116 



THE GAME BREEDER 



conies a fair mark for those who may 

 legally take it in the open season. 



It is gratifying to observe how wide- 

 spread the more game movement now 

 is. The advantage of being permitted 

 to sell one's game is evident when we 

 say the owner may take it in any quan- 

 tity during a long open season, other- 

 wise it would not pay to have it. He 



need not sell it if he does not wish to. 

 The thousands of game birds reared 

 this season undoubtedly will be eaten 

 by their owners, or given away to 

 friends. Some, no doubt, will be sold 

 to help pay the cost of rearing. Next 

 year the crop will be big; in all the more- 

 game states. 



BREEDING WILD ANIMALS 



Raising Them for Their Fur Has Become a Profitable Industry. 



According to the annual report of the an additional important reason for the 



Biological Survey, recently submitted destruction of the animals, 

 to Secretary Wilson, the rearing of fur- The bureau reports that the antelope 



bearing animals in the United States is in greater danger of extermination 



for their pelts continues to be a subject than any other kind of American big 



of much interest. Skunks, muskrats, game; that there is great need for a 



mink, and foxes are bred in captivity 

 or on preserves. The large prices 

 asked for mature black foxes for breed- 

 ing purposes have resulted in confin- 



suitable preserve in the antelope 

 country. 



The buffalo on the national bison ■ 

 range have now increased to eighty- 



ing the industry in the hands of a very one, or forty-four more than the origi- 

 few. Comparatively few attempts have nal number three years ago. 



been made to raise mink in the United 

 States, but experiments are being con- 

 ducted in co-operation with the Na- 

 tional Zoological Park with a view to 

 determining the most successful 

 methods of rearing these animals. 



Muskrat farming has probably reached gulls, tern, and especially herons 

 its highest point of development on New York Times. 



There are fifty-six bird reserva- 

 tions, and additional inspectors and 

 wardens have been appointed to care 

 for them. 



Every effort has been made to stop 

 the sale of plumage of certain birds, 



the eastern shore of Maryland. Musk- 

 rat marshes are worth more, measured 

 by their actual income, than cultivated 

 farms of like acreage in the same neigh- 

 borhood. Only one other animal in the 

 world, the European rabbit, exceeds 

 the muskrat in the number of skins 

 marketed. 



This report also calls attention to 

 experiments for the extermination of 

 prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and 

 gophers that are being conducted by 

 means of poison baits, traps and other 



WEST VIRGINIA FISH AND 



GAME PROTECTIVE 



ASSOCIATION. 



At a meeting of the West Virginia 

 Fish and Game Protective Association, 

 held December 5th, Hon. J. A. Viques- 

 ney presiding, the following resolutions 

 were adopted : 



1. We favor a more effective law re- 

 lating to prevention and extinguish- 

 ment of forest fires, and the appropria- 

 tion of a sum especially for tlais pur- 



methods. Spotted-fever ticks in the pose. The present law, though crude, 

 two younger stages live almost wholly has, through the efforts of the game 



upon small native rodents, and the Cali 

 fornia ground squirrel has been in- 

 fected with bubonic plague by fleas 

 from rats. The danger that the dis- 

 eases may become endemic furnishes 



warden's department, saved millions of 

 dollars of property annually. 



2. We commend the efficient services 

 of the present game warden's depart- 

 ment and would like to see him receive 



