THE BIRD STUDY BOOK 



snakes, and other predatory creatures, it is an open 

 question whether in the long run our game birds 

 would be the gainers thereby. 



Some time ago I visited a large game farm in one 

 of the Southern States, where for several years the 

 owner had been engaged in raising English Ring- 

 necked Pheasants. The gamekeeper stated that 

 there were about six thousand of these brilliantly 

 coloured birds on the preserve at that time. He also 

 pointed with pride to an exhibit on the walls of a 

 small house. An examination showed that the two 

 sides and one end of this building were thickly deco- 

 rated with the feet of Hawks, Crows, Owls, domestic 

 cats, minks, weasels, and other creatures that [were 

 supposed to be the enemies of Pheasants. Two men 

 were employed on the place to shoot and trap at all 

 seasons, and the evidences of their industry were 

 nailed up, to let all men see that the owner of the big 

 game farm meant to allow no wild bird or animal to 

 fatten on his game birds. 

 A year later 1 again visited the same preserve and 

 [ii8] 



