File:A history of the 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 (14751017982).jpg

Identifier: historyofgamebir00for (find matches)
Title: A history of the 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 former abundance and recent decrease in numbers; also the means for conserving those still in existence
Year: 1916 (1910s)
Authors: Forbush, Edward Howe, 1858-1929 Massachusetts. State Board of Agriculture
Subjects: Game and game-birds Game and game-birds Birds Birds
Publisher: (Boston, Wright & Potter Printing Company, State Printers
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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uctive Powers of Nature.The game preserver may be encouraged in his work bythe fact that, however rapid the depletion of game, its restora-tion under natural conditions is sure and swift. Wherever aspecies is reduced much in numbers the conditions becomemore favorable for its increase. When birds become few thesupply of food jper bird is increased greatly, which stimulatesthe reproductive powers. The number of covers and suitablenesting places is larger in proportion, owing to the decreasednumbers of the birds, and the competition for food and othernecessities is decreased. Thus, unless a species is subject toundue persecution by mankind, a speedy increase commonlyfollows any sudden decrease, except, perhaps, in cases wherethe depletion has gone too far, when extermination results.With the game preserver it is never too late to restock. Whilethere is life there is hope. The possible increase of a game bird under artificial propa-gation may be illustrated in the following manner: if we
Text Appearing After Image:
o CONSERVATION OF GAME BIRDS. 509 assume that each pair of Bob-whites can produce ten youngin a year, that each pair breeds only once in its hfetime, thatthe length of life of the species is ten years, and that the progenyof a single pair were all preserved to live until the tenth yearwe should have at the end of ten years twenty-four million fourhundred fourteen thousand and sixty birds. The increase of ten birds from each pair is a very moderateone, as a female Quail in confinement has been known to laymore than one hundred eggs in one season, nearly all of whichwere fertile, and the probability is that a pair of Quail willbreed for several years, whereas our computation is basedupon only one brood during the lifetime of each pair. Theabove increase in numbers merely gives possibilities. When-ever the mind of man solves the problem of propagation,some slight approach to such multiplication may be realized. Man can assist the wonderful reproductive and recupera-tive powers of nature,

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