PROPAGATION OF WILD BIRDS 



Waterfowl Very Easy to Breed in Captivity — Gallinaceous Species Offer no Great 

 Difficulties — Benefits and Profits from Breeding — Bird Refuges 



Review of a Book by 

 Herbert K. Job 

 Economic Orjiithologist in Charge of the Department of Applied Ornithology of the 

 National Association of Audubon Societies. 



THERE seems to be among stu- 

 dents of nature, nowadays, a 

 widespread desire to assist na- 

 ture in "running things." The 

 plant lover is no longer content with 

 inspecting the flowers of the field: he 

 wants to grow them in his own garden, 

 often under rigorously controlled condi- 

 tions. The student of animal life is 

 unlikely to spend all his time in the 

 woods or meadows, as he often did a 

 quarter century ago. If he wants to 

 be in the fashion, zoologically, he is too 

 likely to spend all his time in a labora- 

 tory, and he will give preference to 

 animals that can be kept in cages or 

 tanks, for with them he will come as 

 near as possible to seeing everything 

 he wants to see. 



For a long time the bird lovers stood 

 out against this passion for breeding, 

 which had taken hold of the botanists 

 and zoologists. Ornithologists con- 

 tinued to pursue their studies in the 

 field, and there was little demand even 

 for commercial breeding. 



But in the last ten years, the students 

 of birds, too, have succiunbed to the 

 desire to get nearer to nature than a 

 stroll in the woods makes possible. All 

 over the country they are using devices 

 to attract the birds to their own door- 

 yards; and those who possess means 

 are in many cases undertaking breeding 

 experiments on a large scale, sometimes 

 as a commercial, sometimes as a sporting 

 proposition. 



So long as it does not lead to a neglect 

 of wild life in its natural envirormient, 

 the modern naturalist's desire to take 

 up breeding deserves every encourage- 



ment. Plant and animal breeders have 

 long been able to get abundant advice 

 in printed form, and bird lovers are 

 now to be congratulated on having a 

 book,^ "The Propagation of Wild 

 Birds," which seems likely to meet 

 their needs. 



Herbert K. Job, its author, was 

 formerly State Ornithologist of Connec- 

 ticut, and is now in charge of the 

 Department of Applied Ornithology of 

 the National Association of xA.udubon 

 Societies. Much of the success in 

 rearing wild birds in captivity nowadays 

 is based on Mr. Job's own experiments, 

 and he describes them and others in a 

 business-like way, so simply that no 

 one can misunderstand. 



The rearing of gallinaceous birds 

 such as the quail, pheasant and turkey, 

 is probably the most important, and 

 for these, Mr. Job warns his readers, 

 a good deal of room is necessary. 

 "Experiment has shown conclusively 

 that all kinds of wild gallinaceous birds 

 can be kept in health in confinement. 

 Most kinds cannot, however, with 

 safety, be closely confined in small 

 quarters, like domestic fowl. Under 

 such conditions they are very susceptible 

 to various diseases, especially of the 

 digestive tract, which are likely to be- 

 come epidemic. To these the domesti- 

 cated species have become considerably 

 immune. Some species require more 

 room and range than any others and 

 cannot stand any crowding. Another 

 matter of importance is that the same 

 ground surface must not be used for 

 too long a ])eriod continuously." 



1 Propagation of Wild Birds, a Manual of Applied Ornithology, by Herbert K. Job. Pp. 276, 

 illustrated. New York, Doubleday Page & Co., 1915. 



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