Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-08-27
Limits Indicated by PIacard.
Put Up by Washington
Police.
BLACKBIRDS PLENTIFUL:
NO ORTLAW Or REEDBIRDS
Postmaster General Burleson Expect
ed to Be One Of Sportsmen to
Take Gun Into Marshes.

Lieut. Russell Dean. IN command OF
the hnrbor police precinct and mem
hers of his command yesterday com
pieted the work of erecting warning
signs in the vicinity of the marshes
along the Potomac river and Eastern
branch. where gunnt VIII be in evil
dence shortly after daybreak Septem-
Der /, the season for reedhirds. ortolar
and blackbirds opening that day.
And if any Gunners get arrested
said a member of the harbor squad. lit
will be their own fault and not the
fault of the police"
MAI. Pullman has had the police do
everything possible to prevent mis-
understan dings on the part of hundreds
of sporrsmen who will he on hand
early in September with their guns and
The morning the season
opens there .wiN be a detail of police
men on hand to enforce the law and
protect pedestrians and drivers who
pass over Benning bridge and along
highways in the vicinity Of the marshes.
Limitations Marked.
Not only did the police put up signs
to warn gunners Of the 3o0-yard limit
rom the highways and bridges. but
they also We're erected TO indicate the
District line of the Prince Georges
county, Nd, border Persons who cross
that line without holding a license is
sued In Maryland may be arrested and
fined.
Hundreds of sportsmen have put IN
supplies of ammunition and cleaned
their guns preparatory to participating
in the sport Now they are anxious to
have the birds come this way. There
are thousands of blackbirds on the
nearby marshes. Reedbirds and or
tolan have not vet put in appearance
But they sometimes come in a night
was the consoling remark of w r.
Bailey, who has been on Eastern
branch for twenty or more years
This is the first time l have known
the marshes to be without reedbirds
added. They may come before the
opening day"
Plenty to Feed Upon.
The enthusiastic sportsmen and ex-
pert shot told a Star reporter that tho
oats this year are about as thick as he
has ever seen them Last season the
cropp of oats was poor and the birds
were correspondingly scarce. This year
the oats are plentiful and only black
birds are on hand to eat them-
There are many sportsmen who Will
not hunt blackbirds, blackbird pie not
appealing to them They are more
than willing TO shoot reedbirds and or
tolan, however not only because they
are fond of them, but also because they
like to present them to friends.
'Reedhirds on toast sounds better than
blackbird pie" said one Of the gunners
who was on the marsh yesterday looking
for reedies. Persons who expect their
friends to remember them with a bunch
of birds will do well to put their names
in the pot
TT may be that the weather farther
north is SO warm that the birds have not
started this way" was the thought OF
Robert T Bray one of the expert gun
ners who viii be on hand on opening day.
"And it may be that one or two cool
nights early the coming week will
get them on the move" he added. land
put them here in large enough numbers
to furnish splendid sport. Who can tell?'
Blackbirds Surely Plentiful.
Conflicting reports have reached here
from the Patuxent river and lower Poto-
mao marshes. AS long ago as early last
week 1t was stated that reedbirds and or
tolan We're plentiful on the marshes of
the Patuxent river and some few had been
seen on the Hunting creek marshes.
later report had it that only biackbirds
were in evidence on the marshes
I'm sure there have been no reedbirds
or ortolan on the Eastern branch marsh.
Gunner Bailey stated Il sleep there
every night and would surely hear them
if they were on hand"
Reports from the Patuxent river
state that the wild oats are as thick
as they are In the vicinity of this city.
Members of the Glebe, Jackson Land
ing and Italian clubs arranged to visit
the clubhouses today to ascertain
som ething OF the prospects for the ap-
preaching season. Incidentally, 1t is
stated, some of them will enjoy perch
fishing.
Members of the three clubs who prob
ably will be on hand the opening day
are Harry Bliss, William A Hettinger.
Joseph A Pessagno. John Peyton. AL
Hand, Joseph Williams. Salvatore
Desio. ]. IT Moifett, Char Towers, John
a. Rupert. S. Giovanetti, DR. Mauld-
ing, Lloyd Brooke, Lloyd Brooke. Jr..
w f Roberts. II. c. Taylor. lgnatius
Geracl, A. Cbicca, P. Messina, P. Cerami,
Harry Luckett, NJ Stanici. Frank
Geraci and l. SINH.