of wild life protection gained much; for which great credit is due to
Mr. Edward A. McIlhenny.

It is the way of Americans to feel that because game is abundant in a
given place at a given time, it always will be abundant, and may
therefore be slaughtered without limit. That was the case last winter in
California during the awful slaughter of band-tailed pigeons, as will be
noted elsewhere.

It is time for all men to be told in the plainest terms that there never
has existed, anywhere in historic times, a volume of wild life so great
that civilized man could not quickly exterminate it by his methods of
destruction. Lift the veil and look at the stories of the bison, the
passenger pigeon, the wild ducks and shore birds of the Atlantic coast,
and the fur-seal.

[Illustration: SHALL WE LEAVE ANY ONE OF THEM OPEN?]

As reasoning beings, it is our duty to heed the lessons of history, and
not rush blindly on until we perpetrate a continent destitute of wild
life.

* * * * *

CHAPTER II

EXTINCT SPECIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS


For educated, civilized Man to exterminate a valuable wild species of