DESTRUCTION AND PROTECTION 543 



which are likely to prove fatal to young grouse, prob- 

 ably explains why our native species have not long 

 since been domesticated. All former attempts to 

 domesticate them have been made in the poultry yard 

 and its environment. The same is now being proved 

 to explain why the turkey, another native American 

 species, cannot be reared on ground contaminated by 

 domestic fowls. This is the fifth year in which the 

 experiment of rearing ruffed grouse with bantam hens 

 has been tried, and although the second year 6 birds 

 were reared out of a clutch of 12, for all the other 

 years fatalities by this method have amounted to 100 

 per cent. This season is particularly decisive because 

 the work was done on new ground under most favor- 

 able conditions, with the benefit of past experience, and 

 in clear competition with the brooder method." 



On the other hand his experience led him to believe 

 that except for accidents, practically every ruffed 

 grouse chick hatched may be reared to maturity by the 

 brooder method. Brooders connected with yards in 

 which the chicks may run during warm days offer a 

 method which is not expensive. The young develop 

 and feather out rapidly, and except for the two first 

 weeks need no artificial heat, except during cold storms. 



Professor Hodge suggests the possibility of rearing 

 a strain of hens to be hatched in incubators and reared 

 on uncontaminated ground which possibly might be 

 safe for mothers and brooders. 



Professor Hodge found the bobwhite quail much 

 easier to handle than the grouse, and experimented 



