SAVIXG THE DUCKS AND GEESE 



363 



breeding ducks and geese. The map (see 

 page 362) shows the aj^proximate out- 

 lines of this area. 



It is noticeable at once that much of 

 the lower half of this vast region, for- 

 merly held in undisturbed possession bv 

 wildft)wl, is now an almost continuous 

 farm and garden, and the millions of 

 waterfowl have been replaced by several 

 millions of human beings. 



WHKRE THIC ducks' PARADISE IS POUND 



The prairie districts of central Canada, 

 comprising large portions of Manitoba. 

 Saskatchewan. Alberta, and ^Mackenzie, 

 have been and still are the "ducks' para- 

 dise." Almost equally attractive to them 

 are the northern part of North Dakota 

 and much of northwestern ^linnesota. 

 the whole forming a tract 200 miles wide 

 and 400 miles long, abounding in lakes, 

 ponds, sloughs, and marshes, which fur- 

 nish ideal nesting conditions and a plenti- 

 ful supply of food : and 50 years ago 

 every available nook was preempted by 

 waterfowl. 



But the "paradise," too, has been dis- 

 turbed. The Northern Pacific and other 

 railroads cut across its southern border 

 in Minnesota and North Dakota, a north 

 and south line was run to Winnipeg, and 

 other shorter branches were built. 



A still more severe blow was dealt the 

 waterfowl when the Canadian Pacific 

 Railroad crossed, between \\'innipeg and 

 the Rocky Mountains, the finest duck- 

 breeding grounds on the continent. Dur- 

 ing the decade just ended their last 

 stronghold has been invaded by the new 

 Grand Trunk F^acific Railroad, and soon 

 the great colonies of northern Alberta 

 and northern Saskatchewan will be things 

 of the past. 



It is evident, therefore, that in a few 

 years neither the L'nited States nor south- 

 ern Canada will have any large breeding 

 places of those species of ducks which 

 are most highly valued for sport and for 

 the table. 



The map on page 362 shows the exist- 

 ing status of the breeding grounds which 

 have been enumerated. All the lightest 

 shaded area within the United States has 

 now been brought so thoroughly under 



cultivation that it can never amount to 

 nnich as a nursery for young ducks. 



The next heavier shading includes 

 nuich of Minnesota and North Dakota, 

 where there are still a great many lakes 

 and marshes too large ever to be drained. 

 Though the number of ducks through- 

 out this area has been greatly diminished, 

 yet in the aggregate a good many broods 

 are reared each year. 



The most heavily shaded part in the 

 northern United States and southern 

 Canada represents what is left of the 

 "ducks' paradise," and nesting ducks are 

 still present in large numbers over the 

 whole area. 



THE FUTURE IS liV Xo MEANS HOPELESS 



Owing to two facts, the future of the 

 ducks and geese of North America is 

 not so gloomy as some are inclined to 

 think. First, there is a rapidly awaken- 

 ing interest in the preservation of game 

 of all kinds, and, second, there is an over- 

 looked area in North America of con- 

 siderable size, which is well adapted for 

 the breeding grounds of ducks and geese, 

 and is so far north and has .so severe a 

 climate that it never will be used to any 

 great extent for farming. Indeed, the 

 places best adapted to the waterfowl — 

 the great marshes — are too wet and cold 

 even in mid-summer ever to be available 

 for agriculture. 



The largest and best of these districts 

 lies in the neighl)orhood of .\thabaska 

 and Great Slave lakes. It includes the 

 whole of the Slave River, the lower hun- 

 dred miles of the Athabaska River, and 

 the region to the westward for distances 

 varying from 50 to 250 miles. 



Here are some 30.000 square miles that 

 with even moderately good protection 

 during the breeding season will produce 

 annually a liberal croj) of the most valued 

 kind of ducks. To the northward lies 

 another district, including the delta of 

 the ^[ackenzie and the .\rctic coast east 

 to Franklin liay, that supports each year 

 a large waterfowl population, including 

 the mallard, green-winged teal, and sev- 

 eral species of gaese, but is too far north 

 for the gadwall. blue-winged teal, red- 

 head, crid canvasliack (see map, p. 3'^>4). 



