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NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
SLAUGHTER OF ALI, EDIBLE Brrps.—In the absence of deer, 
elk, bear and other large mammals, the well-nigh universal de- 
sire to range afield and ‘‘ kill something,’’ expends itself upon 
the so-called ‘‘ game’’ birds. Thousands of usually conscientious 
sportsmen and farmers find an excuse for killing the last grouse, 
duck or snipe in their locality in the fact that the bird isa “‘game 
bird,’’ z. e., fit for food, and therefore deserving of death before 
the gun. And when finally the work of extermination in a given 
locality is complete, and the most earnest search of thicket and 
pond fails to put up a single bird larger than a sparrow, how in- 
finitely touching is the complaint, uttered with an air of injured 
innocence and surprise: ‘‘ The birds are all gone! I wonder 
why there are no more! Zhe winter must have killed them !”’ 
All those who are opposed to bird annihilation are invited to 
note the fact that the list of North American birds universally 
classified by gunners and others under the general head of ‘‘ game 
birds,’’ is not only very large, but is constantly being increased. 
To-day it stands about as follows, for the United States alone : 
Gallinaceous birds—pheasants, grouse, part- 
ridges, quail, ete; ).. uv. <4)... 2 2S eabeutwo species 
Pigeons anddoves,. .. . Sab athe ra ae 
Shore birds—snipes, Senos CHES etey Ce es 
Anseres—ducks, geese, Swans, . . . : 2.7: Oe A ae 
IS eee hee yan 3 eal ed WiGk “iene Sea a eure 
Cranes, herons, SS ibises and other large 
birds always shot on sight, for their plum- 
age GOL LOl Other neaSOMSs 1) - yy sire tem pean 0) ah 
jt” f° 
This summary does not include ¢he song birds now being killed 
for food, which will be noticed separately. Aside from the kinds 
included in the above families of game birds, what else HENS we 
in the United States ? 
We have the gulls, terns, and other ocean-going swimmers ; 
the birds of prey, the perching birds and the woodpeckers. Con- 
sidering their size, their importance and their origimal abun- 
dance, the so-called game birds once represented nearly one-third 
of the total of bird life inhabiting the United States. 
