546 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



menting with ruffed grouse, yet one clutch of 12 eggs 

 was secured, 10 of these hatched and 3 reared to 

 maturity. In the loss of 7 of these chicks a very im- 

 portant discovery was made. Insect food being essen- 

 tial to the young birds, a large number of striped plant 

 bugs were obtained by sweeping the grass where they 

 were abundant with insect nets. The young chicks 

 ate them eagerly, and went to sleep and died as if they 

 had been chloroformed. Professor Hodge points out 

 that these bugs give out a strong odor similar to that 

 of the squash bug, and Conradi found that when squash 

 bugs were fed to toads, these died as though poisoned 

 with chloroform. While Conradi found that 5 or 6 

 squash bugs might be sufficient to kill a toad, Miss 

 Morse has fed as many as 1 1 to bobwhite at a single 

 meal with no apparent ill effect. Toads ate the plant 

 bugs in large quantities without injury, but it is ap- 

 parent that strong-smelling bugs should not be fed to 

 young ruffed grouse. 



The experiments with bobwhite proved very success- 

 ful. The season began with 5 pairs and several extra 

 cocks. The first egg was laid by May 6th, and 4 

 of the hens had begun laying by May loth. Not less 

 than 247 eggs were laid, an average of 49 to the 

 pair, but Mr. Merrill, of the State Game Farm, had 

 a hen quail which laid 100 eggs. Two of Professor 

 Hodge's hens died during the summer, but the 3 that 

 survived laid an average of 65 eggs each. In all 114 

 chicks were hatched and 75 reared. A most excellent 

 showing, but one that will unquestionably be greatl} 



