242 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BIRD WORLD 



All the members of the Grouse Family have been steadily 

 diminishing, and it is absolutely certain the brakes will not 

 be put on until it is too late to bring back the vanished millions. 

 The selfish and foolish gunners of thi^ country are determined 

 to exterminate the grouse, quail and wild turkey, before they 

 lay aside their guns; and numerically they are strong enough 

 to have their way. Twenty years hence all those who wish 

 to study these birds will be able to do so only in museums and 

 books. 



The herons, egrets, cranes and rails all have steadily gone 

 on decreasing until only remnants are left. 



Causes of Decrease in Bird Life 



The temptation to offer a full statement of the causes 

 and means of prevention of bird-slaughter is very great; 

 but those subjects must be left to other pages. There is, 

 however, much food for thought in the following summary 

 of causes of destruction, as reported by the one hundred and 

 forty -four observers who entered into the investigation made 

 by the author in 1898. They are listed very nearly in the 

 order of their importance according to the reports, and they 

 refer to conditions as they existed in 1898: 



1. Sportsmen, and "so-called sportsmen" 54 



2. Boys who shoot 42 



3. Market-hunters and "pot-hunters" 26 



4. Plume-hunters, and milliners' hunters 32 



5. "Shooters, generally" 21 



6. Egg-collecting, chiefly by small boys 20 



7. English sparrow : 18 



8. Clearing off timber, development of towns and cities 31 



