CONSERVATION OF GAME BIRDS. 527 



There are gunners along the New England coast who de- 

 plore spring shooting, but who believe that they should be 

 allowed to shoot during the months of January and February, 

 which, they argue rightly, are not spring months; but wide 

 experience has shown that our wild-fowl cannot be adequately 

 conserved and increased in numbers unless they are protected 

 from all shooting except during the fall migration. Prof. W. W. 

 Cooke of the Biological Survey, who will be conceded by all 

 who are conversant with the facts to be the foremost specialist 

 on bird migration in the United States, says that the fall 

 migration of wild-fowl ceases about December 1. If the 

 autumn has been mild, and is followed by extreme cold, there 

 may be later movements that are caused by the freezing over 

 of the fresh waters, which drives most Black Ducks, Pond 

 Sheldrakes, Whistlers, Broad-bills and other species farther 

 south or to the salt water. Usually such frosts occur in De- 

 cember, and if the shooting season is prolonged until January 

 1, the shore gunner has an opportunity to hunt all these birds. 

 The season should be closed then in order to protect during 

 the inclement season all the Ducks which remain in our waters. 

 It should be closed on all wild-fowl at that time, for the reason 

 that if any exception is made all species of wild-fowl will be 

 shot. 



The killing of wild-fowl during January and February 

 should be prohibited absolutely on any coast where the fresh 

 waters become ice-bound during these months. Ordinarily in 

 New England most of the fresh ponds freeze in December, 

 and the pond and river Ducks are then driven to the salt 

 water. Because of the inferior nature of the food that they 

 find there their flesh soon loses its fine flavor, and they become 

 more or less "sedgy" or "fishy" to the taste. In hard winters, 

 when the flats are covered with ice, these Ducks are half 

 starved. They soon become very thin and have little food 

 value. In such winters Ducks of several species have been 

 picked up dead from starvation and cold. They have enough 

 to contend with at that season of the year, and no hunter 

 should be allowed to disturb them or take advantage of their 

 necessities. 



