34 WHERE ROLLS THE OREGON 



birds — for those that have gone forever from the 

 earth. The State of Massachusetts has a game 

 warden on the Island of Martha's Vineyard, who, 

 as I am writing, is policing the haunt of the few 

 wild heath hens there, the last survivors of a 

 noble family of grouse that, hardly a hundred 

 years ago, was found locally throughout southern 

 New England and the Middle States. Have the 

 laws and the light come too late for the heath 

 hen? 



Perhaps with this remnant we can yet save 

 the race. In 1890 it was estimated that there 

 were from 1 20 to 200 birds on the island. A few 

 years later (1907), they had been so nearly ex- 

 terminated, that only 21 were found to have 

 escaped. To-day (1913) some three or four hun- 

 dred are reported from the island. If the light 

 and laws have not come too late, the heath hen, 

 from this mere handful, may be increased until 

 they have scattered themselves once more over 

 their former haunts. 



But what can we ever do for the raven ? And 

 for the birds of prey? And for such solitary 

 creatures as the great California condor, now on 

 the verge of extinction ? 



