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THE HAWK EYE ORNITHOLOGIST AND OOLOGIST. 



PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS ON 

 THE DECREASE OF FAMILIAR 

 BIRDS. 

 t f|)IRD destructioa, owing to the efforts 

 /4l) of the Eastern societies organized for 

 tlieir protection, has come to be a topic of 

 general interest in the newspapers, partic- 

 ularly those of the Eastern states, and every 

 effort is being made to introduce the most 

 stringent laws forbidding the killing of 

 birds and disturbance of then - nests, for other 

 than scieutifical purposes, and the use of 

 their plumage for ornamentation. Tliat 

 birds are suffering a notable decrease in 

 numbers cannot be doubted; but, to a great 

 extent, the case is represented to be worse 

 than it really is. The protectionists cite a 

 long array of figures on the wholesale 

 slaughter of sea coast birds and mention 

 numerous instances of different species be- 

 coming wholly or partially extinct during 

 the past few decades, and using this as a 

 basis for argument apply the results direct- 

 ly to the thrushes, warblers, sparrows and 

 other beneficial birds of the interior. A 

 careful comparison of the circulars issued 

 by the Audubon Society and the speech de- 

 livered by Dr. Langdon (published in our 

 March number) brings out these facts with 

 great clearness. 



Throughout the Western States, the 

 more common species of birds are very 

 plentiful, and hence the agriculturist sees 

 but; little, if any, need for their protection. 

 In the East, it is different; year by year 

 the birds have become scarcer until now, 

 comparitively speaking, there are but few 

 left. Our correspondents frequently men- 

 tion the rareness of certain species which 

 were once common and even the dissapeai- 

 ance of some of the brighter colored rarer 

 birds, while ornithological friends on a visit 

 to the West frequently express then- aston- 

 ishment at their abundance. 



Locally considered, however, the cause of 



protection is one of much interest to all, 

 and becoming a topic of general conver- 

 sation, particulaily with the ladies, who fre- 

 quently mention the fact that the robins, 

 catbirds and other songsters are gradually 

 becoming scarcer. We have often been ask- 

 ed what should cause the scarcity of the 

 robin, why it is that his song is not as fre- 

 quently heard in the evening as of old. We 

 can give but one reason — the broken bark 

 on so mai y of our trees. . It speaks so 

 plainly that he who runs may read. The 

 robin commences to breed in the early 

 months of spring, lung before the leaves 

 have put in an appearance, and as he usual- 

 ly chooses a convenient fork in an open ma 

 pie or oak for a site, the nest is a prominent 

 object and from the time the first straws are 

 carried the small boy gives it his personal 

 supervision. Nest after nest is harried, 

 dozens, yes, even huudreds, of eggs broken 

 for sport or "collected" for "science." Dur- 

 ing the present spring we have frequently 

 seen the blue eggs broken on the sidewalks 

 and we could locate at least a dozen nests 

 in the very heart of our city which are emp- 

 ty — forsaken. This is not the work of one 

 or two, but of many, who go by evening in 

 gangs of three or four, carefully examining 

 every promising tree, or visiting the nests 

 marked down during the day, until it is al- 

 most impossible for a bird to hatch the first 

 set of eggs. Of course they build another 

 nest and lay again, and again if necessary, 

 until finally the craze dies out or the small 

 boj , seeing a few lucky young birds, con- 

 cludes with regret that the days for robbery 

 are past. 



It is here that the true reason for the 

 robin's disappearance lies; he finds that his 

 friends in the city will not protect him and 

 he moves further to the outskirts until at 

 last he is forced to take refuge in the bor- 

 ders of the larger groves. Here his chances 

 are better; and, as he returns each year to 



