^ i^ — ^ 



states for purposes of consumption. Live stock for breeding purposes 

 only may be brought in. This closes the New York market, the best in 

 the country, to all breeders outside the state. While unrestricted impor- 

 tation of hand-reared birds would afford unscrupulous persons an oppor- 

 tunity to mask violations of the laws passed for the protection of game, it 

 would seem that some modification might be made of existing laws and 

 that, under carefully drawn regulations, permission might be given for the 

 importation of birds, pheasants at least, that could be shown indubitably 

 to have been hand-reared. Reluctance to act on this matter has arisen 

 from fear that trapped wild birds might be brought into the state, placed 

 on a game farm, and ultimately sold as preserve-bred game. This was 

 actually done with mallard ducks a few years ago, but, notwithstanding 

 this, it is thought by many that New York might be safely opened to 

 pheasants under proper restrictions. 



A recent liberalization of the New York law permits of the sale, under 

 restrictions, of pheasants captive-bred within the state at any time. 

 Details are given further on in the chapter on the marketing of pheasants. 



From what has been written above, it would seem, that there is a 

 good demand for pheasants and that the market is susceptible of great 

 expansion. We shall now consider the pheasant himself. 



