THE WILD TURKEY. 



But the situation has entirely changed. The country is no lunger a wil- 

 derness, nor its citizens dependent on the conquests of the chase for sustenance. 

 With the decline of the culinary claim a new value has been discovered for 

 the wild things, especially for the birds, viz., the esthetic value. The birds 

 no longer belong to those who seek food ; they no longer belong to those who 

 seek life for the sake of taking it in artistic ways ; they belong rather to the 

 four millions of people in this state who are awaking to a sense of the varied 

 charm of the living bird. We should no longer regard the Wood Ducks, for 

 example, as creatures to be killed (pitiful' remnant that there is left!) but as 

 beautiful objects of a fascinated interest, — birds to study, to understand, to 

 appreciate, to foster. A gunner might kill them all in a day, but he has no 

 moral right to do so ( whatever the law ma}- say about open seasons) ; they 

 belong now to those who have a higher use for them. 



But what about legitimate sport? It must confine itself to legitimate 

 objects. Those species which are now verging upon extinction, or which are 

 not capable of maintaining their present numerical status without absolute 

 protection, are no longer legitimate objects. Such objects do exist, and the 

 Bobwhite is typical of these. But we have evidently reached that stage when 

 the demand for game must be artificially supplied. This can best be done 

 by the introduction of certain hardy species of demonstrated value, such as 

 the Mongolian Pheasant. This may lead to the extensive use of private pre- 

 serves under competent management. It is not fair for Farmer A. to pasture 

 grouse which Lawyer B. may shoot without expense, nor is it fair to forbid 

 Lawyer B. and his friends to shoot their own birds on their own grounds 

 whenever they like, within the dictates of humanity. 



In short, the time is upon us when those who want to shoot (and it's 

 royal fun!) must furnish their own game. With the single exception of the 

 Quail there is no self-propagating game-bird in the state, nor one that is even 

 capable of maintaining its present numbers under the very moderate protec- 

 tion now afforded. This may seem extravagant to such as are insensible to 

 the rapid changes which are taking place in our bird population, but those 

 who have studied the situation know it to be true. 



No. 193. 



WILD TURKEY. 



A. O. U. No. 310a. Meleagris gallopavo silvestris (Vieill.). 



Description.— Adult male : General plumage shining, coppery brown ; the 

 feathers of the middle regions all arcund square-ended, and narrowly tipped with 

 black; wing-quills fuscous, indistinctly barred with white; upper tail-coverts 

 tipped with" rich, dark chestnut: tail-feathers tipped with rufous-brown; feathers 

 of sides and flanks showing highest metallic reflections,— coppery, violet, green, 



