THE NEW FEDERAL MIGRATORY BIRD LAW 129 



the Atlantic coast during the "spring flight," when the birds 

 are concentrated on that narrow Une, a dozen species still are 

 represented. Last May (1913) two friends took me to Great 

 South Bay, Long Island, on a stormy voyage of observation. 

 In one day we saw about 2,000 birds of nine species, and had 

 the day been fine we would have seen a great many more. 

 It represented the massing together, on those famous resting 

 and feeding grounds, of the whole New York supply of shore 

 birds. It was a pleasure to find that seed stock of shore 

 birds and to note its possible value in bringing back those 

 vanishing species. 



In view of the ease with which shore birds can be shot, and 

 the continuous lines of gunners that everywhere greet their 

 appearance, it is a wonder that any have survived to this 

 time. But for these much-persecuted birds a new era has 

 dawned. There are about sixty species of North American 

 shore birds, and under the terms of the new federal migratory 

 bird law, in effect since October 1, 1913, fifty -four of those 

 species are now permanently protected from slaughter every- 

 where in the United States. It is hoped that Canada soon 

 will enact a similar provision. 



The enemies of our native birds who desire the precious 

 and sportsmanlike (.'') privilege of slaughtering emaciated 

 ducks and geese in January, February and March are very 

 anxious that the federal migratory bird law should at once 

 be declared "unconstitutional," and destroyed. If that law 

 ever is so destroyed, we very soon will see the last of our shore 

 birds! 



There are many genera and species of birds in this Order, 



