30 Mackay on the Knot. \j™. 



Atlantic seaboard (Virginia) in the spring on their way north 

 to their breeding grounds, one such place shipping to New York 

 City in a single spring, from April i to June 3, upwards of six 

 thousand Plover, a large share of which were Knots. This 

 was about thirty years ago, but it nevertheless serves to illustrate 

 what kind of treatment these birds received in those days, as well 

 as since, and bears out the current belief of today that the Knots 

 in a great measure have been killed off. In more recent times 

 we find every locality along the shore, where shooting can be 

 obtained, accessible at short notice to sportsmen, who are ever 

 ready to avail themselves of weather conditions likely to land 

 birds; and should any arrive, they are immediate]} 7 pursued, and 

 those not killed are driven away. Therefore as passing flocks 

 receive no answer to their call of inquiry, and as those birds 

 which have been over the same route a number of times before 

 (having become leaders of migratory flocks) have learned what 

 invariably awaits them in certain localities, the remnants of the 

 once large numbers pass on, carrying their companions with 

 them, being unwilling to risk the death or persecution that awaits 

 them at all times ; for there is never any cessation. 



It is not my intention to convey the impression that the Knots 

 are nearly exterminated, but they are much reduced in numbers, 

 and are in great danger of extinction, and comparatively few can 

 now be seen in Massachusetts, where formerly there were twenty 

 to twenty-five thousand a year, which I consider a reasonable 

 estimate of its former abundance. Mr. S. Hall Barrett informs 

 me that he has not shot a single old red-breasted bird for the past 

 five years on Cape Cod, although he has been on the ground that 

 they would frequent during the proper season for them to pass, 

 but he has seen about one hundred young, gray-and-white birds a 

 year. His place of observation was Billingsgate Light House, 

 one of the best places for such birds on Cape Cod. In old times 

 he has seen as many as twenty- five thousand birds (estimated) in 

 one year. On the other hand, Mr. C. L. Leonard of Marshfield 

 Hills, Mass., informs me that on Cape Cod, generally near Barn- 

 stable, he sees annually about one hundred adult birds with full 

 redbreasts (and takes more or less of them), and about one 

 thousand young gray and white birds, from their first arrival 

 until October. This gentleman also informs me that he does 

 not believe after his past fifteen years' experience that these birds 



