THE SCARCITY OF RUFFED GROUSE 111 1907. 385 



was proved to be due to an infectious disease caused by a microbe, a variety 

 of Bacillus colt. 



Circular Xo. 109, Bureau of Animal Industry, Department of Agri- 

 culture, is a preliminary report on a disease that has become prevalent 

 among all quail (Bobwhite) received by dealers in live birds from Alabama, 

 Kansas and Indian Territory, and which appears to be infectious. Whole 

 shipments were wiped out. 



Bacteriological investigation of these proved that the cause was a 

 microbe similar to that found in the "grouse disease " of England and 

 Scotland. 



The quail on a 30.000 acre preserve near Georgetown, N. C, have 

 been practically exterminated by this disease. In 1906 the quail were 

 abundant there and in the spring of 1907, 1,800 birds from Alabama were 

 planted in addition. The latter were infected and the disease spread from 

 them to the native birds, killing them all. 



The above cases have been cited simply to show the possibility that a 

 similar disease may have developed among our grouse. 



The best argument against the theory that an epidemic of some disease 

 was in itself alone responsible for the destruction of the ruffed grouse, is 

 that which has previously been given to explain the large proportion of old 

 cocks to hens and young which were killed in the fall of 1907. In other 

 words that if there was a disease, it was merely secondary, and serious in its 

 effect only because of the weakened condition in which it found the 

 majority of the birds; a condition due to the inclement weather of the 

 breeding season. 



6. The scarcity of ruffed grouse is thought by a few to be due to an 

 internal parasite. 



Mr. Charles K. Hall of East Schodack, N. Y., writes that he met an old 

 lady in Washington county who laid it to the " white worm." " She said, 

 when dressing some birds this fall she had noticed a little sore place, or 

 what might be a shot hole, in the breast, and upon cutting it open had 

 found a worm from two to three inches long, and about the size of a small 

 match." 



Mr. I. E. Mather of Haverstraw, Rockland county, N. Y., writes: 



