224 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



have contended that the accession in the numbers of wild fowl 

 wintering here was due not to the protection of the law, but 

 to the mild winters. The winter of 1911-12, though mild 

 in its earl J part, was very severe after January 1, when the 

 close season begins. Notwithstanding the severity of the 

 winter, it was evident that the number of birds wintering 

 •with us had increased. 



Mr. Cbauncy C. Nash of Boston stated on Feb. 17, 1912, 

 that he had found by experience that since the law went into 

 effect many more ducks remain with us than formerly, and 

 that also in the spring they are seen in much larger numbers. 

 His observations have been made on the north and south 

 shores and on Cape Cod. During the past winter at South 

 Yarmouth he says there were 3,000 brant and many ducks in 

 spite of the severe weather. The natives there state that 

 there have been more seen there this season than for many 

 years, and during the extremely cold weather many birds, 

 especially the brant, were seen feeding at times in the open 

 spaces of the Bass River near the town. This tameness was 

 observed at many places in the State. Mr. Allan Keniston 

 states that sheldrakes, whistlers and bluebills were feeding 

 around the docks in the harbor of Edgartown, and Dr. George 

 W. Field, chairman of the Fish and Game Commission, was 

 able to take many photographs of wild fowl from the shore 

 and from the docks. When the ice broke up considerable 

 numbers of sheldrakes and other waterfowl came into Boston 

 harbor and up the Charles River. 



Wild Fowl starving in xnB ITaed Wintee of 1911-12. 

 In February, 1912, after a long spell of very cold weather, 

 articles appeared in the newspapers to the effect that largo 

 numbers of wild fowl along the Massachusetts coast were 

 dying from cold and starvation. This was said to be par- 

 ticularly the case around Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard, 

 where the shoals were covered with ice and where the ducks 

 could find very little food. The Fish and Game Commis- 

 sioners investigated these stories and found that many birds 

 were in a starving condition and apparently a few had died. 



