JOURNAL OF MAINK OKN ITHOLOGICAI. SOCIETY. 9 



city and large village schools, many of the schools in our rural dis- 

 tricts, where most of the birds breed, have hardly heard of such a 

 work. This fact, I think, is more noticeable in the districts along 

 our coast than in the country. Many of the people on the coast 

 would resent the killing of our orchard and woodland birds, while 

 those of the shore and coast they consider legitimate game. If in 

 some direct way we could secure the sympathy of such districts, we 

 should not need a warden for every bird. 



Thanking the members of the society for the honor they have 

 conferred upon me during the past two years, and pledging the 

 loyalty I have always felt, I surrender my position to another care. 



Are tKe Choicer Varieties of Ducks Increasing in Maine Waters, 

 and if so, WKy ? 



By Frank T. Nobi.k, Augusta, Me. 



For many years the writer has taken more than an ordinary 

 interest in the water fowl of New England, both as an ornithologist 

 and a sportsman, particularly those Anatidae whose delicacy of flesh 

 and fine flavor cause them to rank high in the list of desirable game 

 birds. 



Various traditions and unauthentic stories, handed down from 

 generation to generation, would have us understand that big bags 

 of these choice birds were, years ago, of common occurrence ; 

 indeed, that in those days they were almost as numerous as the 

 sands upon the seashore. As for myself I am decidedly skeptical 

 that such conditions ever existed hereabouts, and certainly during 

 recent years such species as the Mallard {anas boschas) , Widgeon 

 {a. Americana), Gadwall (a. streperus) , Pintail {dafila acuta) and 

 Redhead {aythya Americana) have been taken by the average 

 gunner only at rare intervals. 



Probably the most attractive feeding ground for the river 

 Ducks in our State is Merrymeeting Bay, a shallow body of water 



