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The Province of Ontario on account of its vast area and extension northward 

 receives a large portion of the great volume of bird life which annually in the 

 spring makes its migration north for the purpose of breeding. 



This great movement takes place principally during the month of May and 

 the return journey south occurs chiefly during the latter part of September and 

 the month of October, This strange migratory habit, which is a peculiar feature 

 in bird life, is not confined to the birds of the New World, for the same habit- 

 obtains in the Old World. Why the birds on the first approach of spring should 

 be seized with an irresistible desire to travel thousands of miles, in some cases, 

 tor the purpose of raising a brood of offspring, has never been satisfactorily 

 explained. To say that it is instinct is not a sufficient answer. Many of these- 

 birds have been frequenting it may be the wilds of Brazil where their nests and 

 interests would certainly be as safe as in the north with its inclement weather,. 

 without taking into consideration the risk the parent birds incur by the long and 

 perilous journey to and fro beset by the thousands of gunners, not sportsmen, 

 who infest the route and slaughter in the spring the mated birds without scruple 

 or thought. Surely the attention of any civilised people only needs to be called 

 to the enormity of this crime to stop forever the shooting and trapping of birds 

 on their way to their nesting places. Several scores of varieties of birds proceed 

 north to raise their young each season, but of this great host of bird life we have 

 only in this report to deal with the birds known as the game birds of Ontario, or 

 those birds which make our fair Province their home for the whole or part of 

 the year. Some of our best game birds are not migratory in any sense of the 

 word, but reside in Ontario, and the same parts of the Province throughout the 

 year as long as they live, these are the quail, grouse and turkey. The ptarmigan 

 although belonging to this family and being residents of the Province, do migrate 

 from its most northern parts to more southern latitudes within its borders during 

 hard and cold seasons, when perhaps food may be scarce. 



It is not proposed in this report to notice all the game birds which may be 

 found as rare or occasional visitors in the Province, but merely those which are 

 here in more or less abundance or which visit us regularly. It is true that in 

 view of the rapidly decreasing numbers in which these birds now return to 

 Ontario to breed, and the greatly diminished numbers of the residents, the pre- 

 sent steps which are being taken with a view of making our laws more efficiently 

 protective, have not been taken a minute too soon. Already some species are 

 either extinct or nearly so, and if we are to possess these beautiful objects of 

 nature and leave them as a lovely heritage to our children, the laws must not 

 only be enforced but the proper sentfment must be aroused in the people. 



A want of knowledge of the existing laws may sometimes be the reason of 

 wanton slaughter at untimely seasons, but the making of our game birds and 



