THE PROTECTION OF BILIDH. 417 



tioiis will become necessary regarding the marketing and ship- 

 ment of game. Tlie hunting license, which is now finding 

 favor in man}- States, must sooner or later be adopted here. 

 It is doubtful, however, if all these measures will result in 

 rei)lenishing our woods w^ith game in its former abundance. 

 The restocking of covers with l)irds from other States — 

 an excellent method, which has h)ng been practised bv gunie 

 protective associations — is likely to come to an end, for 

 already most States do not allow shipments of birds to points 

 outside the State boundaries. 



Artificial Propagation of Game Birds. 



The greatly increased demand for game l)irds must l)e met 

 by a new source of supply. The only promising method 

 available for restocking is artificial propagation and feeding. 

 Pheasants, Quail, Wood Ducks, Mallards, Teal, and other 

 wild-fowl may be reared in great uunil)ers if the work is 

 scientifically done. It was interesting to observe the large 

 numl)er of Pheasants and Mallards successfully reared in 

 11)05 by ^Ir. Bayard Thayer at Lancaster. This is the work 

 in which connnissioners on fisheries and game, game pro- 

 tective associations, and wealthy land owners must engage 

 if we are to have game in its former abundance. A begin- 

 ning may be made l>y importing experienced gamekeepers 

 from England and Scotland, where, notwithstanding the 

 long settlement of the country and the density of the popu- 

 lation, people have game for their own use, and ex})ort a 

 great deal to this country to supply our depleted markets. 

 Artificial propagation is the most important work of the 

 century concerning game birds. Many thousands nuist be 

 reared and liberated annually in every Atlantic coast State, 

 until the covers are well stocked and the marshes again 

 swarm with game birds and wild-fowl. 



Attempts should be made to domesticate game birds. In 

 more than three centuries since the discovery of the Ameri- 

 can continent only one American bird, the Turkey, has 

 become widely distributed through domestication. There 

 is no doubt that Quail, Grouse, and AA^ood Ducks may be 

 readily tamed, and the Canada Goose has been long known 



