQ
ton of the country is the upland plover.
to the snipe family. AS its name indicates,
it is not a bird of the seashore or marshes
but of the hills and pastures.
1t formerly nested in such situations
throughout a large part ofthe United States
but has become rare in most parts OF the
East, especially in New England, where \, Is
already practically a bird OF the past. The
story of it's disappearance in this section
is being repeated in the States further
West.
In the last ten years there has been an
even more pronounced decrease in the num-
bers OF another bird often found in similar
situations, though of diff erent habits. This
is a tree plover, the golden ploveF., The
golden plover has disappeared absolutely
from large sections OF the country where up
to a few years ago it was to be found at
the proper seasons In hundreds or even In
thoriands. This bird breeds only in the
| u holltt uLS "AtNNl 80 -
going even to Argentina and Patagonia. In
the United States 1t occurs only as a migrant
in the spring nd fall. In the spring it
travels northward through the inland States
and is not found on the Atlantic Coast. In
fall its southwark migration until recently
took place by both routes, but o II is
very rarely found on the coast and has be-
come much less common in the interior.
In the case of the large sniPe family, a
dozen or more species Of which are. or
were, game birds Of more or less import
ance, the outlook is hardly more promising.
At least one Of them, which was formerly
not uncommon along the Atlantic coast
numerous there as further south and west,
is already practically extinct, except in some
of the Southern and Western parts Of the
country. No protective measures, even "
taken promptly, are likely to save It,. This
the long billed curlew, or sickle bill. .
A much more familiar species, the wood
cock, is now often mentioned as threatened
with determination. There is, however,
every reason to expect that IL it receives
protection promptly it may be preserved.
Another curlew, the Esquimo curle W,
was often found in company with the golden
plover during it's migrations. In all its
rare bird, and is believed by some to have
been already completely exterminated.
Both Of the W species Of godwits are now
rare in most places where they formerly
occurred, ana lne tOUll eAterHuLdtlOH Oh
ore Of them, the marbled godwit, is not
likely to he postponed for many years.
The red breasted snipe, dowitcher or
brown back, as it is variously called, 10
another rapidly vanishing species. 1t Ia
the earliest Of the snipe family to appear
along our coasts in the fall, and is the
gentlest and most ~unsuspicious of all tho
larger species of the family: in fact, it should
never have been treated as a game bird at
all, for it requires no skill to kill it. There
is another sripe, the knot, Of about the same
size as the dowitcher, and, like it, having a
red or reddish brown breast when in good
plumage, but distinguished by the much
shorter bill. 1t is slightly more wary than
the dowitcher, but is being fast extermi-
mated in thisp part Of the world.
The willet has totally disappeared from
many regions where it was formerly com
mon. 1t is a fine large bird for q snipe
inferior in size only to the curlews and
godwits among our species. Yet 1t lie far
from being as wary as a bird OF it's size
should be, and moreover it breeds largely
in temperate attitudes. instead Of in the
far north, and e consequently exposed 70
danger during the breeding season as we'll
as at other times.
Pearls Along Lower California Coast.
Ero,, fbe .Ie,rflers' Cire ulnr- WeeklU.