HEATH HEN" 267 



By the beginning of the twentieth century the birds had reached a 

 very low ebb in their existence. The year 1908 witnessed one of the 

 most notable steps taken in the history of the heath hen in an effort 

 to preserve it from extinction, in the establishment of a reservation 

 in the midst of the breeding range where the birds could be protected 

 from poachers and predators by competent wardens. Six hundred 

 acres were purchased by private subscription, and an additional 

 tract of 1,000 acres was leased by the Commonwealth for a reser- 

 vation, which was systematically improved to make it attractive for 

 the birds. There is no doubt that the prolongation of the life of the 

 heath hen on Marthas Vineyard Island has been due to the interest 

 taken in it by the State of Massachusetts, conservation organizations, 

 bird clubs, sportsmen, and bird lovers. The State Department of 

 Conservation expended $70,000, and thousands more were contributed 

 by individuals, in the unprecedented efforts to prevent the bird from 

 becoming extinct. Many attempts were made when the birds were 

 abundant to transplant them to other favorable places on the main- 

 land and to other islands such as Long Island, one of their former 

 strongholds. Furthermore, the most experienced sportsmen and 

 game breeders were unable to breed the birds in captivity, a fact 

 indicating that the heath hen was very sensitive to radical changes 

 in its environment and that it would not yield to such methods of 

 conservation. All the many experiments of introducing the western 

 prairie chicken to the East have likewise proved unsuccessful. 



When the reservation was established in 1908 there were only 

 about 50 heath hens, but as a direct result of the efficient protection 

 the birds increased very rapidly and by 1915-16 they were to be 

 found in all parts of Marthas Vineyard with the exception of Gay 

 Head, the extreme western end of the island. It was then possible 

 to flush a flock of 300 or more birds almost any day from the corn 

 and clover plots planted on the reservation for the birds. An esti- 

 mate made by William Day, then superintendent of the reservation, 

 indicates there were probably 2,000 birds on the island. This was a 

 great triumph for those who had encouraged and fostered the reser- 

 vation, but unfortunately success was not long-lived. 



In spite of the unusual precautions taken to prevent the spread 

 of fire, a terrific conflagration broke out during a gale on May 12, 

 191G, which swept the greater part of the interior of the island, 

 destroying brooding birds and their nests and eggs, as well as the 

 food and cover of the birds on more than 20 square miles, right 

 in the heart of the breeding area of the heath hen. This fire undid 

 in a few hours the accomplishment of many years of work. A hard 

 winter followed the fire, and in the midst of this came an unprece- 

 dented flight of goshawks, which further decimated the number of 



