The Oologist. 





Vol. XXIX. 



No. 3. 





Albion, 



N. 



Y. Mar. 



15, 



WV2. 



Whou No. 



296 





Published Monthly, 



by 



R. M. Barnes 



i, A Ibinn, 



N. 



Y., and 



Lacmi , 



Illintris 





MARCH 



March, the first of the spring months is here. In the southern part of the 

 country, spring is well advanced. In the central part, rough weather will pre- 

 vail. In the northern part, snow and ice still lingers. 



To the oologist and ornithologist this is one of the most interesting months 

 of the year. Many of the larger birds of prey will begin or are engaged in 

 housekeeping this month, and tramps through the leafless timber and over the 

 frosted hills in search of their homes is full of pleasure. 



Vast multitudes of wild fowl will wing their way north over the United 

 States. Many, many of them will be killed on the way, tor March is a great 

 month for the wild fowl gunner, in spite of the fact that spring shooting is 

 wrong in both principle and practice, and should be abolished absolutely 

 throughout the United States. 



We trust that those of our readers who engage in hunting will be sportsmen 

 and not butchers. That they will be satisfied with moderate bags and not at- 

 tempt to "get the limit" or make a record. If you will be careful to catch and 

 take home with you all of your wounded birds, particularly those that are wing- 

 tipped, and pinion them with care, you will find much of interest in their ways 

 during the coming summer; and last but not least, you will find that most of the 

 wild fowl after having been kept in confinement for a short while, if properly 

 pinioned, will be of considerable money value. The pleasure of keeping such 

 birds in confinement and the great amount or knowledge and information which 

 can be and is derived from studying them under such conditions more than 

 amply repays all of the effort and expense connected therewith. 



R. M. BARNES. 



