Monthly Bulletin 7 



A flock of robins passed over a day or two ago, and soon I shall miss 

 the binoculars more than ever. But they are to bear a silver strap for every 

 battle in which they have been while watching the birds of prey. 



Sincerely yours, 



Mary Chase Witherbee. 



A SHOREBIRD REFUGE 



The Fish and Game Commission of the State of Massachusetts is en- 

 trusted with the sane conservation of the wild birdlife of our State, and is 

 doing more to this end than is generally understood. Reservations estab- 

 lished by it under Chapter 410, Acts of 1911, are numerous throughout the 

 State. On these reservations hunting is at all times illegal, and the State 

 wardens are entrusted with the enforcement of the law thereon. But the Fish 

 and Game Commission works in other ways for the preservation of wild life 

 where it is unduly threatened. A recent letter of theirs to the Board of 

 Selectmen of the town of Ipswich well illustrates not only to what straits the 

 small game of the country have been reduced in favorable localities by un- 

 favorable conditions, but also the fact that the Commission is cognizant of 

 these conditions and endeavors to remedy them in ways that are fair at once 

 to the game and to the hunters. It is as follows: 



Jan. 4, 1919. 

 Board of Selectmen, 



Ipswich, Mass. 

 Gentlemen : 



During the past few years our Board has pursued the policy of estab- 

 lishing reservations or bird sanctuaries on limited areas throughout the Com- 

 monwealth. In some places we have acted under Chapter 410, Acts of 1911, 

 which enables us upon the petition of landowners to establish reservations. 

 We enclose herewith a copy of this Act for your consideration. 



In other places we have been able to bring about as effective a condition 

 by inducing authorities who have control over land to take such action as 

 will be equivalent to establishing reservations. 



We wish to lay before you for your consideration the following propo- 

 sition : 



We understand that the Poor Farm of Ipswich lies under your jurisdic- 

 tion. We refer to the property having on it the red brick house, and located 

 along the Rowley River, and bounded on one side to a certain extent by the 

 railroad tracks of the Boston & Maine Railroad. In that portion of the farm 

 running parallel with the above mentioned railroad tracks is a slough hole 

 which to many shore bird gunners has become known as the Poor Farm 

 Slough. It has always been a great place for a large number of yellow legs 



