146 THE SHOREBIRDS OR WADERS 



sarily saves many woodcock in wooded regions where 

 they occur, and even in many small swamps where there 

 are alders, willows or other trees. The snipe and some 

 of the plover formerly nested in many marshes which 

 are suitable for ducks. 



At some of the duck clubs where wooded lands adjoin 

 the marshes I found many woodcock, and on the open 

 marshes I saw many snipe, all of which had been bred 

 within the preserves. The exclusion of trespassers alone 

 is of great benefit during the nesting season, and at the 

 duck clubs the snipe often become numerous and very 

 tame. Many of the gunners prefer to shoot the larger 

 ducks and the snipe often are not shot at all. 



At one club I saw large numbers of snipe and several 

 species of plover, yellow-legs and other waders, and I 

 have never seen game birds so tame as these birds were, 

 even on the frontier in the days when the gunners shot 

 big game only. 



Those who are inclined to oppose the preserves for 

 selfish reasons do not realize that large numbers of mi- 

 gratory wading birds as well as fowl are reared on pre- 

 serves and that they must furnish good shooting for 

 some one when they migrate Southward in the autumn. 

 Were it not for the preserves and posted farms our game 

 would have vanished far more rapidly than it has, and 

 those who have studied the situation know well that all 

 game must be properly looked after and given a chance 

 to multiply or it will vanish from the earth, provided 

 field sports be not absolutely prohibited. Even the pro- 

 hibition of sport cannot save some of the most desirable 

 species. There will be, always, some illegal shooting, and 

 the cats alone, in farming regions, upset nature's balance. 



