42 



THE GAME BREEDER 



The bobwhite, however, is not to a 

 noticeable degree endowed with migra- 

 tory habits, and is therefore dependent 

 upon civilization for his sustenance and 

 upon man for his protection. The press- 

 ing hand of husbandry has destroyed the 

 coverts that gave them shelter when 

 pursued, and at the same time has ex- 

 posed his home to the rigors of winter, 

 he is therefore, the prey of his natural 

 enemies, combined with the elements 

 until the places that knew him shall 

 know him no more forever, unless the 

 same hand that destroyed reproduces the 

 birds and the conditions which he de- 

 mands. 



As no State within our borders per- 

 mits exportation even for propagation 

 purposes, it is necessary to look to for- 

 eign lands for breeding stock. Northern 

 Mexico has a sufficient supply of bob- 

 white quail to meet the demands of the 

 present if the importations are success- 

 fully handled. 



As business men and sportsmen you 

 ask first, "How will it be managed," 

 second, "What is the cost," third, "Will 

 it pay?'' The Federal Government does 

 not permit the entry of injurious, dis- 

 eased birds or animals, and it is neces- 

 sary to secure from the Federal authori- 

 ties permits for the entry of quail. From 

 1916 to April, 1918, the Government is- 

 sued permits for the importation of 

 66,462 quail from Mexico, of which 

 46,019 were released from quarantine 

 and shipped by importers to purchasers 

 throughout the United States, and to 

 give an idea as to the demand, I am ad- 

 vised by the importers that they do not 

 fill half of their orders. The shipments 

 were made from California to Pennsyl- 

 vania, from Wisconsin to Florida. 



The average cost was $18 per dozen 

 or $1.50 each F. O. B. point of entry, 

 which means an expenditure for the 

 three seasons for birds, not including 

 cost of transportation, feed, etc., of 

 $69,028.50. 



The importers have given me their sin- 

 cere and hearty co-operation, and upon 

 request furnished me a list giving the 

 name of the purchasers, post office ad- 

 dress, number of birds sold, date of 



shipment, which list enabled me to com- 

 municate directly with the purchasers 

 and to learn from them direct result of 

 their efforts. I am pleased to publicly 

 commend the importers and to express 

 my gratefulness for their assistance and 

 courtesy, as I know well that it is their 

 desire, purpose and effort to conduct 

 their business at a financial sacrifice to 

 make the importations successful. While 

 this information was requested with the 

 understanding that it would be treated as 

 confidential, I am pleased to report that 

 it was given without restriction. The 

 date is intact and if needed can be fur- 

 nished to the proper authorities, knowing 

 that it would be used for the greatest 

 good to the greatest numbers. 



The questionnaires were responded to 

 by 35 purchasers, and covered 16,170 

 birds. 



A careful checking shows less than 

 .018 per cent of the birds died in transit, 

 and the average journey therefor was 

 four days; however, where birds were 

 held in captivity for spring liberation the 

 loss was much greater. In some in- 

 stances the entire shipment was lost — 

 on the other hand, birds that were lib- 

 erated as soon, or shortly after receipt, 

 are reported to have survived, mated and 

 reproduced to the satisfaction of the 

 purchaser. 



While many of the birds that died 

 were examined by Federal and State 

 authorities, and while evidence of quail 

 disease was found in some cases, and 

 bird pox in many, the result of the diag- 

 nosis is not sufficiently enlightening to 

 be of benefit. The germ that causes the 

 quail disease has never been isolated or 

 the disease reproduced by inoculating 

 other birds. Bird pox is possibly caused 

 bv injuries incident to capture and con- 

 finement. 



The consensus of opinion of men 

 whose veracity, knowledge and experi- 

 ence cannot be questioned, is that where 

 bobwhite quail are held in captivity un- 

 der sanitary conditions that death is due 

 to a change of diet, that is from a diet 

 composed of green food and insect life 

 to dry grain ; if it is not the direct cause 

 of death it is sufficient cause for many 



