first of March and the first of September, and during 
the last eighty years, from time to time, the statute 
has been reénacted in different forms, and all laws on 
the subject of game and bird protection have been codi- 
fied from time to time, until all that is left of the 
1821 statute is the word marsh, 
In regard to the red legged black ducks about which 
we had some correspondence a month or two ago, Late 
in the autumn, I left word with the proprietor of a mar= 
ket in Springfield, that dealt in game, to send me any 
black ducks he received that he kmew were taken in this 
vicinity, which resulted in my obtaining through that 
source, half a dozen specimens of true obscura. About 
the same time, I told a man, who shot a good many ducks 
about here, that if he captured a black duck with red 
legs, to send it. to me, and all I received from him was 
a female mallard. Not far from the first of December, 
I visited a place near the line between the towns of Wilbra- 
ham and Hampden, where black ducks always winter, and 
found a flock of about thirty there, but I failed to 
capture any. Two or three weeks later, and after a 
very cold time, I went to the same place, and found the 
flock had been reduced to half a dozen individuals, but 
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