6 BULLETIN 794, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
lation, and many of the best lakes lie close to human habitations and 
are thus easily accessible, which probably will considerably decrease 
their value as breeding grounds for waterfowl. This is partially sub- 
stantiated by the fact that in this place comparatively little increase 
has been apparent in the number of birds since the Federal protec- 
tive laws went into effect ; while in the more remote regions, such as 
the lakes of eastern Cherry County, the good results from the law 
have been very marked. Disappearance of marsh vegetation, fol- 
lowing the draining of lakes by ditching for the purpose of convert- 
ing them into hay meadows, also operates to greater or less extent 
against the protection of waterfowl. A number of lakes have, in this 
way, been made undesirable for water birds, and these, too, lakes 
which were particularly attractive to them. In a few cases, how- 
ever, the water drawn off has formed other lakes which have in a 
measure made up for the loss. Draining has been practiced most 
among the lakes at the headwaters of the North Loup River and in 
Morrill and Garden Counties, but there is apparently no danger 
that this will be carried to a much greater extent than at present, nor 
is it likely to be extended to the lakes of eastern Cherry County, the 
Cody Lakes, or the lakes of Brown County. 
NATURAL ENEMIES. 
In the Nebraska sandhill region the waterfowl and game birds 
have relatively few natural enemies. Hawks are not numerous, and 
those of most frequent occurrence, such as the marsh hawk, the fer- 
ruginous rough-legged hawk, and the Krider red-tailed hawk, do little 
damage to birds. The prairie falcon and the Cooper hawk, which 
are well-known enemies of birds, are fortunately not common enough 
in this region to make their presence of serious import. Perhaps 
the most destructive enemies are the skunk and the coyote, which 
often destroy eggs in the nest, occasionally kill the adult birds, and 
not infrequently catch young ducks and other waterfowl. Another 
drawback to breeding is the frequent hail storms, which kill ducks 
and other birds on their nests, break the eggs, and destroy young 
birds. 
Man, of course, is the birds' greatest enemy, and were he but 
absent from the sandhill region, there would be no problem of game 
protection. It is almost unnecessary to state, however, that if the 
pursuit of game were to be continued as recklessly and persistently 
at all times of the year as before the passage of Federal laws pro- 
tecting migratory birds, the time would not be distant when there 
would be no birds to shoot ; hence, if the game is to be preserved for 
the future sportsman, as well as for the naturalist, there must be 
some effective restrictions. With such advantages as the sandhill 
