R-US>I 



2 



6-6-30 



In A.ieri.ca^ our gaiao was ada^s ted . to conditions in a sparsely populated 

 country where the hunters were armed 'tiih irirnitive wea;pon8. Then, suddenly they 

 had to face v;ell-arrr.ed hunters and a fact i^lrowin;^ po.3\ilation. The change', ca'ne 

 too fast for them. 



Whether or not thL-'.t j.s the true reason, Ilr, wIcAteo says there is little 

 doubt tliat wild life of the Old World, xn general, lias fhowii greater a^?lity than 

 that of the Hew to survive in thickly ^ooulated co-anti'y: 



For thJt reason, he thinks we iiii J:it well 'bri.ig in more foreiji "oirds to 

 keep up our fu-y^ly of ga'^e. Of course, he says, where there are plenty of native 

 gane "birds there is no need to "bring in others from abroad. But where the native 

 bxrds don't supply the desaand, there are a number of foreign gar.ie birds that laay 

 be better adapted to o-ur raodern co.xdxtions in America than our own native birds. 



In places where the r.rng-necked pheasant lias become well-estaVlished, it 

 has settled just between the ruffed grouse, which lives in the woods, and the 

 bobwhite, which loves to be near the cultivated fields. The pheasant prefers , . 

 shrubby pastures, brushy gullies, and marshy lands. It liardl:' CCTiies into com- 

 petition wj-th the ruffed grouse and cobwhite at all. The Hurigarian partridge 

 on the other hand, favors the same local surroundings as does our own bobwhite. 

 Put the Hungarian partridge occupied that sort of land xn a range farther north 

 than the bobwhite can stand the winters. 



So you See, even in sections v/here there is a hi^h degree cf cultivation, 

 there ray be space for new foreign game birds that will add to our total supply 

 of gaT.e wj. thout interferirig much with our own native birds. 



Mr. iilcAtee thinks that in some regions we might add such game birds as the 

 Japanese pheasant, some of the African guinea fowl?, the Indian peafowl, and the 

 red-legged partridges which range fran northern Africa and southern Europe into 

 A'^ia as far as India, 



He p.a;)'s that the birds t.-a.t man has most successfully exploited have been 

 hardy, wide ranging kinds. The ring-necked pheasant is one of a nianber of 

 closely related pheasants ranging from Asia Minor to Japan and Java. And the 

 so-called Hungarian partridge is practically the same as the partridges that 

 occupy ranges extending from the British Isles to Siberia and India. They have 

 shown their arility to stand a wide variety of surroundir^gs and climates. 



In looking around the world for new game birds to add to those we already 

 have, Ivlr. McAtee taker into consideration the latitude, the temperature, and the 

 rainfall of the countries where the birds are native compared to tl:e same con- 

 ditions here. He says tliat if the rainfall and temperature of a desirable game 

 bird's r^tive home can be fairly well matched, it is safe to assu:..e that other 

 thirds can be adjusted so th-at bird can be naturalized. 



The trouble has been that a lot of folks who have tried to introduce game 

 birds here in the past have often failed lo go about this thing in a well-planned 

 wa^'. Before we brir^g in any game bird from abroad wo should investigate it in 

 its native ho .e. We should r.iake sure io is a gane bird we wont. T7e ^cjLld 

 look c:^refull,; into the question of whether it is adapted to the particular 

 section of our country where we plan to plant it. And be sure that there is a 

 Suitable place for it in this country. 



Introducing new game birds in this country takes money and hard work. 

 Mr. McAtce says, however, th t above all, it takes wisdom, foresight, and good 



