32 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



informed regarding the condition of the upland game birds; 

 but during all this time I had hardly realized the gravity of 

 the situation, until, in the pursuit of an inquiry regarding the 

 destruction of bu-ds by the elements, which was authorized by 

 the State Board of Agriculture in 1903, people began volun- 

 tarily to send in evidence regarding the general decrease of 

 birds. It was asserted by many correspondents that the extir- 

 pation of certain species was imminent in the region with 

 which they were familiar, and that many others were rapidly 

 decreasing in numbers. 



The secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, on receipt 

 of this evidence, authorized further investigation regarding 

 the decrease of birds. Four hundred circulars asking for 

 information were prepared and sent out in July, 1904, to 

 naturalists, secretaries of game protective associations, sports- 

 men, game wardens, market hunters, farmers and other 

 interested observers. In response to these circulars two hun- 

 dred and seventeen satisfactory replies were received, and a 

 large correspondence was opened, all of which formed the 

 basis for a special report of one hundred and sixty-six pages. ^ 



The consensus of opinion of those correspondents who 

 might be considered as competent to give expert testimony 

 indicated a great decrease among game birds, shore birds, 

 wild-fowl. Herons, birds of prey, and, in fact, among all the 

 birds most hunted, and a somewhat less diminution among a 

 certain few species of the smaller birds. It was shown that 

 Ducks, Geese and Loons were disappearing from the ponds 

 and rivers of the in>terior, and that even on the coast the 

 most desirable species had greatly decreased. Grouse and 

 Bob-whites were estimated to have suffered a diminution of 

 from fifty to seventy-five per cent, within the memory of liv- 

 ing men, and an even greater decrease was attributed to the 

 shore birds. The completion of this report and its favorable 

 reception led to the publication of a special report on the use- 

 ful birds of the Commonwealth, and means for protecting 

 them.^ 



1 Forbush, Edward Howe: The Decrease of Birds, and its Causes, with Suggestions for Bird Pro- 

 tection, Mass. State Board Agr., 1904. 



2 Forbush, Edward Howe; Useful Birds, and their Protection, Mass. State Board Agr., 1907. 



