554 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



small ones. To be sure, the birds found some insect 

 food, but this was soon exhausted. Small pens have 

 given entire satisfaction for wintering quail and grouse, 

 the only difficulty being wet and dampness when snow 

 melts. The pen should be kept entirely dry, and should 

 be open to the fresh air. 



A better comprehension of the mating and nesting 

 processes of the quail and ruffed grouse is very nec- 

 essary. The breeding of the grouse is complicated by 

 the uncertain and quarrelsome temper of the male. The 

 problem of hatching, like that of food, requires further 

 study. Meantime, of course, the work of bacterio- 

 logical investigation must be kept up, for one of the 

 first problems in rearing these birds is to understand 

 the diseases to which they are subject under these new 

 and unnatural conditions. 



The success of the Sutton Farm with pheasants has 

 been better than with our native game, but even so has 

 not been at all satisfactory. 



