192 THE GAME BREEDER 



for that purpose. Will you kindly write me sometimes only one or two sitting hens 



"^CdiwS'"^ ^^°"* *''■ E K MouLTON ^^^^ ^^ found at a place. At the Game 



Breeders' Association the keepers drove 

 On most of the game farms and pre- from one farm to another asking for 

 serves where large numbers of pheas- broody hens and paid cash for them, 

 ants are reared all species of hens are After they had reared their broods they 

 used. Often it is found difficult to get were sold in the market often for as 

 enough broody hens to set the eggs. much as they cost. Good foster mothers 

 The game keepers prefer light hens to were selected and retained for another 

 heavy ones and quiet hens which are far season, 

 better than those which are nervous and = 

 bad sitters. We have used a great vari- Editor Game Breeder : 

 ety of hens gathered in a hurry from With regards to an article in The 

 the farms for miles about the preserve Game Breeder of January, 1917, relating 

 and often we have been surprised that to wild ducks hatching in trees, I wish 

 hens taken from a iiest carried in a bag to state I have been head gamekeeper on 

 to a coop on the wagon and transferred an estate in Ireland in the employ of 

 to the pheasant hatchery house, should Captain Charles George O'Callaghan, 

 at once settle down and appear satis- Ballinahinch, County Clare, Ireland, for 

 fied with a nest of pheasant eggs. Game eleven years, and there was a lake on the 

 keepers Usually try the hens on nest eggs estate about one mile and a half long and 

 to see that they ai-e broody before plac- the wild duck used to hatch in the 

 ing them on the pheasant eggs. crutches of the trees on the islands in 

 We have found that many varieties of the lake from 5 to 20 feet off the ground, 

 common barnyard hens make good quieT:"'*! often had from 10 to 15 wild ducks 

 sitters and foster mothers. Light weight hatching in this manner and no foxes 

 hens which are found to be good on the could get to the islands and the young 

 nest andiift- fcheiopop aTe kept.ovex for ,a - ducklings came down all safe as the fall 

 second season. A hen which breaks eggs does them no harm. I often had pheas- 

 is quickly removed and the eggs remain- ants and wild duck lay their eggs in the 

 ing are placed under a more quiet sitter, same nest on the ground. 

 The percentage of eggs hatched under Connecticut. Michael Flannery. 

 common barnyard hens, which are se- = ■ 

 lected as far as possible on account of We hope the people in all of the States 

 their, light weight and quiet manners is where- it is not a crime to look after the 

 good and most keepers on big game quail profitably will give much of their 

 farms and preserves are well satisfied time and attention to the breeding of our 

 with the common hens gathered from best game bird. These States soon should 

 the farms. have an abundance of quail; the sports- 

 Japanese silkies are excellent foster men should have good shooting during 

 mothers no doubt and some breeders long open seasons; the people should 

 have had good success with bantams, have quail to eat. We predict there will 

 which are the best foster mothers for be a rapid increase of quail during the 

 quail. coming year in all of the quail States 



= and fortunately there are many where 



Rented Hens. fhe quail is not on the song-bird list. 

 At some big preserves hens are rented ' ^' 



from the farmers in the neighborhood Defined. 



and returned after rearing a brood of Bix — I see there's a report from Hol- 



pheasants. The price paid is usually 25 land that concrete bases for German 



cents per hen. I once saw a big lot of cannon have been found there, 

 hens at the Rassaprague Club which Dix — Don't believe a word you hear 



were all tagged and ready to be returned from Holland. The geography says it 



to their numerous owners. The hens is a low, lying country. — Boston Tran- 



are gathered when they are broody and script. 



