350 
The Province of Ontario on account of its vast area and extension northward 
receives a large portion of the great volume of bird life which annually in the 
spring makes its migration north for the purpose of breeding. 
This great movement takes place principally during the month of May and 
the return journey south occurs chiefly during the latter part of September and 
the month of October. This strange migratory habit, which is a peculiar feature 
in bird life, is not confined to the birds of the New World, for the same habit. 
obtains in the Old World. Why the birds on the first approach of spring should. 
be seized with an irresistible desire to travel thousands of miles, in some eases, 
tor the purpose of raising a brood of offspring, has never been satisfactorily 
explained. To say that it is instinct is not a sufficient answer. Many of these 
birds have been frequenting it may be the wilds of Brazil where their nests and 
interests would certainly be as safe as in the north with its inclement weather, 
without taking into consideration the risk the parent birds incur by the long and. 
perilous journey to and fro beset by the thousands of gunners, not sportsmen, 
who infest the route and slaughter in the spring the mated birds without scruple: 
or thought. Surely the attention of any civilised people only needs to be called 
to the enormity of this crime to stop forever the shooting and trapping of birds. 
on their way to their nesting places. Several scores of varieties of birds proceed. 
north to raise their young each season, but of this great host of bird life we have 
only in this report to deal with the birds known as the game birds of Ontario, or 
those birds which make our fair Province their home for the whole or part of 
the year. Some of our best game birds are not migratory in any sense of the 
word, but reside in Ontario, and the same parts of the Province throughout the 
year as long as they live, these are the quail, grouse and turkey. The ptarmigan 
although belonging to this family and being residents of the Province, do migrate 
from its most northern parts to more southern latitudes within its borders during 
hard and cold seasons, when perhaps food may be scarce. 
It is not proposed in this report to notice all the game birds which may be 
found as rare or occasional visitors in the Province, but merely those which are 
here in more or less abundance or which visit us regularly. It is true that in 
view of the rapidly decreasing numbers in which these birds now return to 
Ontario to breed, and the greatly diminished numbers of the residents, the pre- 
sent steps which are being taken with a view of making our laws more efficiently 
protective, have not been taken a minute too soon: Already some species are 
either extinct or nearly so, and if we are to possess these beautiful objects of 
nature and leave them asa lovely heritage to our children, the laws must not 
only be enforced but the proper sentiment must be aroused in the people. 
A want of knowledge of the existing laws may sometimes be the reason of 
wanton slaughter at untimely seasons, but the making of our game birds and 
