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Show 68 BASIS OF AMERICAN HISTORY [ 1900 the decrease during the last fifteen years has been forty per cent., and this is due, perhaps, as much to destruction of forests as to hunters. A number of species are now virtually extinct, the most notable being the passenger- pigeon which fifty years ago was common in flocks numbering millions. The wild turkey and the prairie- chicken are probably doomed, and only by strict reinforcement of the game laws can the various grouse, quail, and other game birds long survive. One bird of real value to man is the willow- ptarmigan of the frozen north, which is an important source of food to the Indians and Eskimos. * From an economic stand - point the most important wild creatures are the fishes, and of these the salmon of the north Pacific coast is easily in the lead. In 1899 the catch of salmon on that coast was nearly two hundred and fifty million pounds, with a value of over $ 10,000,000. \ These fish, fresh and dried, have long been the chief food staple of the Indians of the northwest coast. yNext in importance is the cod of the Atlantic coastfthe yearly catch of which in the United States alone is worth $ 3,000,000. \) ther important fishes of the Atlantic are the mackerel, herring, and alewife. N A new branch of American industry is represented in the " sardine" fisheries of the Maine coast,' which, though dating only from 1875, have an annual yield valued at $ 2,000,000. The " sardines" are chiefly young herring and several species related to the |
