THE SHOREBIRDS OR WADERS 149 



birds the second morning, before noon, when the powder 

 and caps gave out. 



Although it is a bird of moderate fecundity (the eggs 

 are seldom more than four), I believe it is possible to 

 make the woodcock as abundant as they ever were and 

 that this will be done in some localities within a very few 

 years. The prohibition of summer shooting undoubtedly 

 has produced good results, since it has checked the rapid 

 disappearance of the cock, but the shooting of an ever 

 increasing army of guns undoubtedly will prevent any 

 rapid increase of the game if it does not cause a steady 

 reduction in its numbers, and in places where the wet 

 woods are drained the birds, of course, must vanish. It 

 is well known, as I have observed, that where any species 

 of game becomes scarce its natural enemies become com- 

 paratively superabundant, and the result of such condi- 

 tions are disastrous even in the absence of any shooting. 

 As the country becomes settled the domestic enemies of 

 the woodcock dogs, cats and rats are added checks to 

 its increase, and nature's balance is upset in the wrong 

 direction. Dr. Fisher, in the bulletin cited, says it is 

 probable that the cat, red squirrel, sharp shinned hawk 

 and mink are among the most important natural enemies 

 of the woodcock. To this list should be added some of 

 the other hawks, the crow, weasel, skunk, raccoon, jay, 

 snakes and owls. Dogs also, running at large, sadly in- 

 terfere with the nesting woodcock and destroy many 

 young birds, and rats are regarded by all gamekeepers 

 as among the worst pests. 



I am told, repeatedly, that the natural enemies of 

 woodcock and other game were abundant when the game 

 was most plentiful. This is quite true, but it does not 



