THE GAME BREEDER 



11 



The AUDUBON HOUSE, headquar- 

 ters of this Association, with its collec- 

 tions of bird specimens and reference 

 library of Nature books, will be open to 

 visitors from about the latter part of 

 May till late autumn. Circulars giving 

 full details and terms may be had by 

 addressing our New York office, or, bet- 

 ter, direct to Herbert K. Job, 291 Main 

 Street, West Haven, Conn. 



In reference to the matter of the game- 

 breeding operations, we expect important 



the Canvasback. His winter feeding 

 method is based upon Nature, taking into 

 account the fact that the wild fowl mi- 

 grate south to locations abounding in 

 aquatic vegetation and small life, where 

 they feed up into prime physical con- 

 dition. Beginning, then, not later than 

 early January, he feeds intensively for 

 tgg production, besides using grain, giv- 

 ing plenty of vegetable and animal mat- 

 ter. His staple morning feed is raw 

 vegetables, such as small potatoes, 



Brood of California Valley Quail raised at Amston. 



results this present season. Last season, 

 among other work, we raised broods of 

 young Wood Duck, Redhead, and Can- 

 vasback, with hardly the loss of a bird. 

 This was attributed to great care and 

 cleanliness in feeding, using only freshly 

 prepared food, never allowing any of it 

 to lie about and sour, also to having 

 plenty of lettuce and clean sand, and 

 occasional feeds of chopped angleworms. 



The main problem in the propagation 

 of our native wild ducks other tnan Mal- 

 lards is to make them produce eggs. A 

 proper place and stimulating winter feed- 

 ing are the two main essentials. In this 

 province our Keeper, Mr. McPhail, has 

 had excellent success, even in breeding 



mangles, or other kinds, chopped up fine, 

 scalded, and mixed with a rich mash, 

 including plenty of beef or fish scrap, 

 also occasionally some leaf vegetation, 

 such as kale, celery or other tops or 

 sprouts, sprouted oats, cabbage, &c. The 

 evening feed is of mixed grain, especially 

 cracked corn, wheat, and barley. 



We winter the ducks in an aquatic 

 house, described in The Game Breeder 

 December, 1916, built out in the pond, 

 with large frame windows, a platform 

 with litter where they may feed and dry 

 themselves, and a large, deep swimming- 

 pool which never freezes even in severe 

 weather, though without artificial heat. 

 This winter we have not lost a bird, 



