24 Decrease of Birds 



man, the reports concerning them will be tabulated and 

 discussed in the section devoted to the causes of decrease 

 which are traceable to man. 



Causes of Decrease 



As effectual as the above mentioned causes may be in 

 reducing bird life under certain conditions, they cannot be 

 compared with the destruction caused both directly and 

 indirectly by man. History teaches that no species has 

 ever been exterminated by native natural enemies or by 

 the elements. Those species which have been so ruth- 

 lessly and recklessly blotted out of existence owe their 

 destruction to the agency of civilized man. 



The reports on the diminution of bird life caused by man 

 are tabulated to show the relative importance of each 

 cause in the judgment of those reporting: 



Tabulated List of Causes 



Cause Number Reporting 



Sportsmen and so-called "Sportsmen" 97 



Negroes 96 



Hunting out of season . 69 



Burning over woods and fields 68 



Guns in the hands of irresponsible boys (and men) ... 67 



Cutting away fence-rows and hedges 58 



Nest robbers 54 



Market Hunters 54 



Slingshots and airguns 37 



Draining Swamps 32 



Milliners' hunters 17 



Clearing land ; 12 



Increase in number of hunters 7 



Pot-hunters 7 



Destruction of cover and nesting sites 6 , 



Increase in number of gunners from factories 4 



Excessive hunting , . 4 



Decrease in amount of grain sown., 3 



Hunting season too long 3 



