THIRTY-SECOND BIKNXIAI, REPORT 53 



well as the natural insect life that the bird lives upon. Pheasants 

 adjust themselves to any and all climatic conditions. 



MANNER OF DISTRIBUTING GAME BIRDS 



For the past six years it has been the custom to hatch and rear all 

 birds until they were ten to twelve weeks of age at which time they 

 were liberated in areas that had been surveyed and determined suitable 

 for them. This plan called for a large number of rearing pens, and 

 as the number required for planting each year increased, it was decided 

 that some other plan must be evolved, or the equipment at the farms 

 increased beyond the limits of safety. 



EGG DISTRIBUTION 



One method of relieving this situation was the distribution of eggs 

 to farmers and interested sportsmen who would hatch and rear the 



Pig. 13. Twenty rearing- pens just completed at Bakersfield by the sportsmen and 



Chamber of Commerce. 



birds and then release them on suitable areas. In order to make this 

 plan successful, it was necessary to get out bulletins describing in 

 detail the operations of setting, hatching, feeding, and the general 

 care of the birds. In so far as was possible a field man contacted the 

 individuals to further assist in the work. Many thousands of eggs 

 were distributed in this way and many more birds were added to the 

 number liberated from the same farms each year. At the same time 

 the interest in this work was increased many fold by the personal 

 contacts with the work and the general knowledge gained by those 

 participating. 



DISTRIBUTION OF THIRTY-DAY-OLD CHICKS 



As the plans for artificial incubation and brooding developed it 

 was deemed advisable to offer to those who would provide the pens for 

 the further development of these birds thirty-day-old chicks direct 

 from our electric brooders. This plan has developed beyond all expec- 

 tations with many clubs, farmers, and interested individuals provid- 



