Vol. XXII 

 1905 



Forbush, Decrease of Birds in Netv England. 2J 



paratively few of those Warblers which breed in northern New 

 England and northward were observed here in the migrations, 

 and there was evidently an unusual local scarcity of such breeding 

 birds as Chestnut-sided Warblers, Redstarts, and some Vireos. 

 Still there seems to be no reason why most of these birds cannot 

 speedily recover their usual numbers. The Purple Martin, how- 

 ever, has little foothold now in Massachusetts and a large part 

 of southern New England. Everywhere empty Martin boxes are 

 taken by the English Sparrows and the Martins, which have been 

 decreasing for years, may never again be able to regain their 

 former status here. The June storms of 1903 will long be 

 marked and remembered by the passing of these beautiful, useful 

 and familiar birds. 



Turning now to the inquiry of 1904, our attention is at once 

 arrested by the apparent marked and alarming decrease of game 

 birds, and particularly that of certain wild fowl and shore birds. 



Loons and Grebes seem to be decreasing rapidly on the inland 

 waters of eastern Massachusetts. The Loon, which twenty or 

 thirty years ago bred in the more remote northern ponds of the 

 State, seems to have disappeared as a breeder. Along the coast 

 both Loons and Grebes are still very common in migrations. 

 The Surf Ducks, Eider Ducks and Shelldrakes apparently hold 

 their own very well, but the pond and river ducks have fallen off 

 tremendously within fifty or sixty years. The Ruddy Duck, for- 

 merly a common migrant, is now fast growing rare, and the Scaup 

 Ducks seem to be slowly disappearing. Black Ducks appear now 

 to be the most numerous ducks in the interior. Green-Winged 

 Teal are very rare, and Blue-wings are not common and are seen 

 only occasionally in small flocks. The Wood Duck seems gen- 

 erally verging towards extinction. Ten observers who speak par- 

 ticularly of this bird report as follows : — Extinct, 2 ; nearly 

 extinct, 5 ; decreasing, 2 ; decreasing until last two years, 1. 



The falling off among the shore birds seems to have been most 

 remarkable. It is variously estimated as generally from fifty to 

 seventy-five per cent within fifty or sixty years, while certain 

 species are estimated to have decreased ninety-five per cent 

 within ten or twenty years. 



It is apparent that more protection is needed to save from 



