The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-06
AMERICAN GAME BIRDS
TOO CLOSELY HUNTED
lection Ia Not Given Them In
All Sections of Country.

Washington, D.. c.. Sept. with
the beginning of the hunting season,
the variety and plenty of the North
American huntsman's domain il in
dicated in a communication to the
National Geographic Society, from
Henry w. Henshaw, chief of the
United States Biological Survey. which
tells of American Game Birds" Mr.
Hcnshaw enumerates more than 100
kinds of game birds common to this
country's preserves. among which are
thlrty-seven kinds IF duck. eight kinds
of goose. eight kinds of quail. and five
kinds OF grouse While Americas pre-
serves are distinguished among the
hunting fields of he world for their
wealth of game, the writer shows that
they are hunted with dangerous thor
oughness. He says
Sportsmen's Paradise.
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
" ba are interested in the pursuit OF
game. What this army of five mil
lion hunters means 10 the large and
small game of America can better be
imagined 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 weap-
ons for killing small game. arc In
Vulnerable devices for killing water
fowl, as sneak boats. pui:t-guns sail
boats. steam launches. night floating.
night lighting. and others
The varieties of American game
duck given by MIR Henshaw are baln>
pate. Harrow's golden-eye, black. huff
fich sad. king. Pacific, specialized and
Steller's elder fulvous tree duck mall
lard, merganset, red head pintail,
scaup. scooter. canvas back shoveller
and teal. OF cauvas-hack, he says:
The Canvas back.
The canvas back. perhaps the most
famous Of American waterfowl has
purchased it's fame at a price SO
highly IS Ii priced by rhe epicure that
today he who can afford to dine on
canvas back sets the mark of luxurt>
Gus living Not that he canvas-back
differs essentially from other ducks,
but its exceptional flavor is due to the
fact Shat its favorite food rs wild
celery. long rihon-like grass which
grows in shallow ponds and estuaries.
As the Dlan: roots several feet under
the surface. only the diving ducks can
secure and the piehian kinds have
to BE- content with such floating frag
ments rs they can pick up or can
steal from their more aristocratic rel
atives. In Oregon and Washington.
the eanvas-hack lives much upon wa
patio bulb-like root formerly a
sta Pile article Of food among many
Indian tribes. and their exceptional
flavor liz said 10 be little If any, in
ferior to that of the celery-fe can
vas-hack of the East. Priced alike
by sportsman and by epieure the ranks
OF the canvas-back have been depleted
by the relentless pursuit TO which II
has been subjected However, the
greater number CT 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"
Need of Protection.
Despite this country's present vast