22 



THE GAME BREEDER 



would pay the fine, which he hoped his 

 Lordship would make as easy as possible, 

 which he did under the circumstances. 

 But you can judge of my chagrin 

 when on arriving home that night my 

 wife told me a gentleman had been there 

 for a day's partridge shooting, and when 

 she told him I was away getting a notor- 

 ious poacher tried, he said it was a great 

 pity and hoped he would get his deserts. 

 However, as the Duke had sent him 

 down, he would just go out for a few 

 brace. When I asked my wife what 



kind of a sport he was, she told me he 

 was a little dapper kind o' a man, 

 dressed in a knicker suit, and had a setter 

 with him. Next morning I was told by 

 the farmer where he had put up his horse 

 and trap that if the gentleman was any- 

 thing of a shot he must have made a 

 good bag, as he had had a tremendous 

 shooting. Yes, I found out the birds he 

 took away had more than paid his fine. 

 The cunning old beggar had rung the 

 change on me that time. — Nimrod. 



THE GAME BREEDERS' PAGE. 



EARLY NESTING. 



Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny, of Louisiana, 

 writes March 13 : "Both the blue winged 

 teal and the black mallards are now 

 nesting. The wardens on Marsh Island 

 and the wardens on the Ward-Mdl- 

 henny Preserve have reported to me in 

 the last few days finding numbers of 

 nests, some of them with complete 

 clutches and incubation well advanced. 

 I think this is the earliest record I have 

 of these ducks breeding in Louisiana." 



Mr. Mcllhenny also says the mallards 

 did not come South as usual this year 

 probably on account of the warm winter. 



WATER-CRESS. 



One of our Wisconsin readers writes 

 for information about water-cress as a 

 food for wild fowl. He says: "I note 

 on pp. "46-47 of Our Wild Fowl and 

 Waders a reference made to an English 

 writer who recommends water-cress for 

 planting on pools and streams to be used 

 for duck shooting. I would be pleased 

 to hear further from you or any of your 

 readers who have had experience with 

 this plant." 



It so happened that two English game 

 keepers were in the office when this let- 

 ter came and both said the wild ducks 

 were very fond of water-cress. We 

 know of no place in America where it 

 has been planted especially for wild 

 ducks. Plants and seeds easily can be 



procured and it undoubtedly is an at- 

 tractive food. 



We would be glad to hear from any 

 of our readers who have water-cress. 



RUFFED GROUSE BREEDING. 



The success that the Association has 

 met with in breeding ruffed grouse 

 through the second generation has nat- 

 urally called forth a great many inquiries 

 on the subject. The letter reproduced 

 below is from Mr. Charles W. Dimick, 

 a member of the game farm committee. 

 He has given himself heart and soul to 

 this matter. He writes as follows : 



"We have not found it necessary to 

 use ant eggs for the young grouse, as 

 we have kept the chicks in a place where 

 they were able to catch many insects. 

 I should not feel it safe, however, to 

 be without the ant eggs in case the in- 

 sect crop should fail. 



"The grouse, as soon as hatched, 

 should be so placed that they can get 

 as much natural insect food as possible 

 and must not be allowed to stay long 

 enough in any location to be affected 

 by their own dirt. The oftener they 

 are moved, the better. 



"We have used the Spratt's chick food, 

 which we soak in milk, and hard boiled 

 eggs ground up with the shells. Most 

 anything of the kind is good, but must 

 be given in very small quantities. Most 



