Some Birds And Mammals Which Destroy Fish And Game (1897) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SOME IttKDS AND MAMMALS WHICH DKSTKOY FIS11 AND GAME By B. H. WARREN, State Zoologist. As many of our citizens, particularly fishermen, seem to labor under the impression that the damage annually done to tish by different kinds of birds and mammals is of a serious character, the writer has during the last three years been collecting all reliable data possible on the subject. Some time ago the Department of Agriculture distributed throughout the State a circular asking for information as to the damage done by the fish-destroying birds and mammals. In response to these circulars several hundred answers were received and from them, it is found that the injury, contrary to prevalent impression, is not of a very serious nature. Tn fact, from our investigations, the mink and kingfisher, both of which are quite plentiful, in suitable localities, throughout the State, may be said to be about the only ones which commit very noticeable depredations to the finny inhabitants of our streams and ponds. The otter, it is true, subsists principally on the fish diet, but otters are so rare in this Commonwealth, that the mischief they do is but trifling. The herons, or at least certain species, no doubt destroy a large number of fish, but they also are so few in numbers that the loss annually from their presence, (and the same is true of loons, grebes and several other species of our feathered fishermen) is certainly not, nor do T believe it ever will be, a source of danger to the increase of the finny denizens of our waters. The illegal taking of fish in various ways practiced continually in Pennsylvania, by individuals who seem to have little or no regard for the statutes, which remain inoperative mainly because our law-makers do not make sufficient appropriations to enable the Hoard of P...