The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-06-28
EFFECrs FssEAsoN ON SONG AND GAME BIRDS

Edward Howe F0rbuSns state Orni- thologist of Massachusetts. writes as follows of the effect of the season on song and game birds: e..
 After the hard winter of S1911-1S came a cold and backward spring. severe winter with much snow and ice, exposes birds to great hardshlps, and, if 1t is followed by q late, cold, stormy sRring. the egss sonaesimss ss, young birds are raised.
 During the winter of 1911. large nuMbekA of robins and some bluebirda remained in the north, n0tWithetand- ing the severe weather of January and Febrnary. Cold waves and snow storms extended far to the south and which winter in sfhe Nortl1ern, Middle and 6outhern states. There condi- tiona did net. much afeect those sper ciea which do not winter in the Unit ed States, but ntainly pass on to Mex fco, the AntilleS and South America.
 The spring flight of robins was late and they were not 50 numerous as common in comparison with last year !: but when. in May, the migration of warbiers came along, they appeared in go0dly numbers Some species, however, continued their di9hte later than usual. Most of these warblers fly to Central and S0dth America and thus escape the rigors of winter in birds which 20 far south In winter also came back in numbers
 The scarcity of bluebirde has been reported as far west as Michigan and south to Pennsylvania. Over a wide area quail did not winter well, and cd in numbers sby severe WeAfhkr in the south. we may expect ,some fadac- tfOn in thA numbefg of Wo0dcOck which winter in the same reG3onB.
 Many snaafl Dir ds. afe4 XII led by the splltnern people. Laet winter many ps..ans tcok F ' axsntsgs ss.,s qf t1s nsces- bsfe of robins. blaclEb Ebirdsl a1 blaer e. N IT city olnejl 1T tshcro, N;Ffk reGtldte ed Axf ord 1ft1AnES 401 44tl9 'dim slxuuAz z5g within sti1e dlfH lii7fta that t6e pe6ple rhigii shdct Tho hitd6 ,tHaN W4re driven Ry sfreEs 0f wS th- er -te t4let toMn eto tNed pn fbef9tee there III q ihort time. . Quantitics Of blaekbfrdsS and boboIinks have been killed In the Carelinhe by pehroess and these birds are sold in Southern mar kets. ~ ssE s ss'.'.
 1t is a fensarksble ,coincide edce, now that rohins and, bIuebirds are reduced in 1T. ; n1nsr. , thet ts 1ssFnsrs @ are com 48<f&O worms, of which robins and bluepirds eat great quantities.
 scalcity of cuckOos in some lo-. calitiee m Eastern Massachusetts Is accompanied by a great ncrSaae in, tent caterpiilars on which cuekoos
 The ice whichEAocked ponds and an | rriv- CTS in Jant3ary and February and ex- tended over the flats bays and har- bors and in some cases out to sea, cut off the food supply of the wild ducks which noWssWinter along our coasts in urge numbers since they are pro- tected by law At that season. Some of them were starved and many W&re facing death by starvation, when the ice embargo was lifted by the com ing of spring. 't. As spring opened, re- ports came from many parts or Mas saehueettss as well as from the other New England states that unusually large numberg of water fowl were re- turnin93tto our shores and inland wa ters. Even in Boston Harbor where ferryboats ply to and fro, and on Charles River, where trains afe con- stantly. crossing the bridges. focks of fdence and tafneness never before ob-. served in these localities. The num-s bers of these birds seen later on in- land waterways and ponds, as we'll as along the coast./Were such as to give color to the general view that they were not seriously reduced in num- bers by the winter, and that the in1 crease and tameness of the birds was due largely to the cessation of winter and spring shooting. Many wild fowl are now reported to be breeding in New England marshes, and near the large water scourses-another en- couraging result of the present laws.