THE SHOREBIRDS OR WADERS 151 



ground would be overrun with stray dogs and cats, to 

 say nothing about trespassers. The place would be un- 

 tenable for nesting birds, and if any stopped to feed in 

 the autumn they would be shot to the point of extinction. 

 At the present rate of increase the birds on the preserve 

 soon should be as abundant as they were a little to the 

 northward, where Forester made the big bags I have 

 mentioned. Sportsmen should remember that in all 

 probability there would be no woodcock on the ground 

 for anyone in the absence of practical protection (for this 

 reason no one is damaged), and a good number of the 

 birds reared will migrate and afford sport on free terri- 

 tory. As the Game Commissioner of Colorado well said, 

 writing about the benefits of the preserve system which 

 is encouraged by sensible laws in Colorado, many guns 

 shoot on the preserve which otherwise would shoot on 

 the public range, and this is beneficial to the public game. 

 The markets also are filled with game without loss to the 

 game which is not properly looked after. 



On some of the Western duck preserves I found the 

 woodcock, snipe and other waders breeding abundantly 

 because of the protection given to other game. A wood- 

 cock, flying across the track, was killed by a train in 

 front of the club house of the Redden Quail Club, in Dela- 

 ware, while I was sitting on the porch. At the duck clubs 

 I noted that the woodcock, snipe, yellow-legs and other 

 waders seldom were shot, since the owners of the pre- 

 serves are duck shooters. 



On a nut plantation in Connecticut both quail and 

 woodcock breed every year because trespassers are kept 

 out, and the vermin is partially controlled by the nut 

 grower, who formerly was an ardent sportsman. 



