38 
us regularly in the migrations, and is so cautious that few 
except immature birds are shot. In my own experience this 
species has not diminished greatly of late, hut I saw fewer 
birds in 1904 than in 1903. Many other observers, however, 
are very positive that the great blue heron is steadily di- 
minishing in numbers, despite the law recently enacted pro- 
tecting all herons at all times in Massachusetts. Mr. Gerry 
says that they are few along the coast, in comparison with the 
numbers formerly seen. About thirty years ago he saw 
between thirty and forty at once feeding at Wellfleet. 
The black-crowned night heron has been driven out from 
three inland localities where I formerly knew it to breed. 
The birds were persecuted .by egg hunters and gunners, so 
that they were forced to change their breeding grounds nearly 
every year ; and finally they were killed or scattered, so that 
these heronries exist only as memories of the past. The birds 
have persisted, however, along the coast, and some of their 
heronries are now protected. All other herons besides those 
mentioned above are regarded as accidental in Massachusetts. 
Family Rallidce. — Rails , Gallinules and Coots. 
These birds, particularly the rails, are rather secretive, 
and ordinarily are seldom seen in this region. Their habits 
protect them. The gallinules are not known ever to have 
been common. The coots, the least secretive of the family, 
probably have decreased, while the rails seem to hold their 
own except where driven out by floods or the draining of 
meadows. The floods in Massachusetts in 1903 destroyed or 
drove out most of the breeding rails on the Concord River. 
They are probably overlooked by most gunners. Only a few 
observers report on them at all; these find them about the 
same as ever, except Mr. Edward A. Bangs, who says : “ On 
occasional trips to the Sudbury marshes at Wayland it seems 
to me that the ducks, rails, herons, etc., have almost disap- 
peared.” 
Order Limicolce. 
Shore Birds. — Only twelve of the forty-two species of 
shore birds known to inhabit the State or migrate through 
it can now he regarded as at all common. Three species are 
