8 



that they can maintain a good stock of these birds by com- 

 bining, and leasing the shooting rights. Their lands are not 

 much wooded, and are more easily guarded against poachers 

 and trespassers than the wooded lands in some other parts 

 of the State. This may account, in a measure, for their 

 success. 



The principal difficulty in finding lessees for shooting rights 

 lies in the scarcity of the game, but this drawback can be 

 remedied. Wherever the game is protected against excessive 

 shooting, and where such natural enemies of the game as 

 lynxes, cats, foxes, raccoons, minks, weasels, rats, crows and 

 bird hawks are held in check by the gamekeeper, the game 

 soon becomes abundant. In some cases it increases so fast 

 that considerable shooting becomes necessary to prevent ex- 

 cessive increase and the consequent spread of infectious dis- 

 eases, which are very fatal on an overcrowded game preserve. 

 In this latitude the bob-white is sometimes nearly extermi- 

 nated by severe winters; but much of this excessive mortality 

 might be avoided by giving the birds a little care, protection 

 and food in winter. The woodcock needs only suitable cover 

 and protection. The ruffed grouse or partridge is hardy, 

 and may be made numerous on any preserve which contains 

 good cover and an abundant supply of food. The wooded 

 hillsides of Massachusetts, interspersed with swampy hollows, 

 are the natural paradise for this king of game birds; and 

 there is much rocky and swampy land that is of little value 

 for anything but the production of timber and game. The 

 pinnated grouse or heath hen ought to thrive under protec- 

 tion on much of the sparsely wooded land in southea.-'tern 

 Massachusetts. The increase in the numbers of these birds 

 on Martha's Vineyard since the year 1918 gives hope that 

 they may recover their lost ground. Snipe and certain shore 

 birds gather on any suitable marshes where they are not 

 continually molested, while ducks may be attracted to ponds, 

 streams or fens by a few call or decoy ducks, or by wild rice 

 or a supply of grain for food. 



The principal objection urged by the opponents of' the 

 system of leasing shooting rights and the establishment of 

 game preserves is that the policy is un-American, and that it 



