No. 4.] GAME PROTECTION. 279 



The Artificial Propagation of Game. 



The rearing of native upland game birds in confinement is still a 

 subject of experiment, and never has been made a financial success; 

 but enough has been accomplished to prove that it is possible to rear 

 the ruffeil grouse, the pinnated grouse and the bob-white in domesti- 

 cation. Mallard ducks, black ducks, wood ducks, teal, Canada geese 

 and a few other species have been reared successfully. When such 

 birds as wood ducks and Canada geese find a ready market alive at 

 from $5 to $15 a pair, or more, those who understand the business of 

 rearing them ought to make a {profit. Pheasants may be sold at 

 similar prices, and at present they will bring about $3 per pair, food 

 value, in some of our markets. The writer introduced in the Massa- 

 chusetts Legislature of 1908 a bill framed to permit the sale of 

 pheasants in the markets. This bill, although altered somewhat from 

 the original draft, passed to be enacted in such form as to allow the 

 shooting and sale of these birds if taken by the owner on his own land 

 under permit from the Massachusetts Commissioners on Fisheries and 

 Game. Any successful pheasant raiser in Massachusetts ought now to 

 be able to dispose of all the birds that he can rear. If the people take 

 advantage of this law, enough of these birds should be raised by 

 farmers and sportsmen to make them plentiful in our markets. The 

 ring-necked pheasant, which is the species most commonly reared, is 

 not a conspicuous success as a wild game bird in Massachusetts; but 

 it has succeeded better, under the adverse conditions surrounding 

 game birds here, than has any other introduced species. It thrives 

 best, however, if given some care and protection, and it needs to be 

 fed in winter. As a half-domesticated game bird, artificially propa- 

 gated, protected and fed by man, it is unexcelled. Its general distri- 

 bution throughout the State under protection is not desirable, for it 

 carries diseases that are fatal to native game birds; and where it 

 becomes numerous it is destructive to certain crops, and consumes the 

 food of quail in winter. But if reared in inclosures while young, and 

 allowed to run half wild on the grounds of the owner, it makes a very 

 desirable addition to the supply of game for the table, and therefore 

 will probably take the place in our markets of some of the native game 

 birds now illegally sold. 



A general open shooting season for pheasants would prevent them 

 from becoming over numerous, and thus constituting a menace to 

 our native game birds. In the mean time, those who wish to prop- 

 agate or protect pheasants have now their opportunity. 



Deer may be reared in pastures and sold alive at a profit. The 

 rearing of game in inclosures or on preserves must be depended on to 

 help in solving the problem of the game supply of the future. 



