38 



THE GAME BREEDER 



Quail and Boll Weevils. 



The question is being asked every day, 

 "Do quail destroy the boll weevil?" 

 Basing my opinion upon information re- 

 ceived from both State and Federal 

 authorities on the subject, I would say 

 that the bob-white cannot properly be 

 classed among the birds which feed on 

 the weevil. While reports of boll 

 weevils being found in the crops of 

 quail, in this State recently, might indi- 

 cate the reverse, the explanation is prob- 

 ably found when it is said few people 

 know a boll weevil when they see it, 

 particularly after it has passed into the 

 stomach of a bird, and other insects are 

 mistaken for them. It is, of course, 

 possible that the quail may acquire an 

 appetite for this bug, but this remains to 

 be proven, and full investigations with 

 that end in view will be made next sum- 

 mer, and the result made public. 



Other Recent Raids by the Game War- 

 dens. 



A number of game breeders, engaged 

 in the laudable industry of food pro- 

 ducing, have complained recently that 

 they have been "hounded" by game 

 wardens. One member of The Game 

 Conservation Society writes that he 

 knows of two breeders who have given 

 up their industry on this account. 



The Boies Case. 



Mr. H. A. Boies, of Millbrook, N. Y., 

 writes that some years ago he procured 

 some mallard eggs from Connecticut, by 

 purchase. He raised a lot of ducks and 

 later, having been burned out, he gave 

 the birds he produced by industry to his 

 father-in-law who subsequently raised 

 about twenty-five ducks and ate all of 

 them but eight. These he gave to Mr. 

 Boies who wished again to undertake 

 duck breeding. 



Having read in The Game Breeders' 

 magazine that breeders were required to 

 have a license to breed food birds, he 

 applied and paid for a license, sending 

 the money to Albany. 



Two ■ game policemen called a week 

 later and asked for $200 because he had 

 eight tame ducks before he applied for 



the license. Later they decided to take 

 $20. Because this was not paid prompt- 

 ly one, John R. McCormick, who signs 

 his letter George D. Pratt, by John R. 

 McCormick, Deputy Chief, D. F. G. C. 

 C, wrote a charming letter to the food 

 producer stating that the asking price for 

 the crime referred to would now be $100, 

 "Since $20 is not agreeable to you." 

 This letter is printed on another page. 



The mallard is not considered an in- 

 digenous duck in Connecticut where it 

 is replaced by a near relative, the black 

 duck, entirely different in appearance. 

 The eggs which Mr. Boies purchased 

 some years ago, were, undoubtedly, the 

 eggs of the common green-head of the 

 barn yard, which are owned by farmers 

 in many States. 



The State Game Officer never would 

 have been aware that Mr. Boies was pro- 

 ducing food on his farm had he not 

 formed the impression that he must have 

 a license. Should he be fined $200, $100 

 or even $20 because he told the depart- 

 ment that he was producing food ? Why 

 not issue the license and let it go at that? 



More Cases. 



We have a number of other recent 

 cases where the force pounced upon 

 small pheasant breeders who innocently 

 were producing pheasants without pay- 

 ing the preliminary penalty or fine for so 

 doing. 



A New Program Suggested. 



How would it do in the future, where 

 any reputable farmer is found to have 

 tame birds in his possession and to be 

 innocently producing food to simply say 

 he must conform to the law (absurd as 

 it may seem) and pay the original pen- 

 alty of $5.00 for food producing, and 

 to omit the extra $200 or $2,000 or what- 

 ever the sum may be. The amount de- 

 pends on the number of stock birds pur- 

 chased, we are told,- but it would seem 

 also to depend somewhat on the mood 

 of the arresting officer or the grand 

 deputy, "D. F." &c., &c. 



We believe a suspension of excessive 

 fines for food producing would be desir- 

 able during the continuance of the war. 



