280 BIRDS IN THEIR RELATIONS TO MAN. 



near the coast, where most of them are exclusively found. 

 A conservative estimate of the average annual slaughter of 

 water-fowl — ducks principally — on her eighteen miles of coast 

 and adjacent brackish waters, is five thousand. Half that 

 number are sometimes killed off a single promontory, — Boars 

 Head, at Hampton Beach. The majority are shot for revenue 

 only. The older hunters are unanimous in saying that all 

 sorts of water-fowl are scarce compared with what they were 

 fifty years ago. Of the myriads of plover, snipe, curlews, and 

 sand-pipers that formerly thronged beach and marsh only a 

 fraction remain. The number of gunners that follow them 

 is so great and the area they frequent is so wide that any 

 estimate of the yearly capture is hazardous. 



Birds have been killed faster than they could uiultiply. At 

 first it was not realized, but it was known so long ago as 

 Belknap wrote, for he relates that " some of our epicurean 

 gentry" had already begun to fear for the ruffed grouse. 

 Thanks to its peculiar habits, that royal bird still inhabits its 

 native heath. In spite of the fact that the decrease was ap- 

 prehended, it was more than fifty years before the mental 

 inertia of the people was overcome sufficiently for them to 

 take active measures to stay it. Three game-birds had suffered 

 extinction and a fourth was on the brink Avhen the first step 

 was taken. 



The first game laws enacted related to time and method 

 of capture. Spring killing and trapping were the earliest 

 prohibitions. Only a part of the permanent resident birds 

 were given even this protection. As time went on the num- 

 ber of protected birds and the period of their protection 

 were gradually increased ; but it was something like forty 

 years after the initial law before the game-birds found in the 

 State were given a closed season. In spite of statutes regu- 

 lating seasons and methods, it at length became apparent that 

 the decrease Avas not wholly checked, and further measures 

 were taken. It was made an offence to send dead grouse 



