SECOND ANNUAL REPORT. 81 
autumn’s hunting season, three thousand hunters entered the 
Maine forests in quest of deer, moose and caribou. Not taking 
into account what they killed and ate while in camp, they 
brought out 2,640 deer, 102 moose, and 55 caribou ; and concern- 
ing the ability of those three species to survive the attacks of the 
army of riflemen that annually sweeps through the forests of 
Maine, Mr. Caton, State Game Warden of Maine, has expressed 
the opinion that it is only a question of a very short time when 
the moose and caribou will all have disappeared from the hunting 
grounds of Maine. It has been estimated that during the past 
season 7,500 deer were killed in that state. 
Of the series of one hundred and ninety reports now before 
us, about 80 per cent. declare a decrease in bird life, and state the 
causes therefor. ‘The list of destructive agencies now operating 
against our birds is a long one, and it is interesting to note the 
number of observers who complain of each. ‘The figures given 
below show the number of observers who have reported each of 
these various causes in answer to the third question in the list. 
CAUSES OF DECREASE IN BIRD LIFE. 
1. Sportsmen, and ‘‘so-called sportsmen,’’ . . . , 54 reports 
eee DOM SEW HOISHOOUs ys aes te ase Wea OR Aas Seok 
a) |} Market-huntersiand?**pot-hunters;”? .. . «4... .j2226 
4, Plume hunters, and milliners’ hunters,. .. ..32 “ 
Ds WuOOtets swenerally, in. sine t ates AS nes 
6. Egg-collecting, chiefly by small fae Sheree nora ctu os 
(Pe EONS SMALEOWs | hse-aie os akin teste a0 qt an LON De “oe 
8. Clearing off timber, Sy ae of towns and 
Giles wh ss. < ere a ea 
9. Italians, and ne "wile Gonene song Sede Bee he 
10. Cheap firearms, 
11. Drainage of marshes, 
12. Non-enforcement of laws, 
15. Gun clubs and hunting contests, 
14. Trapping birds for sale alive, 
15. Prospectors, miners and range-riders, . 
16. Collectors (ornithologists and taxidermists), 
17. Colored population, 
18. Indians (for decrease of game sauadeapeds). 
H H Ot dO BD Ot Or Ot Ct 
