THE WILD TURKEY. Vey 
But the situation has entirely changed. The country is no longer a wil- 
derness, nor its citizens dependent on the conquests of the chase for sustenance. 
With the decline of the culinary claim a new value has been discovered for 
the wild things, especially for the birds, viz., the esthetic value. ‘The birds 
no longer belong to those who seek food; they no longer belong to those who 
seek life for the sake of taking it in artistic ways; they belong rather to the 
four millions of people in this state who are awaking to a sense of the varied 
charm of the living bird. We should no longer regard the Wood Ducks, for 
example, as creatures to be killed (pitiful remnant that there is left!) but as 
beautiful objects of a fascinated interest,—birds to study, to understand, to 
appreciate, to foster. A gunner might kill them all in a day, but he has no 
moral right to do so (whatever the law may say about open seasons) ; they 
belong now to those who have a higher use for them. 
But what about legitimate sport? It must confine itself to legitimate 
objects. Those species which are now verging upon extinction, or which are 
not capable of maintaining their present numerical status without absolute 
protection, are no longer legitimate objects. Such objects do exist, and the 
Bobwhite is typical of these. But we have evidently reached that stage when 
the demand for game must be artificially supplied. This can best be done 
by the introduction of certain hardy species of demonstrated value, such as 
the Mongolian Pheasant. This may lead to the extensive use of private pre- 
serves under competent management. It 1s not fair for Farmer A. to pasture 
grouse which Lawyer B. may shoot without expense, nor is it fair to forbid 
Lawyer B. and his friends to shoot their own birds on their own grounds 
whenever they like, within the dictates of humanity. 
In short, the time is upon us when those who want to shoot (and it’s 
royal fun!) must furnish their own game. With the single exception of the 
Quail there is no self-propagating game-bird in the state, nor one that is even 
capable of maintaining its present numbers under the very moderate protec- 
tion now afforded. ‘This may seem extravagant to such as are insensible to 
the rapid changes which are taking place in our bird population, but those 
who have studied the situation know it to be true. 
No. 193. 
WACO EU RK EY. 
A. O. U. No. 310a. Meleagris gallopavo silvestris (Vieill.). 
Description.—Adult male: General plumage shining, coppery brown; the 
feathers of the middle regions all around square-ended, and narrowly tipped with 
black; wing-quills fuscous, indistinctly barred with white; upper tail-coverts 
tipped with rich, dark chestnut ; tail-feathers tipped with rufous-brown ; feathers 
of sides and flanks showing highest metallic reflections,—coppery, violet, green, 
