90 



Isaac E. Hess presented the following paper: 



THE PASSING OF OUR GAME BIRDS. 



What has the future in store for the game birds of the Miss- 

 issippi valley? Aly paper will refer in particular to the resi- 

 dent game birds : the prairie chicken, ruffed grouse, bobwhite 

 and woodcock. 



Of the migrators, including such species as Wilson's snipe, 

 golden plover, yellow-legs, and the several ducks and geese, 

 there is no immediate danger of extermination.. Just so long 

 as these birds extend their summer range beyond the bounds of 

 man, the long black lines and curves and angles of migrating 

 birds will continue to be seen traveling northward in the spring 

 and returning each autumn. 



When civilization has followed them until farther northward 

 is denied, then will their numbers fade away like those of the 

 beautiful wood duck; and like the passenger pigeon they will 

 gradually disappear. 



Time was, and not in the distant past, when prairie chickens 

 and quail were more common in the fields of the prairie states 

 than domestic fowl about the l)arnyards. Several times within 

 recent years, bobwhites have so rapidly increased as to excite 

 comment from even non-observers, only to be swept away in 

 such an avalanche of destruction, that the following season they 

 are rarely met with. .And nature is his great destroyer, not 

 man. 



The winter of 1902-1903 was a fair illustration of how 

 nature performs her work of equalization. In the fall of 1902 

 bobwhites were more numerous, with one possible exception, 

 than any other bird of central Illinois. A walk through any 

 stubble or meadow would send at least one (lock scurrying to 

 shelter, and a ride along country roads would reveal covey after 

 covey runing along the hedge rows ; while dozens would be 



