No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE ORNITHOLOGIST. 211 



1911 a tract of between 5,000 and 0,000 acres of land in 

 Plymouth County was purchased for this purpose hy some 

 friends of the birds, but means for carrying on the work 

 were not then forthcoming. The Massachusetts gentlemen 

 who first underwrote the property have finally leased it to 

 the newly organized ISTational Game Protective and Propa- 

 gation Association. This society now has begun there the 

 propagation of game birds. Following the example of Eng- 

 lish game keepers, a beginning was made with pheasants 

 and mallard ducks. Many mallards and pheasants have 

 been reared, but the most interesting part of the experiment 

 consisted in attempts to rear native wild ruffed grouse and 

 bobwhites. In a small way these experiments with native 

 birds have been successful. A considerable number of wood 

 ducks have been reared, two families of bobwhites and one 

 family of ruffed grouse, and something has been learned 

 regarding the methods of handling native birds. Meanwhile 

 the State Ornithologist of Connecticut, Mr. Herbert K. Job, 

 has conducted an expedition to the Canadian I'J'orthwest for 

 the purpose of securing the eggs of native wild fowl and 

 rearing tlic young so as to secure a stock of birds untainted 

 with the natural wildness of the species. He has brought 

 his birds back to Connecticut, and most of them have been 

 reared with little difficulty. The experiments that have been 

 made by the Massachusetts Commissioners on Fisheries and 

 Game, by similar commissions of other States and by private 

 individuals in many States lead to the belief that eventually 

 M'e shall learn how to rear many native game birds in large 

 numbers. 



The Legislature of Massachusetts, following that of New 

 York, passed a law in 1912 which prohibits the sale of native 

 wild game birds after Jan. 1, 1913, except such as are raised 

 on game farms and tagged when marketed under regulations 

 to be made by the Fish and Game Commission. This will 

 encourage the rearing of game, and it is to this source that 

 we must look for game for market in the future. The rear- 

 ing of game on enclosed grounds for the markets is just 

 beginning in this country. Those who have succeeded in 



