Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-12-17
AMERICAN GAME BIRDS
Were It Not for Protection They
Would Soon be Exterminated.

Were it Not for Protection They
Would Soon be Exterminated.
With the beginning Of the hunting
season, the variety and plenty Of the
North American huntsman's domain
is indicated in a communication to
the National Geographic Society from
Henry w. Henshaw, chief Of the Unit
ed States Biological Survey, which
tells of American Game Birds" Mr..
Hcnshaw enumerates more than 100
kinds of game birds common to this
countrys preserves, among which are
81 kinds of ducks, eight kinds OF
goose. eight kinds Of quail, and five
kinds Of grouse. While Americas
preserves are distinguished among
the hunting fields of the world for
their wealth of game, the writer
shows that they are hunted with
dangerous thcroughness. He says:
America has always been a para
disc for sportsmen, but Of late years
the number of those whose chief re-
Taxation Is the pursuit Of game has
greatly increased, and today there are
probably not far from five millions
who are interested In the pursuit OF
game! What this army Of five million
hunters means to the large and small
game Of America can better be imag-
ined than described! Modern guns
and ammunition are Of the very best,
and they are sold at prices so low as
to be within the reach Of all. Added to
these very efficient weapons for kill
ing small game, are innumerable de-
vices for killing waterfowl, as sneak
boatcs, punt-guns, swivcl-guns, sail
boats, steam launches, night floating,
night lighting and others"
The varieties of American game
duck given by Mr.. Henshaw are bald
pate, Barrow's golden-eye, black, buff
flehead, king, Pacific, specialized and
Steller's elder, fulvous tree-duck, NAL
lard, merganser, red-head, pintal,
scaup, scooter, canvas-back, shoveller,
and teal. OF canvas-back he says:
THE canvas-back. perhaps the
most famous of American waterfowl,
has purchased its fame at a price. So
highly is it priced by the epicure that
today he who can afford to dine on
canvas back sets the mark Of luxuri-
Gus living. Not that the canvas-back
differs essentially from other ducks
but its exceptional flavor Is due to the
fact that it's favorite food is wild cell
cry q long ribbon-like grass which
grows in shallow ponds and estuaries.
AS the plant roots several feet under
the surface, only the diving ducks can
secure it and the plebian kinds have
to be content with such floating
fragments as they can pick up or can
steal from their more aristocratic
relatives. In Oregon and Washington
the canvas-back lives much upon
wapato, a bTlb-like root formerly
staple article of food among many
Indian tribes, and their exceptional
flavor is said to be little, If any, In
ferior to that Of the celery-fed canvas
back Of the east. Priced alike by
sportsman and by epicure the ranks
Of the canvas-back have been depleted
by the relentless pursuit to which 1t
has been subjected. However. the
greater number of these ducks breed
far to the northward where they are
safe, and under present laws their
number should increase to something
like their former abundance"
Despite this country's present vast
wealth in game birds, according to the
writer. they would soon be shot away
but for proper protection. AS 1t is, he
continues, the number of game birds
today are quite insignificant of for
mer days. Destruction OF former
breeding places by drainage and,
more especially, the relentless pur-
suit with firearms. are the causes as
signed for the falling off of supply.
Mr. Henshaw writes: