786 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Dec. 21, 1912 
Game Birds, Wildfowl, Shore Birds. 
The Massachusetts Board of Agriculture did 
a good work in issuing this volume, and in en¬ 
trusting its preparation to Mr. Forbush, whose 
studies of birds all over the continent have been 
well known for many years. 
The large volume of more than 600 pages 
deals with about all the edible birds of Eastern 
North America, including doves, pigeons, tur¬ 
keys, grouse, quail, shore birds, rails, cranes and 
wildfowl. It is not generally realized that there 
were nearly 200 different forms of game birds 
found on this continent, and that when the white 
man came they had been practically undisturbed, 
except by their natural enemies, which nowhere 
destroyed the annual increase. The number 
of the birds was limited only by the amount 
of their food, and the winter waters were black 
with the feeding flocks. 
Here is a picture, painted in his introduction 
by Mr. Forbush: 
‘The Indian hunter, standing on the river 
shore at sunset, might then have seen the whole 
sky overcast by clouds of birds, formed in dun 
strata, moving fast and far in varying lines, but 
all trending toward the South. Dense masses of 
scaup winnowed their way low over the land. 
Vast flocks of teal swept close bv, with a roar 
of rushing pinions as they swayed and turned 
in quest of feeding grounds. Lines of mallards 
extended across the dome of the sky, flock after 
flock, in almost continuous array. Swift flights 
of canvasbacks kept their unwavering course. 
Masses of redheads kept them company, while 
smaller flocks discharged their members like zig¬ 
zag bolts to the wave below. Here and there 
teal and widgeons rode down the air with stiffen¬ 
ing wing, concentering upon lake or river, where 
many a weary flock sought rest, until the water 
was black with floating birds, and still unwearied 
myriads high in air sped southward. Canada 
geese in the long “V” formation of the unbroken 
flock, in shattered ranks or in changing lines, 
trailing, crossing and diverging or converging in 
the sky, passed over in untold numbers with un¬ 
slackening wing. Their musical notes filled the 
air like the cries of a thousand packs of hounds. 
The upper air was full of nameless waterfowl, 
while far above them all great flocks of cranes 
swam in the blue sky, and higher still in the full 
light of a sun now passed from view rode long 
lines of snowy swans, their clanging trumpet 
tones lost among the nearer sounds of voice and 
wing that fell from the mighty hosts of smaller 
waterfowl and waders rushing on their way.” 
Some appreciation of the astonishing abund¬ 
ance of birds in those old days—and even to-day 
there are places where something similar may be 
seen—are given in a multitude of paragraphs in 
*Historv of tlie Game Birds. Wild Fowl and Shore 
Birds of Massachusetts and adjacent States, including 
those used for food, which have disappeared since the 
settlement of the country, and those which are now 
hunted for food or sport, with observations on their for¬ 
mer abundance and recent decrease in numbers; also 
the means for conserving those still in existence. By 
Edward Howe Forbush, State Ornithologist of Massa¬ 
chusetts. Illustrated with drawings by W. I. Beecroft 
and the author, and photographs by Herbert K. Job and 
others. Issued by the Massachusetts State Board of 
Agriculture by authority of the Legislature, 1912. 
Mr. Forbush’s introduction, quoted from authors 
of ancient and modern times. He tells the story 
also of the decrease in game birds; the old, old 
story, which grows more and more true as the 
years pass by, and which gives so sickening an 
exhibition of greed for the present and thought¬ 
lessness of the future. 
Following its introduction, the volume is 
divided into three parts; the first being a history 
of the birds now hunted for food and sport in 
Massachusetts and adjacent States. This in¬ 
cludes grebes and loons, ducks, rails, shore birds, 
grouse and quail, and pigeons and doves. Part 
II. gives a history of the game birds and other 
birds hunted for food or sport which have been 
exterminated, or driven from Massachusetts and 
adjacent States since the settlement of the coun¬ 
try. The extinct species are great auk, Labrador 
duck, Eskimo curlew and passenger pigeon. 
Those species which, though no longer found in 
Massachusetts, still exist elsewhere, are the 
trumpeter swan, whooping crane, sandhill crane 
and wild turkey. The former occurrence of the 
trumpeter swan in Massachusetts has never been 
demonstrated, though the inference that it was 
once found there may perhaps be justified. Part 
HI. deals with the conservation of the groups 
treated of in the work. It speaks of the eco¬ 
nomic value of these birds, of their decrease, the 
causes for this decrease and the wrong beliefs 
which exist with regard to the causes of the 
decrease. 
Man is never willing to accept the responsibility 
for his own errors or crimes, but always strives to 
place that responsibility on someone else. The most 
destructive enemy to any of these birds is the man 
with the gun. There are methods of attracting 
both waterfowl and upland game birds. There 
are still opportunities for statutory game pro¬ 
tection. We have game laws in plenty, but too 
often they are not enforced. Short seasons, the 
prevention of the sale and export of game and 
a limit on the bag will do much to help matters 
along. Federal supervision of migratory birds 
is desirable, as are game refuges in which all 
the wild birds shall be free from molestation. 
The book closes with a brief summary of needed 
reforms to bring about game protection. 
The volume is full of matter of extraordi¬ 
nary value and interest; and the first part of it, 
covering nearly 400 pages, is in effect a useful 
ornithology of our edible birds. Each article 
opens with the English, followed by the technical 
name of the species. There is generally a 
drawing showing one or more plumages; then 
comes the description; a suggestion of the most 
obvious marks about the bird, so that it may 
be told at a distance; its cry, nest, eggs and the 
season at which it is likely to be found in the 
region treated of and its range. A history of 
the birds’ habits follows. Often this history is 
quite full. In the case of some of the duck 
family or of certain quail and grouse, this his¬ 
tory may run to eight or ten pages. 
The volume thus becomes a useful hand¬ 
book to all gunners and enables them to identify 
the birds that they shoot, while the wealth of 
ancient and modern history that it contains 
makes it as fascinating as any story that ever 
was written. This to our mind is the book’s 
greatest use: that it points out what we have 
had and what—in great part through our own 
folly—we have lost. 
Game Bills Now Pending in Congress. 
BY T. S. PALMER. 
In the third session of the Sixty-second 
Congress, which convened Dec. 2, 1912, a num¬ 
ber of bills affecting game will be under con¬ 
sideration. Some of these were introduced in 
the first session, which convened in April, 1911, 
and some in the second session which began Dec. 
4, 1911. In the first session little headway was 
made in game legislation, as attention was con¬ 
fined to the tariff and a few other matters, but 
in the second session, which adjourned Aug. 26, 
1912, considerable progress was made in the in¬ 
troduction of new measures, and in the advance¬ 
ment of some already in committee. Through 
the efforts of the American Game Protective 
and Propagation Association a largely attended 
public hearing was held by the Senate and House 
Committees on March 6 on the McLean, Weeks 
and Anthony bills for the protection of migra¬ 
tory birds. These measures were thoroughly 
discussed and an extended report of the hear- 
SANDY NECK (CAPE COD) LIGHT HOUSE. 
Photograph by H. B. March. 
