PINNATED GROUS. 



105 



island may be estimated as being between forty and fifty miles in 

 length, extending from Bethphage in Queen's county to the neigh- 

 bourhood of the court-house in Suffolk. Its breadth is not more 

 than six or seven. For although the island is bounded by the 

 Sound separating it from Connecticut on the north; and by the 

 Atlantic ocean on the south, there is a margin of several miles on 

 each side in the actual possession of human beings. 



" The region in which these birds reside, lies mostly within 

 the towns of Oysterbay, Huntington, Islip, Smithtown, and Brook- 

 haven; though it would be incorrect to say, that they were not 

 to be met with sometimes in Riverhead and South-hampton. — 

 Their territory has been defined by some sportsmen, as situated 

 between Hempstead-plain on the west, and Shinnecock-plain on 

 the east. 



" The more popular name for them is Heath-hens, By this 

 they are designated in the act of our legislature for the preserva- 

 tion of them and of other game. I well remember the passing of 

 this law. The bill was introduced by Cornelius J. Bogert, esq. 

 a member of the assembly from the city of New York. It was 

 in the month of February, 1791, the year when as a representa- 

 tive from my native county of Queens, I sat for the first time in 

 a legislature. 



" The statute declares among other things, that the person who 

 shall kill any Heath-hen within the counties of Suffolk or Queens, 

 between the first day of April and the fifth day of October, shall 

 for every such offence, forfeit and pay the sum of two dollars and 

 an half, to be recovered with costs of suit, by any person who 

 shall prosecute for the same, before any justice of the peace, in 

 either of the said counties; the one half to be paid to the plain- 

 tiff, and the other half to the overseers of the poor. And if any 

 Heath-hen so killed, shall be found in the possession of any per- 

 son, he shall be deemed guilty of the offence, and suffer the pe- 

 nalty. But it is provided, that no defendant shall be convicted 



VOL. III. D d 



