DESTRUCTION AND PROTECTION 543 
which are likely to prove fatal to young grouse, prob- 
ably explains why our native species have not long 
since been domesticated. All former attempts to 
domesticate them have been made in the poultry yard 
and its environment. The same is now being proved 
to explain why the turkey, another native American 
species, cannot be reared on ground contaminated by 
domestic fowls. This is the fifth year in which the 
experiment of rearing ruffed grouse with bantam hens 
has been tried, and although the second year 6 birds 
were reared out of a clutch of 12, for all the other 
years fatalities by this method have amounted to 100 
per cent. This season is particularly decisive because 
the work was done on new ground under most favor- 
able conditions, with the benefit of past experience, and 
in clear competition with the brooder method.” 
On the other hand his experience led him to believe 
that except for accidents, practically every ruffed 
grouse chick hatched may be reared to maturity by the 
brooder method. Brooders connected with yards in 
which the chicks may run during warm days offer a 
method which is not expensive. The young develop 
and feather out rapidly, and except for the two first 
weeks need no artificial heat, except during cold storms. 
Professor Hodge suggests the possibility of rearing 
a strain of hens to be hatched in incubators and reared 
on uncontaminated ground which possibly might be 
safe for mothers and brooders. 
Professor Hodge found the bobwhite quail much 
easier to handle than the grouse, and experimented 
