26 GAME BIRDS. WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



extend throughout the great west and northwest, a rapid 

 extermination of game commenced, such as was never known 

 before in the world's history. The railroads carried settlers 

 into the wilderness, and opened to them the markets of the 

 east. 



Before the advent of the railroads, game had been plenti- 

 ful and cheap in the markets of the western cities. Audubon 

 says in his journal that in 1843 at St. Louis the markets 

 abounded with the good things of the land: Grouse could be 

 had two for a York shilling; Turkeys, wild or tame, twenty- 

 five cents each; Ducks, three for a shilling; Wild Geese, ten 

 cents each; and Canvas-backs, a shilling a pair. When the 

 railroads reached the country tributary to St. Louis, and thus 

 connected it with eastern markets, building up also great 

 markets in the central west, the prices of game gradually 

 rose, while the game rapidly decreased. The fame of America 

 as a game country was noised far and wide. Hunters and 

 sportsmen came from every land; sportsmen, market hunters, 

 big game hunters and skin hunters crowded into the new 

 country. The improvement in firearms kept pace with the 

 increased transportation facilities. The breech-loader gave 

 the hunter an added advantage. Then followed the practical 

 extermination of the American bison, the deer, elk, antelope, 

 mountain sheep, mountain goat. Wild Turkey and Prairie 

 Chicken over wide areas. Then first began the marked 

 decrease in the numbers of game birds, shore birds and wild- 

 fowl throughout most of the United States and British 

 America, that has since become historic, and has had a 

 marked effect on the migratory species that once inhabited 

 or passed through Massachusetts and the other New Eng- 

 land States in immense multitudes. Every chronicler, be he 

 hunter, sportsman or naturalist, situated anywhere east of the 

 Mississippi, records this decrease. The settler, the farmer, 

 the sportsman and the market hunter eventiuilly exterminated 

 or drove out nearly all the breeding wild-fowl from the United 

 States; and then the settlement of the country, the occupa- 

 tion of the birds' breeding grounds for agricultural purposes, 

 and incessant gunning at all seasons, began to make itself 



