96 



:^^ 



abundant in the wild state in Oregon and Washington and the ringneck is 

 to be found in goodly numbers over a large part of central and northern 

 New York and in Massachusetts, largely as the result of such efforts. In 

 other eastern states it is fairly abundant in certain sections. 



In most of the states which have established game farms young ring- 

 necks are distributed each year gratis on application. Reports made to the 

 American Game Protective Association this fall show that 28,725 birds 

 were reared during the year on state game farms for this purpose. In 

 passing on applications the distributing authority is guided largely by the 

 benefit that will accrue to sportsmen generally of the community in ques- 

 tion. Releasing birds from a state farm on one's land operates automati- 

 cally to prevent the owner from ever forbidding shooting by the public 

 upon it in the future, and this, of course, deters many estate owners from 

 resorting to that method of stocking. However, many sportsmen's clubs 

 have succeeded in securing the consent of farmers to release birds on their 

 lands, a consideration being involved in some instances, doubtless, and 

 these organizations are exceedingly helpful in getting the year's crop of 

 birds placed where they will do most good. Birds are sent out during the 

 latter part of July and through August and early September usually, when 

 they are anywhere from six weeks to two months old. 



SHIPPING HEN WITH BROOD.— This year New York tried with 

 success the experiment of shipping birds for stocking with their foster 

 mothers. The crate shown in Figure 20 was used for this purpose. It is 

 29 inches long, 17 inches wide and 12 inches high. The interior is divided 

 into three compartments of equal size separated by sliding partitions. 

 A space 10 inches long x 3^4 inches high is sawed out of the bottom of 

 both partitions to permit the birds to pass from one compartment to 

 another. The hen mother is placed in the central compartment and, of 

 course, cannot pass to the others. A 4-inch board is nailed across the top, 

 at the center, on which the label is 

 pasted. Burlap or coarse sacking is 

 tacked over the top as cover and a 

 strong handle affords ease in hand- 

 ling the box. The boards composing 

 the sides are nailed 1 inch apart to 

 afford ventilation. From fifteen to 

 twenty birds are put in one of these 

 crates, according to size. 



On arrival the brood thus 



shipped is placed with the mother in 



convenient cover, usually with a coop Ff J^«^ ^^■- ^''"''^f ^ "^^*^ "" ^""Z^^u^ 

 . . . State Farm for shipping tostcr mother 



for shelter, and feeding is done till and brood of young ringnecks. 



