BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 461 



very much for the improvement of existing conditions. Mexican 

 quail, which have been imported in considerable numbers, have been 

 distributed for the most part in only four or five States, and the 

 rest of the country has received little benefit from these importa- 

 tions. A few ruffed grouse have been imported from Alberta, but 

 in such small numbers as to provide breeding stock for only a. few 

 localities. Pheasants have been conspicuous by their absence, but 

 this may indicate that the main demand for ring-neck pheasants is 

 now supplied by stock bred in this country. A few Hungarian 

 partridges have been brought in, but high prices at present prohibit 

 restocking with these birds on a large scale. 



The demand for new birds can not be met properly until there is 

 closer cooperation between aviculturists, experimenters, and game 

 commissions in order to ascertain the precise conditions under which 

 certain species may be acclimated and the peculiar treatment re- 

 quired by each. Among the more promising game birds are the 

 Prince of Wales and true Mongolian pheasants, tinamous of several 

 species from South America, the chuckar partridge from India, the 

 bamboo partridge from China, the red-legged partridge, and the 

 black cock of Europe. Spasmodic attempts have been made from 

 time to time to introduce these birds into the United States, but sus- 

 tained experiments under favorable conditions have not been con- 

 tinued long enough to ascertain the reason for lack of success. 



IMPOKTATION OF QUAIL FKOM MEXICO. 



Comparatively few quail were imported from Mexico during the 

 past spring, notwithstanding the extensive preparations made by 

 several importers. The first shipment of 72 birds was entered at 

 Brownsville, Tex., on January 3, but, by common consent, dealers 

 postponed oi^erations until February so that the birds would not 

 arrive in the north during cold weather. Shipments did not begin 

 regularly until February 15, but during the next month they arrived 

 at frequent intervals at the ports of Brownsville and Laredo, Tex. 

 No birds were entered at Eagle Pass, Tex. 



Owing to restrictions imposed by Mexican authorities compara- 

 tively few large shipments were brought in, most of the birds being 

 entered in consignments of 500 or less. About 6,500 were forwarded 

 to the Kentucky game and fish commission, some were shipped to the 

 conservation commission of Maryland, and others were distributed 

 to various other States. No quail disease appeared, and shipments 

 were admitted to entry without being held in quarantine, but were 

 examined as usual by inspectors of the Bureau of Animal Industry. 

 Importations reached their maximum early in March, but fell off 

 noticeably toward the latter part of the month. 



The total number of quail imported during the season was 9,123, 

 which makes the total number of Mexican quail entered during the 

 13 years since importations began 161,471. 



PUBLICATIONS ISSUED FROM THE BUREAU DURING THE YEAR. 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



No. 

 46 A Biological Survev of the Pribilof Islands, Alaska: Part I. Birds and 

 Maniuials; Part II. Insects. Arachnids, and Chilopods. Pp. -■>•>, I'ls. 

 15 (including 3 maps). 



