THE GAME BREEDER 



47 



pie who are not suitable for military 

 duty have accepted our idea that it is 

 patriotic to produce and shoot game 

 abundantly and to thus conserve the ba- 

 con and the beef. 



Bob-White a "Singer" in Michigan. 



The Game Commissioner of Michigan 

 says : "Under the close season this bird 

 has made a gratifying increase. Owing 

 to its recognized value to the farmer as 

 an insect and weed-seed destroyer it is 

 doubtful if sentiment will again allow of 

 its being taken as a game bird, unless an 

 unlooked for increase would justify an 

 open season." 



In the same report the commissioner 

 urges that the taking of foxes for prop- 

 agation and profitable breeding should 

 be permitted at all seasons. Since quail 

 sell for $36 per dozen and sometimes 

 more, it would seem to be a good idea 

 to suggest the trapping of breeding stock 

 under permits and the careful breeding 

 of quail for profit in protected fields 

 where foods and covers have been espe- 

 cially planted for the birds and where 

 their natural enemies are controlled be- 

 cause it pays to dp so. We would re- 

 spectfully ask the commissioner if he 

 knows of any good reason why a farmer 

 should not make the quail tremendously 

 plentiful and profitable on his farm if he 

 prefers to engage in quail breeding in- 

 stead of going into the fox business — 

 or even the skunk business, which is 

 thriving in Michigan. 



Surely the sportsmen can not com- 

 plain since the commissioner points out 

 the fact that at present the quail is only 

 a singer and not a sporting or food bird 

 and that it probably never will be re- 

 garded as a broiler. We can assure the 

 commissioner that quail are very good 

 to eat and that it is a very easy and in- 

 expensive matter to keep them plentiful 

 although thousands be eaten every sea- 

 son. No one can be expected to do this, 

 however, unless it pays. Few know how 

 easy it is to have plenty of quail. Plans 

 and specifications are furnished in The 

 Game Breeder, $1.00 per year. 



How to Become a Member of the 

 Game Guild. 



The Game Guild is an important com- 

 mittee of the Game Conservation So- 

 ciety. It certifies the advertisements of 

 members; investigates complaints and 

 requires absolutely fair dealing. It 

 promptly answers letters and inquiries 

 of members on all subjects. The cost 

 of membership is $1.00 per annum. To 

 become a member of the guild it is 

 necessary to send a reference in cases 

 where the member of the society, or 

 advertiser, is not personally known to 

 one of the officers of the society who 

 can endorse the applicant. 



The mail of the society and its pub- 

 lication is much heavier, no doubt, than 

 the mail of an ordinary story magazine. 

 Hundreds of letters keep coming, asking 

 about the breeding industry, the laws, 

 the prices for game, etc., etc. The 

 amount expended for postage is very 

 large and the money received from guild 

 members is used to enable the society 

 to handle this mail and to investigate 

 complaints, etc. There are a few con- 

 tributing members who pay $5.00 per 

 year to help keep up the work of the 

 guild. These contributions are volun- 

 tary. The society wishes the guild to 

 have a large and influential membership 

 and for this reason the dues have been 

 placed at $1.00. The amount will enable 

 the guild to carry on its work if the 

 membership increases as the industry 

 grows in importance. 



Not "Near Mallards." 

 The Game Conservation Society: 



The birds on the front cover of the 

 September Game Breeder are mallards, 

 true in markings and shape. A Massa- 

 chusetts breeder sent me one several 

 years since, an exact brother of the male 

 portrayed. I have him yet. He has 

 grown heavy and clumsy with the years, 

 but his descendants still show the boot 

 shape and right markings. The larger 

 part of my birds are "near-mallards," 

 and better for decoy use and of my 

 patrons than wild birds. I am only a 

 game student, but I think I know per- 

 fect birds. 



