September, 1919 
FOREST AND STREAM 
473 
bunny thinks he is justly entitled for services ren- 
dered. But in the majority of cases recited before 
legislative committees to reduce the protection now 
given the rabbit, it is the smaller rodents, especially 
wood and field mice, that are really responsible for 
the damage to the farmer’s trees. 
If rabbits are abundant and a nuisance on an oc- 
casional New England farm, their market value as 
meat, and the taking of them as a recreation for 
the farmer’s boy or assistants will compensate for 
considerable damage. 
We should consider, however, a most important 
point for the rabbit’s protection, and that is the fact 
that they are the natural and preferred food of 
foxes, weasels and other carnivorous animals, and 
also of the larger hawks and owls. An abundance 
of rabbits saves the lives of thousands of insectivor- 
ous birds of inestimatable value to the farmer and 
to all of us, to protect crops, woodlands and even 
human life itself. Likewise the farm poultry is not 
as likely to be disturbed by natural enemies if rab- 
bits are common in pasture and woodland. During 
the greater part of the year, and in fact except on 
rare occasions, the vegetation devoured by the wild 
rabbit is of little economic value to the farmer. 
Why, then, is he so prejudiced against this animal? 
There is absolutely no danger of the rabbit ever 
becoming a pest in the thickly settled eastern States. 
Parasitic enemies and disease do their part if cot- 
tontails become too numerous in local sections, and 
the law of the survival of the fittest prevents the 
species from deteriorating. There is a theory among 
hunters that a periodical disease affects the rabbits 
every seven years, and any sudden disappearance of 
this animal from sections where it was common the 
season before, is laid to this cause. 
During the six weeks open season of 1918 on up- 
land game birds in Connecticut, hunters in all parts 
of the state reported a scarcity of ruffed grouse, 
and various ideas were offered as to the cause. The 
shooting had been fairly good during the fall of 
1917, but as many a hunter handled the army rifle 
rather than the smooth bore that season, the birds 
were not all shot off. Most of those who found 
time for an occasional day with the shotgun, were 
too busy after the season closed to give a thought 
as to what was going on in the woods. The truth 
is that a scarcity of rabbits was indirectly respon- 
sible for the loss of the grouse. 
A message had been received from Canada early 
in the winter of 1917-18 to be on the watch for a 
flight of horned owls and goshawks that were mov- 
ing southward because of a dearth of rabbits, their 
common food, in the north. These birds were re- 
ported as more abundant in southern New England 
than for many years. Taxidermists were working 
on them everj^where, and on one pheasant farm in 
Connecticut, ninety great horned owls and eighty- 
four goshawks were killed during that severe winter. 
Where rabbits or other rodents were unobtainable 
these birds would find the ruffed grouse the easiest 
victim, especially at its roosting place on the cedars 
along the edges of woodlands. Pheasants and quail, 
keeping more to the thick growths in lowlands and 
swamps were apparently less disturbed. Many of 
these larger birds of prey returned again this past 
winter and the result of these invasions is that in 
many a piece of woods that we tramped through 
this spring, the drumming of the grouse is not to 
be heard. Also an immense area of brush country 
is entirely destitute of rabbits. What the loss of 
the smaller and insectivorous birds amounts to is 
difficult to estimate. Certainly most of them are far 
easier for the hawks, owls and foxes to obtain, than 
are the grouse. Naturally some will say to put a 
bounty on these marauders, kill them off and save 
our useful birds and game. But if this is done we 
will be overrun with field mice and many other small 
rodents. These will cause an immense loss in agri- 
cultural products and also destroy the eggs and 
young of the ground-nesting birds we wish to 
protect. 
A synopsis of these facts prove but one thing, and 
that is, that the rabbit is a valuable resource in our 
eastern states. The demand for it for food and 
game is increasing, but its great economic import- 
ance is to safeguard the lives of our useful birds. 
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GAME 
COMMISSIONERS 
A T a joint meeting of the Executive Committees 
of the International Association of Game, Fish 
and Conservation Commissioners, and the Amer- 
ican Fisheries Society, held in Washington, D. C., 
June 3, it was decided to be for the best interests 
of both societies that the next annual convention be 
held in Louisville, Kentucky, the International As- 
sociation of Game, Fish and Conservation Commis- 
sioners, to be held on October 6 and 7, and the 
American Fisheries Society on October 8, 9, and 10. 
On account of the central location these conven- 
tions will undoubtedly attract large and represen- 
tative delegations from all parts of the country and 
private game and fish breeders, commercial fishing 
interests, officials, anglers and sportsmen should all 
be largely represented. 
SIGNS OF APPROACHING AUTUMN 
^LEAR skies, cool breezes, straggling flocks of 
robins crossing the sky, unite to remind us that 
autumn is at hand. Families of bluebirds not long 
from the nest, follow their parents from tree to tree 
and take their first lessons in searching for food. 
Across the open lots kingbirds straggle one after 
another, perching now and then on the top of a coni- 
cal cedar or alighting on the stem of a goldenrod, 
which, too heavily weighted, swings down to earth. 
Groups of young crows, inexperienced and so un- 
afraid, permit the stroller in the fields to approach 
close to them and then suddenly discovering his pres- 
ence, fly away in noisy alarm. 
The stubbles, a few weeks ago shining golden in 
the sun, have changed color, for they are hidden by 
a growth of tall weeds. Grass is starting anew in 
the mowed hay meadows; on the tasseled com the 
ears have set and are growing large ; weeds hide the 
fences or fight with the crops for possession of the 
cultivated fields. All vegetation is now at its fullest 
luxuriance. Where drouth prevails the leaves are 
dusty, dry and turning brown, but where there has 
been rain, the clean washed foliage is dark and 
strong looking. 
The woodcock, which for weeks have been hidden 
away in the thickest underbrush of the hillside re- 
newing their plumage, will now soon come back to 
the swamps of their nativity. The prairie chickens 
and ruffed grouse by this time are well grown and 
the quail chicks can fly well. 
Already the blackbirds are flocking, barn swal- 
lows and sand martins hold daily meetings along 
the roadside, perching by hundreds on the telegraph 
wires. Before we know it, the migration will have 
begun again and autumn will be upon us once more. 
