8 



THE GAME BREEDER 



abundant and kept so on suitable areas 

 provided proper methods be applied. Our 

 markets always should be full of grouse 

 at attractive prices. If Dr. Fisher knew 

 how much trouble the game conservation 

 society has had in procuring grouse for 

 breeding purposes in order to show the 

 proper methods for increasing their 

 numbers he would, we feel sure, change 

 his "Plea for experiments in breeding 

 the grouse family" to a "Plea for a change 

 in the game laws to- enable the conserva- 

 tion society to procure more grouse for 

 breeding purposes." 



It has been almost impossible for us 

 to get all the prairie grouse we want or 

 in fact any number suitable for good 

 experimental work, and we are inclined 

 to think the biological survey has had a 

 hand in producing the undesirable condi- 

 tions. We never let up, however, when 

 we go after anything and we will in time 

 get plenty of grouse; but the delays are 

 unfortunate, to put it mildly. We shall 

 be obliged to the doctor if he will inform 

 us if the biological survey can legally 

 secure for us a few dozen prairie grouse 

 at, say, $5 per bird or any old price 

 within reason. 



If the survey can not secure the stock 

 why should a public officer put in any 

 time on a "Plea for experiments in breed- 

 ing the grouse family" ? We will do 

 the necessary work if the survey will 

 furnish the stock — at our epense. 



It is one thing to advise and confer; 

 it is quite another thing to get busy 

 breeding grouse for sport and for profit. 

 We sometimes think one of our members 

 may have been right when he called at 

 the office to say that conferring might be 

 only another name for camouflage in or- 

 der to cover the securing of more re- 

 strictive game laws prohibiting the sale 

 and shipping of game. 



. Read the restrictions in the pending 

 migratory bird law, proposed, we under- 

 stand, by the U. S. biological survey in 

 consultation with the great and only wild- 

 lifer, and handed to the protective asso- 

 ciation to put over on the congress. Is 

 there anything in the proposed law which 

 would suggest a "Plea for experiments 

 in breeding the wild duck family"? 



As we read the proposed law no one 

 can sell or transport a duck. Will not 

 future pleas for experiments with ducks 

 be as idle as a plea for the grouse now 

 is ? Was not the naturalist, Dr. Shufeldt, 

 right when he intimated that the game 

 was being protected "off the face of the 

 earth"? ' 



The main plea now seems to be that 

 we can save the game by prohibiting 

 field sports, putting the game on the 

 song-bird list, etc. We insist there is a 

 better way and if the survey has any 

 sincerity in its pleas it might be ex- 

 hibited in an amendment to the proposed 

 law reading, "Nothing in this statute shall 

 apply to game owned by breeders and 

 they shall be given permits to secure 

 fowls for breeding purposes." 

 Quiet vs. Noisy Refuges. 



We have no possible objection to the 

 creation of numerous quiet refuges ad- 

 vocated by the protective associations and 

 professional wild-lifers. The country is 

 big enough for those who are opposed 

 to shooting to have such quiet refuges 

 where foxes, hawks and other vermin 

 will keep the game from becoming abun- 

 dant. 



We believe some lively noisy "shoots" 

 and game farms in every county will 

 produce better results for all hands and 

 that it will not be found necessary to 

 make entire states into quiet refuges with 

 the food birds on the song-bird list. 



Often we are asked, "Where can I pur- 

 chase game ?" Our answer invariably is : 

 "You can purchase with perfect safety 

 from advertisers in The Game Breeder. 

 Those who carry large spaces probably 

 have the most game." It would be un- 

 fair for us to especially recommend any 

 particular dealers. In some cases where 

 we happen to know a dealer has fresh 

 trapped birds of the species required we 

 may mention the fact in the magazine 

 since we think it important that our 

 readers should secure all the fresh 

 trapped game which appears for sale. 



The best and the safest places to buy 

 game and game eggs are always adver- 

 tised in The Game Breeder. 



