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 this 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 une 
refer to conditions as they existed in 1898: 
NO. REPORTS 
1. Sportsmen, and “so-called sportsmen’’............. ... 54 
2. Boys who shoot.........0 2.2.06 cee cece cee ee ee 42 
3. Market-hunters and “pot-hunters”... .....0......... 26 
4. Plume-hunters, and milliners’ hunters........00.... ... 32: 
5. “Shooters, generally”..........0.0 0.2... cece eee Q1 
6. Egg-collecting, chiefly by small boys...... .... ieee. 220 
7. English sparrow...........000 62.2.0 .0-.. idves JB 
8. Clearing off timber, development of towns sid cies ... 8il 
