QUAIL PROPAGATION METHODS 25 



cleanliness and moderation are the keynotes of success. It 

 is fatal in the end to these wild birds to stuff them with food 

 when they can get Httle exercise, or to allow some food to 

 remain and poison the ground for them. 



For a beginner with a few birds to learn how much they 

 will eat at a feeding, it is a good plan to feed at first in a dish 

 and note the quantity they consume. The ideal is to give 

 them only what they will eat up clean at one time, with a 

 relish, rather than to keep them perpetually "lunching." 

 They should have sufficient for full nourishment, yet not 

 enough to gorge themselves. 



Exercise. It is also important, particularly in winter, 

 that they should be made to exercise by hunting for their 

 food. Hence it should be thrown into the pen among grass, 

 leaves, or htter, to make them scratch for it. They will 

 find all of it they want, never fear. But avoid throwing in 

 more than they can eat up. In winter have straw or litter 

 under a shelter and feed in that, and renew it from time to 

 time. If food is found remaining under it, scrape it up, and 

 feed less in future. 



Food Simple. The food for adults is simple, the chief 

 staple being a mixture of small or ground grains and seeds. 

 Nearly any sorts of these are good, including wheat, buck- 

 wheat, millet, rye, barley, ground oats, cracked com, hemp, 

 rape, canary and sunflower seed, and others. The corn ele- 

 ment should be given sparingly, but more may be given in 

 winter. 



Prepared Grains. For a small number of birds, it is 

 easier to buy grain and seed mixtures which are sold ready 

 prepared. While ordinary ''chick grain" mixtures will do, 

 in conjunction with the other foods mentioned below, it is 

 well to get the preparations made especially for game-birds, 

 which, in addition to a liberal variety of seeds, have a little 



