CONSERVATION OF GAME BIRDS. 503 



birds — will hold our wild-fowl at a greater value in the coming 

 age, and we may look forward confidently to the day when 

 again, as of yore, Americans will see our lakes and rivers re- 

 populated by their happy feathered inhabitants. Some, per- 

 haps, will be missing, — exterminated in our day, — but the 

 intelligent, educated people of our race will come in time to 

 see the folly of exterminating these useful birds for the profit 

 of the few. They will appreciate the many advantages of con- 

 serving them for the benefit of all mankind. 



The Decrease of Game Birds in Massachusetts. 



The need of conserving the present supply of game birds, 

 wild-fowl and shore birds on the Atlantic seaboard, is indicated 

 by the following table, in which the results of my inquiries 

 regarding the decrease of such birds in Massachusetts are set 

 down, so far as they can be expressed in figures. The manner 

 in which the reports were obtained from which these figures 

 were taken is related on pages 33 and 34. 



It should be noted that this table refers only to Massachu- 

 setts, and that, as stated on page 34, it represents an average 

 period of twenty-seven years and three months prior to the 

 year 1909. The number of years of experience credited to 

 these observers may be averaged in another way, closely 

 approximating the following tabulation: — 



9 observers have had about 5 years' experience. 

 27 observers have had about 10 years' experience. 

 35 observers have had about 15 years' experience. 

 48 observers have had about 20 years' experience. 



40 observers have had about 25 years' experience. 



41 observers have had about 30 years' experience. 



22 observers have had about 35 years' experience. 



23 observers have had about 40 years' experience. 

 19 observers have had about 45 years' experience. 

 19 observers have had about 50 years' experience. 



3 observers have had about 55 years' experience. 



4 observers have had about 60 years' experience. 



Two hundred and fifty -four of these observers have had 

 from fifteen to sixty years' experience in the field. Most of 



