pISTRIBNON AND » MIGRATION OF NORTH AMERICAN 
- . » SHOREBIRDS. 
INTRODUCTION. | 
Shorebirds form a valuable national resource, and it is the plain 
duty of the present generation to pass on, to posterity this asset 
undiminished in value. Consistent and intelligent legislation in 
favor of any group of birds must be founded on extended, accurate : 
information, and must include knowledge of the breeding and distri- 
bution of the birds—where they spend the summer, whither they 
retire in winter, and ‘when and by what routes they ‘migrate. ° ‘The 
present bulletin supplies this needed. information 80° far as it is now 
available. 
Consideration of our shorebirds (Limicolx) from an ‘economic point 
of view is recent: The early settlers found ducks, geese, and swans’ 
swarming in certain sections of the United States, and grouse and 
turkeys very abundant. The size and. toothsomeness of these birds 
made them important objects of pursuit for: food,. while the shore- 
birds were considered unworthy of notice. : As ‘the. great: flocks! of 
ducks and geese along the Atlantic coast.diminished, in numbers, the 
attention of gunners, especially of market hunters, was turned to 
the shorebirds, then, in countless numbers. A generation of constant 
harassment spring and fall , has almost exterminated some of the, 
larger species and has very greatly reduced even the smaller ones. 
The time has come when -this indiscriminate slaughter must cease if 
the present remnant of, the shorebirds. is to: he preserved. 
The range of our shorebirds extends from ocean to ocean, so that 
all parts of the United States have an interest in their preservation. 
These birds feed naturally i in the open country or along” the open | 
shore, where they are. easily, found and. are constantly subject to. 
attack. The prairies of the Mississippi Valley in past years formed 
the great. highway of spring. migration. Flock followed flock in 
almost endless succession across the prairies of Kansas, Nebraska, : 
and the Dakotas, over a region that. of. late years has..passed, under 
the plow. As this area becomes more densely populated: the shore-. 
birds, once so abundant, are likely to become extinct unless active 
measures are taken for their preservation. oan 
There are excellent reasons for protecting and preserving the 
shorebinds: ane of ay especially the everel kinds of plovers, 
PLgge 4 ce ene ses ;% hea 
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