QUAIL PROPAGATION METHODS 15 



the public in the possibihties of quail and grouse propagation 

 by his fascinating experiments, successful on a small scale 

 His work was continued by the State of Massachusetts. 

 F. N. Manross first did it in Connecticut. Later the writer and 

 others took up the work along somewhat different lines. 

 The early method of confining young birds in small coops was 

 abandoned, and a new method which has been worked out 

 is proving successful on a considerable scale. The main thing 

 has been to learn what precautions are necessary to avoid 

 the outbreak of epidemic diseases. 



Quail Disease. Were it not for the epidemics to which 

 quails are subject, they could be bred and reared quite easily, 

 now that we know the methods which coincide with their 

 habits. The typical quail disease is characterized by a dis- 

 arrangement of the digestive tract, in which the intestines 

 and the cceca are ulcerated and bloodshot, with ulcers some- 

 times on the liver. This disease becomes very infectious, 

 and usually kills all the birds in a pen where it breaks out. 

 Dr. L. F. Rettger, bacteriologist of Yale University, worked 

 with me on this problem in connection with experimental 

 work at the Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station of Con- 

 necticut. First and last he examined a large number of 

 quails which had died of this complaint. In cases of a few 

 adult birds he isolated a virulent bacterial organism, in- 

 jection of which into healthy birds proved fatal in about 

 two days. In many other cases of adult birds, however, 

 no causative organism was found. He also examined and 

 made cultures from a large series of young quails which had 

 died of the disease, but not in a single case did he discover 

 any causative organism. Careful search was also made for 

 coccidia, both with adults and young, and in no case did he 

 find enough of these to have caused trouble. A great deal 

 of time was devoted to this investigation. Although the 



