136 



RECREATION. 



though if used too freely it may cause 

 diarrhoea and increase the per cent, of loss. 

 Never feed rnilk or milk products if you 

 would keep the loss down to the lowest 

 percentage. Maggots and ant eggs make a 

 good food, but should not be used until 

 the birds are at least 6 days old. 



Until the birds are 3 weeks old they 

 should be kept under roof in dry quarters. 

 Call them in before rain falls, if a storm is 

 orewing, as loss will result if this is not 

 done. Later, they will seek shelter of 

 their own accord, in bad weather, if they 

 have had plenty of food. In pleasant 

 weather the birds may be allowed great 

 freedom, but should always be protected 

 against birds of prey. At night the birds 

 must be kept in a stable. The young birds 

 will stay around until large enough so that 

 cocks and hens can be distinguished ; then 

 they stray from the stable. 



These rules apply to the common pheas- 

 ant. In raising the King pheasant, the 

 loss is considerably greater, running up to 

 75 per cent. ; but as these may not be much 

 known in this country, I will not describe 

 the special methods for raising thern. If 

 anyone wishes further information, he can 

 have it by asking for it. 



Joseph Brunner, Flat Willow, Mont. 



BELIEVE GROUSE DRINK. 



Last winter, while passing through a 

 piece of wood, I came within sight of a 

 grouse. As is my custom, I tried to get as 

 near him as possible. When as near as 

 propriety would allow I noticed he was 

 standing at the edge of a tiny pool of 

 water drinking, as I then thought and do 

 now. That it was uncommon never oc- 

 curred to me until reading the article of 

 A. F. Rice. The bird was certainly dip- 

 ping his bill in the water, but whether to 

 get gravel, seeds or water I can not tell. 

 After I had watched him some time, he 

 looked at me as much as to say, "I am 

 never afraid when 'that old hat is around." 

 Soon he spread his wings and started for 

 cover, but changed his course, coming 

 within 15 or 20 feet of me. A short time 

 previous he gave me an exhibition of his 

 skill as a drummer. I do not hesitate to 

 pronounce him an artist capable of a posi- 

 tion in the Marine Band. 



Last winter there were several gray and 

 black squirrels and rabbits in the woods. 

 I gave the rabbits apoles and the squirrels 

 corn. The grays were as fluffy as a snow- 

 flake, and the blacks shone like diamonds. 

 They are all gone now. I suppose some 

 vandal murdered them, and while such dia- 

 bolical work is going on we are sending 

 cheap whiskey and missionaries to foreign 

 countries in order -to convert the benighted 

 heathen. May we hear more about grouse 

 drinking. 



A. D. Palmer, Montour Falls, N. Y. 



Replying to A. F. Rice, I am positive 

 that grouse do drink, as do the barnyard 

 fowls ; that plenty of water is highly neces- 

 sary to them. In dry seasons they always 

 congregate near streams and ponds, even 

 though they have to leave better feeding 

 grounds where 'there is no water. I have 

 often seen them close to the water's edge 

 and out on logs which ran into the water. 

 Although I never actually saw a grouse 

 dip his bill into the water, I attribute that 

 to the fact that they had always seen me 

 first and scented danger. 



Last fall, in a dry time, it was only 

 necessary to walk Jowly along a road, 

 ^ hich skirted the lake here, to get shots at 

 grouse hurrying to the water from their 

 feeding grounds above, and again return- 

 ing, more slowly, to the feeding grounds. 



Few people ever saw a grouse drum, but 

 we all know it is a fact that they do. 



W. L. Steward, Monson, Me. 



I see in the November number of Re- 

 creation that A. F. Rice asks for informa- 

 tion on the manner in which grouse^ drink. 

 My knowledge of the matter is that grouse 

 drink the drops of water from the grasses 

 and leaves of trees, this being particularly 

 the case in wide stretches of country de- 

 void of standing or running water. I re- 

 member distinctly a grouse that whirred 

 over my head a few years ago in a deep 

 ravine of the Blue Ridge mountains 

 alighted within 30 feet of me on the edge 

 of a dashing, sparkling, rapid stream. Only 

 a thin screen of laurel leaves separated us 

 from each other. I saw that grouse drink 

 a number of swallows from the brook ex- 

 actly as a barnyard fowl does. She waded 

 in the water knee deep, and after drinking 

 she took a bath. She ruffed up her leathers 

 until she was as large as a neck measure, 

 and the way she flopped and threw the 

 water was a sight. Her bath lasted fully 

 3 minutes, and when she was not bathing 

 she was drinking. From her appearance 

 she was evidently hatching. 



W. L. .Michael, Calno, N. J. 



WHY THE SKUNK FARM FAILED. 



BY E. C. VICK. 



Having just completed an article show- 

 ing the money to be made in raising skunks, 

 I was greatly interested in "The Monroe 

 County Skunk Farm," which appeared in 

 November Recreation. I look to the skunk 

 to turn to profitable use thousands of acres 

 of waste land for which no other use can 

 be found. The skunk is valuable on ac- 

 count of his skin and the oil, which is 

 used for medicinal purposes. Over half a 

 million skunk skins are shipped every 

 year from this country to Europe, and the 

 shipments are limited only by the supply 

 of skins, which are dyed and then sold as 

 Alaskan sable. Coats of this skin sell in 



