THE GAME BREEDER 



71 



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We were asked recently by an owner 

 of wood ducks in New Jersey if he could 

 move his birds to a new farm in New 

 York and if it was legal to have wood 

 duck in New York? 



In answer to an inquiry addressed to 

 the New Jersey Commission the Secre- 

 tary wrote that it was illegal to move 

 the ducks from New Jersey and also to 

 have them in possession in that State. 



Since the birds, in some cases, are 

 pmioned, their liberation would undoubt- 

 edly result in their destruction by nat- 

 ural enemies or by cats, dogs or rats. If 

 the Secretary is right in his opinion that 

 the ducks cannot be held in possession or 

 moved from the State it would seem that 

 the only thing which can be done is to 

 turn the ducks out and let their enemies 

 devour them. The laws^ it would seem, 

 are intended to "protect the wood duck 

 off the face of the earth." 



Since, however, the laws referred to 

 were enacted after the wood duck were 

 purchased, we have advised the owners 

 of the ducks, which are tame domesti- 

 cated fowls, that the laws were probably 

 intended to apply to wild wood ducks 

 which are said to be owned by the State. 

 It is fair to presume that the legislators 

 have ordinary common sense, and that 

 they did not intend to provide for the 

 destruction of property owned by citi- 

 zens of the State. It is hardly to be pre- 

 sumed that the legislature intended to de- 

 preciate the value of farms and country 

 places and they certainly would be so de- 

 preciated if the laws say that owners of 

 ornamental fowls must see that they are 

 destroyed. 



It is legal to have wood duck in pos- 

 session in New York. Many may be 

 seen at the Zoo and on country estates. 



We have advised our member that he 

 owns the ducks he purchased and that 

 he can take them with him when he 

 moves. 



It should not be a crime to rear any 

 species of food on a farm. Look at your 

 game laws and see what they say about 

 the vanishing grouse and quail. 



Subscribe to The Game Breeder, $1.00 

 a year. 



Regulations Governing the Importa- 

 tion of Quail Into the United States 

 From Northeastern Mexico. Effec- 

 tive November 13, 1916. 



Pursuant to authority conferred by law upon 

 the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secre- 

 tary of Agriculture, permits for the importa- 

 tion of quail from northeastern Mexico will 

 be issued by the Department of Agriculture, 

 but in order to prevent the entry of quail in- 

 fected with the disease commonly known as 

 "quail disease" such permits will be issued 

 subject to the following rules and regulations: 



REGULATION 1. — APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS . 



Applications for permits must be made to 

 the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. 

 C, and must state the name and address of 

 the applicant, the place of shipment, whether 

 the birds will be offered for entry at Eagle 

 Pass, Texas, or at New York, N. Y., the 

 date of probable arrival at port of entry, the 

 approximate number of birds in the consign- 

 ment, and the name and address of the con- 

 signee. 



REGULATION 2. — PORTS OF ENTRY 



For the purposes of these regulations the 

 ports of Eagle Pass, Texas, and New York, 

 N. Y., shall be inspection and quarantine sta- 

 tions, and permits will not be issued for the 

 entry of quail from northeastern Mexico 

 through any other port. 



REGULATION 3. — INSPECTION 



Quail from northeastern Mexico will be 

 subject to examination by an inspector of the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry before they will 

 be allowed to enter. Birds entered at Eagle 

 Pass, Texas, will be subject to inspection and 

 quarantine for a time sufficient to cover the 

 period of incubation of quail disease, but not 

 less than 10 days, counting from date of ar- 

 rival at the quarantine station. Birds en- 

 tered at New York which have been under 

 observation during the voyage for sfficient 

 time to cover the period of incubation of the 

 disease may be entered, in the discretion of 

 the inspector, without further delay if found 

 on inspection to be free from disease, but if 

 any symptoms indicative of quail discasfc are 

 present the entire consignment shall be quar- 

 antined for a period not less than 10 days 

 and held subject to special instructions from 

 the Department of Agriculture. 



REGULATION 4. — PERMITS 



Permits for the entry of quail from north- 

 eastern Mexico will be issued only to appli- 

 cants who are prepared to ship the birds in 

 sanitary crates and to care for them properly 

 during the period of quarantine. Crowding 

 birds in crates in excess of the limit hereafter 

 specified, removal of dead birds without sub- 

 mitting them for examination by the inspector, 

 failure to clean or disinfect inclosures or 

 crates or to maintain or ship the birds in a 

 sanitary condition after due notice by the in- 

 spector will be considered sufficient ground.s 

 for withholding further permits during the 

 season. 



