SIGNIFICANCE OF ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION 



503 



no danger of extermination over most of its range except at the fringes. There still exist 

 many areas where grouse were once known but to which they are now strangers. Whatever 

 the cause of their disappearance may have been, it is always possible that the situation may 

 have righted itself. Environments change with time. Such limiting influences as over-shoot- 

 ing and destruction of the habitat through fire or grazing may be modified through conserva- 

 tion education and agricultural adjustment to produce, once again, conditions favorable for 

 grouse. 



The species is in reality much more sedentary than is generally realized. For this reason, 

 unless a habitat from which grouse have been eliminated is adjacent to well populated coverts, 

 the return of this game bird is apt to be a matter of many years. Where such coverts are 

 isolated, successful reintroduction is dependent upon the liberation of new stock. This must 

 either be trapped in the wild or reared artificially. 



As has been pointed out, few wild-trapped birds are available for purchase and those only 

 at prices ranging from $10 to $25 or more a pair. However, there is seldom a valid reason 

 for not trapping grouse from .sectif)ns where they are abundant but little hunted to be used 

 for restocking depleted coverts elsewhere. The controlling factor here is the reluctance of 

 most sportsmen to seeing any birds trapped from their localities. 



If a strain of grouse could be profhiced in captivity which could be raised in substantial 

 numbers at a reasonable cost, and which was sufficiently adaptable to survive and breed, once 

 liberated, this problem might be solved. This was one of our most important objectives. 

 But the biological limitations of the bird, as already discussed, seem to be such that there is 

 little likelihood that they can be modified except by an exhaustive program of selective breed- 

 ing encompassing many years. For all practical purposes, therefore, one must conclude that, 

 for the present, at least, the raising of grouse in captivity for restocking purposes offers 

 little promise of producing sufficient birds at a cost reasonable enough to make it a prac- 

 tical proposition. 



But on the bniad front there is much more to be gained than this end alone. Some of these 

 considerations are so little recognized that they might well be listed : 



1. Reasonable assurance that grouse can be maintained in captivity if tiiey are threatened 

 with extermination in their natural environment. 



2. Recognition of some of the less ohxious life hislor\ facts through association with 

 grouse in captivity. 



3. Opportunity for .studying the liiids piiNsiological and psychological reactions to the 

 environment in which it is placed. 



4. AvailahilitN of a much needed supph of experimental grouse uith which to carry on 

 studies of the fuiidamciilal reactions of the bird to various en\ironmeiits. 



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