188 



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FOREST AND STREAM. 



\Amie 7, 1881. 



in any year since the winter 1855-56. The birds were fed 

 when practicable. They of ten froze to death rather than 

 starved. We. had more game last fall than in years. 



Mount Pleasant.— Our birds almost entirely perished last 

 Winter, but very few are reported yet alive. Our farmers 

 fed them whenever they could. 



Mount I'kciKwtl.—X greater percentage of birds perished 

 than in a number of years. 



Wt Wfe —The winter has been very severe on the partridge 

 or quail here, but some remain in good condition. Some 

 few were fed, others lived on the wild grapes in the low 

 swampland. Quite a number were cauahl and kept over. 

 The Game Association imported from North Carolina about 

 1,200 for slocking [>,[■ u . se , n t ] le t ] lrco counties. 



■■.'.— Nine-tenths of the birds have perished by the 

 cold weather and snows. Some of the farmers fed some of 

 the birds, but having no rover the hawks "cotched" tin 

 most of them. 



Port Venn.. — Destruction of game (quail) from the frigid 

 severity of the weather last winter was much greater thjw in 

 auy previous years. BaJ few birds saved by the exertions of 

 the farmers and but few lived that had no protection. 



Bed. Lion. — The farmers did all they could to sivc the birds, 

 but the. snows and c Id weather caused many of them to per- 

 ish. I would say nine-tenths of the birds died . 



Bed Lhn. — Gamo Is not as pienl as it was last spring. 1 

 know of no one feeding the quail through the winter. 



Rockland, — There . ry few game birds when the 



cold weatlttr commenced. Some, were fed, but .the others 

 are supposes to have perished. 



St. Georff&t The cold and snows have hail a serious effect 

 upon flie quail in this section, though marij have been pro- 

 tected, and theactualloss is not greater than usual from such 

 weather. In this immediate neighborhood my inquiry and 

 search has proven that not more than one-third of the usual 

 number of quail have perished. 



_ Slate Bond.— There must have been considerable destruc- 

 tion of quail and rabbits in this vicinity. There are very few 

 rabbits and not a quail to be seen. 



Townsend. — The effect of the snows -and cold has been 

 most terrible and destructive on the birds. Whole coveys 

 have been found dead, frozen and starved. My impression 

 is that very few escaped except those that were fed and 

 otherwise oared for. 



Wit/mhiQtiin. (i'ii'io is exceedingly scarce in New Castle 

 County. No care has been taken of the birds during time of 

 suow. 



II ifaingtoib. -Should say at least one-third of the birds in 

 the noil hern pari of Ihe Slate have been killed. In the lower 

 portion, thanks to the pines Wiich keep I he snow from the 

 ground in places, most of the birds manage to live. A good 

 many were fed through the agency tif our Game Association, 

 others were cared lor by country- sportsmen. "We aro re- 

 stocking the State and hope to have (all things taken into 

 consideration) fair snort next = . 



Wilminfffon.—JFtotaBtt I can learn in regard to quail in 

 this BeettOll, the heavy and severe snows which covered the 

 ground for Bboul six weeks, our native quail are. 8carCC. The 

 Sportsmen's Association is making active efforts and hive for 

 some time been obtaining birds from the South. 



Yorktyn.— This has Been a hard .winter on ihc birds, 

 twenty per cent, have perished by csld or been killed by 

 hawks. They were not fed regularly. 



KENT COUNTY. 



!•' ■■'■■-,:•.>•.— Some birds have undoubtedly perished, but 

 though the loss is greater than for a number of years, the 

 birds, having been fed by our fanners, arc not exterminated. 



Brenford. — The winter has destroyed more birds than 

 UBual, especially quail. No birds fed" by farmers ; in fact 

 very few are left. 



Camden.— In regard to Iks quantity of birds left after the 

 severe snow storms in this section, I would reply that I have 

 been gunniDg for past nine or ten years, and every year after 

 the guuniug season is over I take my dogs out at least once a 

 week during Ihe months of March and April fur a double pur- 

 pose — first to keep them in practice, and secondly to see how 

 many birds there are left ovrr. And in my opinion there 

 are mere birds this spring than I have seen for years; not 

 quite so many small coveys; but for instance, where there 

 would have been, had the snow not fallen, several small coveys 

 of four or Eve birds each, a 1 have gone together in one, I sup- 

 pose for the purpose of keeping warm- and then our farmers 

 and sportsmen have fed them; sol think, wilh what birds 

 our Game Protective Association are turning out and the good 

 luck of our native birds living through the very severe winter, 

 we may look forward to plenty of sport next season. And 

 now, in conclusion, Mr. .Editor, let me say I dou'i mean to 

 say that none of our birds have perished during the past 

 winter. But the game laws of Delaware, as you know, com- 

 mence on the first day of November and continue until the 

 loth day of February, and if the snow had not fallen and the 

 gunners kept shooting until that time, I contend we would 

 have had less birds than we have tc-day. In other words, the 

 gunners would have killed far more thau the snow did, from 

 the fact that snow fell about Thanksgiving Jfta^Btopping all 

 gunning for the season. We admire your^HP of getting 

 views from different parlies and places tor the benetityf the 

 readers of your valuable paper. 



(Jnnttrbury. — Game of all kinds has suffered very much in 

 this vicinity. 



Down's Chapel. — The people of this community or section 

 think at least 50 per cent, of the birds were killed by the win- 

 ter. We notice there are very few. Some, farmer fed the 

 birds. 



Harrington. — We have had a very cold winter sndsome 

 of our birds frozen, but not over ten per cent, of them I am 

 sure. I am sure we have more birds now than we had last 

 season at this time. Our shooting season does not run out 

 until the 15ik of February in this county. Our Legislature 

 was in session when that first cold snap came, and we had a 

 special cct passed preventing Ihe shooting or killing of any- 

 game for the ha'auee of the season, 



lOidctr villi . A grout many birds have been killed from the 

 effects of the cold and scows. I suppose 75 per cent, of quail 

 are dead. The farmers to some extent have fed. 



Uqztettmtie. The hard winter has In en very hard on quail 

 in this vicinity. 1 suppose 50 per cent, of Ihe birds have 

 perished. The farmers fed the birds to some extent. 



Leipsic. — We have not many birds in this section; the win- 

 ter has killed nearly all. 



Little C/i-.'- I, Hiding. — The cold and snow have been very 

 severe on all kinds of game, especially the quail have suf- 

 fered, and a great many have perished. A great many birds 

 have been fed by residents. 



Magnolia. — The destruction of birds is scarcely noticeable 

 except of quail, which I feel confident 75 per cent, pirished. 

 i c flock, 



Magnolia. — The past -cold winter and heavy snows have 

 been very destructive to our game. Bird3 and rabbits have 

 suffered fearfully. I think at least 75 per cent, of the birds 

 were killed. So:ne farmers would feed the birds when they 

 could find them, but the cold and snows camo so suddenly 

 upon them that the birds died before we could think they 

 were suffering, Our game for the coming season I think 

 will be very scarce. 



Milford. — The cold weather and snow have been very 

 severe on all kinds of game birds in this section. Partridge's 

 have suffered 25 per cent.; rabbits about, 10 per cent. There 

 were very few partridges killed in this section by the gun- 

 ners, the snows being so deep, that they "prevented 

 the sportsmen from killing the birds I am the largest 

 dealer in game in the Stale. Last season I sent to Philadel- 

 phia and New York markets 7,000 partridges, 437 rabbits, 

 288 woodcock, and this season only shipped '3,200 partridges, 

 184 rabbits, 30 woodcock. I merely give you the above to 

 show you the falling off in shipment. The partridges have 

 been fed by the majority of our farmers. The game Pro- 

 tective Association have been buying the partridges from 

 parties who have trapped them, and "have paid as" high as 

 forty and fifty cents per pair. They purchased considera- 

 ble of them in this vicinity, and turned them out a short 

 time ago after feeding them all whiter. A few days ago 

 tin v received some Western birds, and have also turned them 

 out, so the prospect is good for next fall shooting providing 

 tho summer rain don't drown the young birds. The rabbit 

 shooters report lhal there will be plenty of this game next 

 fall. From present indications not as many rabbits have per- 

 ished as was first thought. 



l-'der.dittrgh.—l should say there was 75 per cent, of quail 

 killed. 



Smyrna;, — The partridge (quail), lark and opossum have 

 suffered the most of all, but still we have plenty left if noth- 

 ing more happens. 



Smyrna.— The impression here is that nearly all of our 

 quail have perished. Some few have been trapped and kept, 

 and a few others have been fed by the fanners; but I think 

 about 50 per cent, were destroyed. 



Virwrili — Although the winter has been very severe on the 

 game in this sec I ion, yet we think very few birds have per- 

 ished. In a few ins'ances they have been cared for by the 

 farmers. 



Viola.— Very few birds have perished here. From what I 

 can learn not over 10 per cent. The timber lands have pro- 

 tided (hem. After the sno v fell they got tame, and a great 

 many were trapped. The Game Protective Association paid 

 twenty-five cents for birds kept until spring, so that there 

 will be plenty left to breed. 



Wilimr Groee. — The winter has been very destructive to 

 the birds in this section. The quail aro mostly killed. I sup- 

 pose three- fourths of them were killed. A few farmers fed 

 them, but not much. 



'dsi.de, — The cold and snow have killed a great many 

 birds, yet there are many left. A few farmers fed the 

 birds. 



Woodside. — The birds have not fared so badly since the 

 winter of '56 as they have ibis winter. In many places there 

 have been found whole coveys fro/en to death on the roost. 

 1 have noticed that this has not happened to the Muds' that 

 have had a stream of water close by Or a place that they 

 could get water and gravel ; but in places that they could 

 not get wator or gravel they are all dead. 1 think I can safe- 

 ly say that three-fourths of them arc dead The farmers fed 

 a great many and tried hard to protect them from the negroes 

 who were sneaking around and tracking them up and killing 

 whole coveys at a shot when t ho birds were so poor that they 

 could not fly. There are a gocd many birds in this section 

 yet. There was very little shooting done here before the 

 snow, and the coveys v.r-ic left large, and where they were 

 large they stood the" winter better than Email ones. I have 

 three coveys on my place that have thirty-eight birds in the 

 three. Did not lose one during the suow. They are in a 

 heavy cripple. 1 also have eight Mussina quail that have 

 stood the winter nicely. 



Wyoming. — None of the game has suffered except, the 

 quail. They have perished greatly throughout this section 

 and in Maryland. They have been found dead by whole 

 coveys. It will take several, years to make good the loss. 



Wyoming. — On account of the cold and snows a great many 

 birds were frozen and starved to death. The destruction has 

 been much greater than ever before. At least one-half have 

 perished. J3irds were fed when found. 



SUSSEX COUNTY. 



Angola. There have been a great many birds frozen this 

 winter, as the weather has been so very hard on them. It 

 has been unusually severe. 



Bethel. — So f»r as noticeable, the destruction of birds has 

 nol been greater than in the past. The quail have not been 

 fed to any great extent with us. 



Black WaUr. — The hard winter has killed most of the 

 birds : they are very scarce — hardly enough to raise. The 

 farmers fed them with seed. 



■ ' ,, ring. — The severe winter has Dot killed many birds 

 n this section. They were not fed by any one. 



Kllendale. — The destruction of birds has been about one- 

 third greater than in other winters, nndag^tmany quail 

 have perished. The farmers fed a few birds, 



Eltendole. — A great many birds have died this winter- 

 about twenty per cent. The fanners fed the birds. 



Frankft'd. — Many birds died from the effects of the cold 

 weather. Farmers "did not generally feed the birds from 

 what I can learn. There are enough left for further hatch- 

 ing. 



(Borgeloicn. — The cold here last winter was intense, at 

 one time being as low as 17 degrees below Zero, but 1 do not 

 think thai, any quail perished from that. cause, although il 

 was " close nipping." They were nol plentiful here lass fall, 

 and consequently very few were shot as tin re. was very little 

 gunning. The farmers did nol feed the birds, but several 

 trapped them. 1 bought twenty-live pairs, the last of which 

 I released on the 15th of February. 1 think there will be 

 fully nljpiny quail here next year as there was I9st. 1 am 

 expeciine more birds from our Game Protection Association 

 toon, which I will at once put out. 



Gumboi quail. — The cold weather and the snows this winter 

 have been very severe on the birds. A great many have 

 been found de'ad. I suppose 25 per cent, perished. The 

 birds fed on the grain the farmers did not get in before win- 

 ter set in. 



Laurel. — The cold and snow Ihis winter have killed at least 

 thirty per cent, of our birds. Our farmers have not cared 

 for the birds as they should have done, consequently many 

 birds have been butchered at night. Our Game Association 

 has been importing Messina quail and restocking the State 

 Wiia^ftmo, 



Zetfes, Henlopen Farm. — So far as this farm is concerned, 

 we have more birds, owing probably to my having sowed 

 buckwheat, a patch on each end of the farm. We have three 

 coveys with from eight to fifteen birds each. The prevailing 

 opinion, however, is that Ihe winter was very destructive, 

 more so than in past, years. I have no knowledge of farmers 

 feeding birds. 



Le we«. — Winter veiy severe on birds Loss of birds greater 

 than ever before. Probably 10 to 20 per cent, of birds have 

 perished. Nobody fed the birds around here; people are too 

 indifferent. 



Milton, — The past winter was a very severe one on the 

 birds, For several days the thermometer was 8 degs. below 

 zero. About one-third froze and starved to death. 



Nassau. — The cold and suow this winter did kill a greater 

 number of the birds than for many years before. I think I 

 can say that ihirty per cent- was killed. Some of Ihef armers 

 and others fed the birds. 



Ocean View. — There were a great many birds found dead 

 this winter, more so thau for several winters. They were 

 not fed. 



Beholoih Beach —I will say it has been a very hard winter 

 on Ihe birds. I should say about twenty per cent, has per- 

 ished. I have not heard of one farmer feeding the birds; 

 they take no inl erest. in game. 



J loam. a. — I do not think the cold destroyed much game. 

 The birds were not fed. A great many farmers did not get 

 their crops in, the cold came on so early. 



Seofnrd:— The. hardest winter we ever had on game. Very 

 few farmers fed the birds. 



Bedford. — Quail have perished in great quantities during 

 the past winter, we think eighty per cent. We have been 

 getting quail this spring from North Carolina. 



Wiiliamsville — This has been a very severe winter. In re- 

 gard to game the cold has not been uncommonly destructive. 

 The farmers did not take extra care to feed the birds. 



NEW JERSEY GAME NOTES. 



EEPORTS as to the effect of the severe weather of the 

 past winter on the game of New Jersey continue to 

 come in, and we publish this week another installment of 

 them. The very wide spread interest which this matter has 

 attracted, even among people who do not shoot, is surpris- 

 ing. The great number of pleasant acknowledgments of 

 our work, and the numerous complimentary notices of the 

 press show in a most encouraging inmner how strongly the 

 idea that our game must be protected and increased, is tak- 

 ing hold of the people at large. 



Beegen County. — Carhtadt. — Game in our vicinity ba3 



suffered very much Ihis winter. Many birds have died for 



want of food. Barn-yards were the only refuge for starving 



birds. Residents have fed some of the birds. 



Broadway. — I consider the cold this winter has destroyed 



many more birds than usual. No farmers fed. 

 Waiiken Coi.lviT- — Cal.no. — There seems to be an unusual 

 number of quail, considering Ihe hard winter. The farmers 

 gave them attention by feeding. There is about the usual 

 number of partridge in" the mouutains. 

 Calm/.— The comfort of the birds has been looked after. 

 There is the usual number of quail this spring. Part- 

 ridge are growing much scarcer in this vicinity, although 

 there seems to be an average number. 

 Mourns County. — Danville. — At least one-half of the quail 

 in this section have perished. Some farmers have fed and 

 cared for the birds. We had a nice lot of birds, but they are 

 scarce now. 



Somerset County. — Bedminster The destruction of game 

 birds in this vicinity has been greater the past winter than 

 for several years. Fully forty per cent, have perished from 

 snows, hawks and foxes. The fanners do not teed the birds 

 at all. 



Union County.— RoselU,— The cold weather has not per- 

 ceptibly affected the birds in this township. Some of the 

 residents feed Ihe birds. 



Merobu County. — Yardvilte.— Game of all kinds is very 

 scarce in this section, with Ihe exception of rabbits. There 

 are but few birds here. 



Mo.NMoraii County.— Colt's Neck.— The destruction of 

 quail by the severe snows of last winter is almost complete ; 

 have hunted around a good deal with good dogs and have 

 only found sixteen birds. 

 Ma.ruiltipnn. — The cold and snows have taken off about 

 one-half of the birds. In many cases the birds have 

 been fed, and I think there is enough left to do well. 

 BtjbuSGton Couxtt. — Birmingham. — Birds of almost 

 every kind have suffered severely this winter in this neigh- 

 borhood. I suppose thirty per cent, of the game birds have 

 perished. 

 Mount Bolly. — The severity of the past winter has 

 been very hard on the quail in this section ; also on rab- 

 bits. I suppose fully 25 per cent, of all kinus of game 

 perished. In some places whole coveys of quail have 

 perished. A few farmers fed the birds, but not many. 

 Ooean CooMXS,— Bennett's Mill*.— Fully one-half of the. 

 birds have perished. I do not think the farmers fed the 

 birds. 

 Barncgat. — Birds are not numerous in this section of the 

 country. The cold weather has^probably destroyed two- 

 thirds of them. The quail suffered severely and are now 

 very scarce. More birds have died this winter than ever 

 before known. Do not know of any tanners feeding 

 birds 

 Beach Haven.— The general imprcssfcm is t*at many birds 



have perished during the winter. 

 Manchester. — Quail and rabbits are about the only game 

 that winter here and more than one-half have been de- 

 stroyed by the deep snows. They have not been fed to 

 any extent. 

 Manchester.— Game is not plenty in this section. The 

 quail suffered, and probably two thirds of them per- 

 ished. Some of the residents feU them. 

 Camden County. — Siclelerville.—lha game in our section is 

 quail, rabbits and pheasants. The coldand snows have com- 

 pletely destroyed the quail, with the exception of a few that 

 we caught. i he destruction of quail has been greater than 

 has beeu known for years. 



Gloucester County. — WiHiamstvni. — The • snows and 

 cold weather have destroyed all the quail in this place except 

 what I caught and bought and fed. 1 had thirty-two birds- 

 twelve hens and twenty cocks. I don't think out of 1,000 

 birds that were within "two miles of our place when the sea- 

 son closed that over forty are left, and I had thirty-two of 

 them. I do not think that a bird should be killed in Jersey 

 next season. 



Bridgeport.— The cold and snows have killed ninety 

 per cent, of the quail. There have been a few birds led 



