METHODS OF BIRD STUDY 



53 



It should be repeated that the above list is suggested for 

 central New England, and that it should be freely modified to 

 fit the species and problems of other sections. 



One of the most interesting civic problems in this field re- 

 lates to conservation of American game birds. To accomplish 

 this we need three things : (1) national control of migratory 

 species ; (2) universal property right in all game reared by 

 individuals; (8) study of methods of breeding and rearing 

 under control all kinds of American game birds. 



The third factor will speedily follow from legal authoriza- 

 tion of game breeding, (2), which is being accorded by re- 

 cent state laws. Follow legislation in your own state and 

 work for this at every opportunity. As long as the State, 

 claims ownership in all game, people cannot afford to raise it, 

 and often the lawless trespassing and annoyance of hunters 

 on private land make the owners wish that the game were 

 exterminated. As soon as we can secure the proper freedom 

 from laws which work against conservation, breeding of game 

 birds will become one of the most profitable of occupations. 



Thousands of nests of wild ducks, geese, bobwhites, wild 

 turkeys, ruffed grouse, and prairie chickens, are yearly broken 

 up by various farming or logging operations. The eggs at any 

 stage of incubation may be saved by carrying in the hat, as 

 shown in Fig. 25. If all these eggs could be saved, they would 

 speedily yield birds enough to restock portions of the country 

 from which the species have been exterminated. 



