xii 



CONTENTS. 



PART III. 



The Conservation op Game Birds, Wild-fowl and Shore Birds: — page 



The Economic Value of Game Birds, Wild-fowl and Shore Birds, . . 497 



The Decrease of Game Birds in Massachusetts, . . . 503 



The Recuperative Powers of Nature, . . . 508 



The Causes of the Decrease of Game Birds, . 510 



Market Hunting, .... .... 511 



Spring Shooting, .... ... 516 



Summer Shooting, . . . . 529 



Settlement and Agriculture as a Cause for the Decrease of Wild-fowl, 531 



Night Shooting, . .... . 533 



Pursuing Wild-fowl in Boats, . . . 535 



The Use of Live Decoys, . ... . 536 



The Elements, Storms and Cold, . . . 539 



Epidemic Diseases, . . ...... 540 



Natural Enemies, . . ..... 541 



Telegraph, Telephone and Trolley Wires, .... 547 



Minor Causes of the Decrease of Birds, ...... 547 



Lead Poisoning, .... . . 547 



The Destruction of the Feeding Grounds, . ... 548 



Erroneous Opinions regarding the Causes of the Decrease of Game Birds, 



Wild-fowl and Shore Birds, ....... 549 



The Destruction of the Eggs of Wild-fowl for Commercial Purposes, . 553 



The Decline of Agriculture, .... 554 



The Increase of Cottages and Camps, . . . 554 



The Shortening of the Open Season, . . 555 



Guns Most Destructive, . ... 556 



The Viewpoint of the Hunter, . . . . 558 



The Introduction of Foreign Game Birds, . . . , 562 



Game Preserving, . ....... 563 



The Game Preserve increases Insectivorous Birds, . 568 



Methods of Attracting Water-fowl, . . 569 



Attracting Upland Game Birds, . . 581 



Statutory Game Protection, .... . 588 



Federal Supervision of the Protection of Migratory Birds, . . 590 



Public Game and Bird Reservations, ... . 591 



A Brief Summary of Needed Reforms for Game Protection, . . . 592 



Enforcement of the Game Laws, .... 593 



A List of the Names of those who filled out the Blank Forms for Informa- 

 tion, which form the Basis of the Estimates on the Recent De- 

 crease of Game Birds, Wild-fowl and Shore Birds, . . . 597 

 Index 609 



