54 FISH AND GAME. 



summer visitors. It is an interesting location in that several 

 years ago most game breeders argued that the more remote a 

 game farm could be kept from populated districts the better. 

 It should not be confused with the Marshfield Reservation 

 which is entirely separate, and comprises a large tract of land 

 lying around the farm, which was founded under the provisions 

 of chapter 410 of the Acts of 1911. 



Owing to the fact that we delayed somewhat in clipping our 

 adult ducks, a large number flew away and bred in the Dyke 

 Meadows (a most favorable locality). The result was that a 

 smaller number of eggs were taken than if we could have 

 collected from all of the ducks which we figured on at the 

 beginning of the season. However, we consider this insignifi- 

 cant compared with the advantage gained in studying these 

 birds when allowed to breed in the open. A satisfactory yield 

 was taken from the ducks retained, and these, together with 

 eggs shipped in from other stations, gave us a good working 

 supply for the season. 



By devoting the time and attention heretofore given to geese 

 to the propagation of quail it is considered that far more satis- 

 factory results will be obtained. Here we are carrying on the 

 experiment of trapping a limited number of quail, taking their 

 egg production from them, and then liberating them early enough 

 to enable them to raise a brood in the open. The eggs taken 

 are hatched under bantams. The results obtained so far encour- 

 age us to go on with the work. 



Among the more important improvements made at the sta- 

 tion during the past year may be enumerated the construction 

 of a portable brooding house for young mallards, wired with 

 electricity and supplied with water. This building measures 

 100 feet in length, 10 feet in width and is composed of six 

 15-foot sections made of match boards with anatite roofing. 

 A "head house," in dimension 10 feet square, forms the middle. 

 Six brooders were installed, one in each section, and proved a 

 great success in raising the ducklings. 



In addition to the routine duties contingent to the manage- 

 ment of the game farm considerable work has been done in the 

 way of caring for birds on the contiguous reservation. At 

 regular intervals during the stormy winter season feeding sta- 



