Release areas were, by necessity, selected mostly by State biol- 
ogists, largely from photographs and written descriptions of habitat, 
climate and other conditions existing within the native range of a 
species. Selections varied from completely suitable to unsuitable, so 
Program biologists are now attempting to evaluate each new area in 
advance. 
The numbers of birds released on an area have varied from 11 to 
over 1000 birds a year. Follow-up releases of additional birds on the 
Same area have been all too few, thus impairing the chances of success- 
ful establishment. 
Although it is generally believed that wild-trapped birds liberated 
by the gentle-release method will wander less, the records here presented 
shed little light on this point. Indian sandgrouse, gray francolin, 
chukars and the ring-necked pheasant group are apt to wander widely 
following release; black francolin normally spread out slowly from the 
point of Liberation. 
When the Program was started some biologists expressed fear that 
foreign species, if successful, might adversely affect native game birds. 
State biologists have been alert to this possibility, but no evidence has 
been reported to date to substantiate this view. 
In the current year the Nevada Commission liberated the Himalayan 
snowcock, No other new birds, or wild-trapped individuals of species 
already under trial, have been released. State game farms have been 
remarkably successful in producing most of the species recommended for 
trial, in numbers sufficient to continue releases where required. In 
1963, 25 States liberated 23,958 farm raised individuals of 19 species, 
mostly to supplement releases previously undertaken, 
Current Status of State Releases by Species 
While, for most species under trial, it is still too early to evalu- 
ate results, some are evident. Iranian pheasants, black francolin, and 
gray francolin have definitely demonstrated an ability to survive, re- 
produce and increase substantially on a number of release areas. Con- 
versely Indian sandgrouse have disappeared and Reeve's pheasants, though 
tried in substantial numbers in several States, are barely hanging on. 
Six other species are maintaining themselves in numbers sufficient to 
justify guarded optimism and two others have probably failed. 
The coturnix quail, liberated in very large numbers between 1956 
and 1961 by many States, apparently failed to take, It was not rec- 
ommended for trial by the Foreign Game Introduction Program and is not 
considered further in this report. 
The current status, by species, may be summarized as follows: 
