510 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



The Causes of the Decrease of Game Birds. 



What is regarded by my correspondents (mostly gunners) 

 as the relative importance of the various agencies for the de- 

 struction of Ruffed Grouse may be inferred from the following 

 tabulation, which shows the number who regard each of the 

 designated causes to be important. No suggestion was made 

 to any one of these observers and no leading questions were 

 asked regarding the causes of the decrease of game birds. The 

 information is voluntary, and the personal experience of the 

 number of observers assigning a cause of decrease may be 

 considered an index to the importance of that cause, pro- 

 vided that the observers are well qualified to judge, and that 

 they have not been unduly influenced by the writings or the 

 opinions of others. Those causes w^hich relate to shooting are 

 starred. 



Agencies of Destruction and Number reporting them. 



*Increase of gunners and overshooting, 110 



Foxes, 75 



Cutting timber or brush, 56 



Inclement weather and bad breeding seasons, . ... 55 



*Hunting with dogs, 30 



Hawks, 29 



Cats, 28 



Snaring, 28 



Forest fires, 25 



Disease, 23 



Skunks, 23 



*Non-enforcement of laws, 21 



Wood ticks, 15 



*Pump and magazine guns, 14 



*Long open seasons, 12 



Owls, 9 



Dogs running at large, 5 



*Automobiles and electric cars 3 



Pheasants, 2 



*Illegal sale of birds, 2 



Brush fires and campers, 2 



Gypsy moths (causing cutting of woodland), .... 2 



Draining of swamps, 2 



Crows, 2 



