58 FISH AND GAME. 



their numbers. As instances of this destruction may be cited 

 the great auk, the Labrador duck, the wild turkey and the 

 passenger pigeon, all of which formerly existed in enormous 

 numbers, but which have been completely extirpated, largely 

 through market demand, which encouraged their slaughter. 

 Another instance may be cited in the case of the heath hen, of 

 which only a small remnant now remains upon the island of 

 Martha's Vineyard. With the passing of these species the mar- 

 ket gunners turned their attention to the shore birds, with the 

 result that, according to that eminent authority Prof. Wells 

 W. Cook of the United States Biological Survey, these birds 

 in general are reduced to less than one-tenth their number of 

 forty years ago. The Eskimo curlew appears to be extinct, 

 and the upland and golden plover nearly so. Formerly these 

 shore birds existed in large numbers, but increasing price and 

 market demand have brought about this change. Forty-three 

 States and territories in 1912 forbade wholly or in part the 

 sale of wild game, and of these, 19 prohibited the sale of prac- 

 tically all wild game. However, laws prohibiting the export 

 of game birds are often ineffective and evaded as long as a 

 market demand continues. Markets, where open, now en- 

 courage the illegal killing and shipping of game birds from 

 other States, as many convictions bear witness. But the 

 greatest destruction by the market gunners at the present time 

 is among the geese and ducks, which are killed by thousands 

 during the winter in the south and shipped to northern markets. 



Remedial Measures. - - It is our privilege to record the fact 

 that Massachusetts citizens have participated in the wave of 

 public sentiment which has swept over the country, and during 

 the past five years our Commonwealth has made considerable 

 progress in improving conditions for maintaining an adequate 

 supply of birds. The most important steps in advance are the 

 prohibition of spring shooting, the nonsale of wild game birds 

 and the establishment of bird reservations, upon which birds 

 may find not alone a sanctuary but a breeding and feeding 

 place secure from enemies. 



The Boston market is supplied to a large extent by game im- 

 ported from Europe, and by means of licenses and proper tag- 

 ging the market men are fully protected in their legitimate 

 business, but from an economic standpoint the only way to 



