570 GAME BIRDS. WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



lack of bird life. One may ride day after day through Massa- 

 chusetts, by train or car, and rarely, if ever, see a wild Duck 

 in inland waters. 



This decrease of water-fowl is so unnecessary and so 

 readily may be remedied that it seems anomalous that an 

 intelligent civilized people should have allowed such a condi- 

 tion to continue so long. 



When we have stopped spring shooting, night shooting and 

 the pursuit of wild-fowl in boats, decoy Ducks and suitable 

 food will bring back the birds to our inland waters. These 

 two essentials are almost equally important. Wherever water- 

 fowl are kept in a pond, wild-fowl will come in, provided they 

 are not too much disturbed. As hereinbefore stated. Grebes 

 never should be disturbed or shot, as they are worthless as 

 food and make excellent call birds. A flock of domesticated 

 Ducks of many colors is not usually effective in attracting 

 the shyer wild-fowl; but full-blooded wild Mallards or their 

 descendants are excellent. Pinioned Black Ducks, gray call 

 Ducks, a cross between the Mallard and Black Duck or any 

 native wild Ducks or Geese make good call birds. It is essen- 

 tial to have a rather large flock of call birds to ensure success 

 in attracting wild ones. With such a flock many wild Ducks 

 or Geese may be lured to almost an^' country place where 

 there is water, or even into a village. 



In the spring of 1908 Mr. J. T. Miner of Kingsville, Ont., 

 had thirteen tamed Canada Geese at a pond near the build- 

 ings at his home. Eleven wild birds came in and joined them. 

 Although five of these were shot, the other six remained and 

 became so fearless as to follow the tame Geese into a shed. 

 On May 15 they flew very high in the air and left for the 

 north. In March, 1909, thirty -two came, and only ten of 

 these are known to have been shot, but two disappeared later, 

 and on May 1 the flock left for the north. In March, 1910, 

 eighteen came back, and two weeks thereafter there were 

 about three hundred; thirty-six of these were shot. About 

 April 16 between fifty and sixty left, and the next day the 

 photograph represented in the accompanying illustration was 

 taken. I am indebted to Mr. P. A. Taverner of the Geological 



