BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 273 



IMPORTATION OF QUAIL FROM MEXICO. 



The joint regulations governing the importation of quail from 

 Mexico, issued by the Treasury Department and the Department of 

 Agriculture under date of November 13, 1916, were in full force and 

 effect the past season, the entry of quail being permitted from Febru- 

 ary 15 to April 10, inclusive, and on March 8, 1918, Laredo, Tex., 

 was designated as a port of entry in addition to Eagle Pass, Tex., 

 and New York City. Cooperation was continued with the Bureau 

 of Animal Industry in having a thorough inspection of the birds 

 made during the ten days' quarantine. 



The first permit was issued February 20 and the last, April 4. The 

 number of quail for which permits were issued was 10,500, and the 

 number released from quarantine only 5,205, as compared with per- 

 mits issued for 42,973, and the release of 32,814 in 1917. 



The notably large decrease in the number of quail actually im- 

 ported during the past year is accounted for by the scarcity of birds 

 in northern Mexico due to drought, and the refusal of large ranch 

 owners to permit the trapping of quail on property owned and con- 

 trolled by them. Also it is evident that State game officials were re- 

 luctant the past year to purcha<S6 Mexican quail for propagation 

 because of the severe losses of birds imported during; the season of 

 1917. 



Of the 5,205 birds actually released from quarantine only 16 were 

 found dead during the 10-days' quarantine period, and no case of 

 quail disease was discovered. So far as reports received by the de- 

 partment indicate, there were few losses of birds in shipping. The 

 change of dates for the importation of Mexican quail — beginning at 

 a later period, February 15, instead of in the fall, as in 1916 — has 

 proved beneficial by preventing the birds from reaching the northern 

 States during severe winter weather. 



INFORMATION CONCERNING GAME LAWS. 



The regular annual publications, including a directory of officials 

 and organizations concerned with the protection of birds and game, 

 the eighteenth annual summary of game laws (prepared on a differ- 

 ent plan from those heretofore issued), a general poster showing 

 open seasons for game in the United States and Canada, and a local 

 poster showing open seasons for North Carolina, where many local 

 laws apply to particular counties, were issued and widely distrib- 

 uted. State game laws have been carded and indexed as fast as 

 received, memoranda of the more important changes being specially 

 noted. 



FEDERAL MIGRATORY BIRD LAW. 



Owing to the prevention of spring shooting during the last few 

 years, under the Federal migratory bird law, a great increase in 

 migratory wild fowl has been reported throughout practically the 

 entire United States. The reports state that more birds were killed 

 during the fall of 1917 than in any similar season for many years. 

 With the need of increasing food resources, this increase in game 



