8 PROPAGATION OF WILD BIRDS 



quarters and feed them up, to make sure that they are 

 thoroughly fit. 



Fundamentals of Artificial Method. Extensive experi- 

 ment has shown conclusively that all kinds of wild gal- 

 Unaceous birds can be kept in health in confinement. Most 

 kinds, however, cannot, 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 become epidemic. 

 To these the domesticated species have become considerably 

 immune. Some species require more room and range than 

 others and cannot stand any crowding. Another matter of 

 importance is that the same ground surface must not be used 

 for too long a period continuously. 



Hatching and Brooding. For incubation under artificial 

 conditions there are three possible methods: One, which 

 is the most artificial, is to hatch the eggs in incubators. This 

 necessitates raising the young in brooders, with artificial 

 heat. The other two, which are more natural, are either to 

 let the birds hatch and raise their own young, which in many 

 cases they refuse to do, or to set the eggs under hens or ban- 

 tams and have these brood the young. This last is alto- 

 gether the best as the general system in the great majority 

 of cases, though there are possible exceptions. It is, in fact, 

 the system almost universal among professional game- 

 keepers. 



Incubator vs. Hens. In incubator work, with quail eggs, 

 I usually had hatches from 50 to 60 per cent. This is about 

 a fair average, I think, for most workers. With hens, an 

 average hatch is 75 to 80 per cent., and quite frequently 

 all the eggs of a litter hatch. C. H. Shaw, of Eccles, Cali- 

 fornia, reports incubator hatches of 75 per cent, with eggs 

 of California quail, but this is exceptionally good. More- 



