OTHER RESOURCES OF MICHIGAN 121 



sand moose there, an estimate regarded as moderate 

 by the Commissioner. 



In 1916 the Public Domain Commission established 

 a game farm four miles southeast of j\Iason, Ing- 

 ham County, whose principal service has been the 

 propagation of ring-necked pheasants, for the pur- 

 pose of stocking the wild lands of the State. In 

 1920, 58,468 eggs were produced on this farm, of 

 which 38,463 were sent to individual applicants for 

 hatching, and 4,461 adult birds reared on the farm 

 were distributed in general field covert, principally 

 in the southern counties of the Lower Peninsula. 

 The State Game, Fish and Forest Fire Commissioner, 

 who was responsible for this undertaking, reports 

 general success in securing pheasant colonies even in 

 northern counties where results were not anticipated. 

 It was believed that this bird would well replace 

 the ruffed grouse whose depletion, it was hoped, 

 would be offset by this imported variety.^ In 1919, 

 the propagation of wild turkeys was also begun at 

 the State game farm and a few birds were released 

 in 1921. The bird was formerly very abundant, if 

 the accounts of pioneers are to be credited, but has 

 been completely exterminated in a wild state." 



' "Rept. State Game, Fish and Forest Fire Commissioner," 

 1919-1920, 12. 



^ How "Xature, dospite man's grasping ways, provides 

 more altundaiilly Hum ever food and shelter for the birds 

 and animals," is deseribed by George Shiras, 3d, in The 

 National (leographic Marjazine for August, 1921, page 202fT. 

 Shiras is very familiar with wild life and the conditions 



