Connecticut western news., 1911-01-12
WHY NOT HAVE NATIVE
 GAME BIRDS PLENTY AGAIN?
State OrnithoIogist Job Declares Art. ficial Propagation is the Key to the
 Prohlam

1
 Problem.
 State Ornithologist H. K. Job, ofWest Haven, Conn, formerly of Kent, doesn't take much stock iu the attempt of the sportsmen to propagate foreign birds in strange habitat, but advocates the propagation of native game birds at home, and will be glad to correspond with sportsmen's associations on the subject. In an open letter on artificial propagation as the key to the game bird problem, MT. Job says that according to Dr. Hornaday birds in Connecticut have decreased 75 per cent. in l5 years. At this rate, asks Mr. Job, how much longer shall we have any left?
 The letter continues Under our free institutions we allow anyone to buy hunter license. and in Connecticut issue over l5, 900 of these oach year, whereas in Europe the hunting privilege is much restricted. This goes to show that if propagation methods are essential there, they are even more so with us.
 Our American method has been to al. low practically universal hunting, till more of our game birds have been killed off. and then, at the demand of the hunt CTS who pay licenses for moro game to shoot, we buy up birds and release them to be shot. Since it is no longer possible to buy native game-bird for restocking purposes, we have had imported foreign species-uotably Hungarian partridge and pheasants-in hope that some of those would survive and restook our de- plsted covers. Various states besides ours have tried these experiments, which were we'll worth testing and gave hope and promise for good results
 Expert authorities, such as The U. s. Biological Survey, as voiced by Dr. T. s. Palmer, in charge of game protection for the Government. now agree and de- clare that nearly oil those experiments have proved utter failures. Mir. Henry Oldys of The Biological Survey, shows that the Hungarian partridge migrates. and that the costly birds bought by the Commissio s of Northern States are en- joyed by the southern gunners. In gen eral, foreign birds prove nearly helpless under the new conditions, and quickly perish. Evidently we are on the wrong track. Sportsmen are beginning to real ize that in the artificial propagation of our native game. birds must lie to our main hope.
 In Europc they know how successfully to breed game-birds, including American species, and it could be done exactly as we'll here as there. In Belgium, for ex- ample, they breed our beautiful native American wood duck by the thousands, and, strange to say, when we want wood ducks we have to send over there for them. They raise game.birds as Success- fully as we do chickens. Whats the matter with us
 The idea is taking root in this country. Successful game farms, mostly for pri- vate profit, are springing up, notably in the middle west, and great new and profitable industry is arising. Wild ducks are raised by thousands for sale for all possible purposes. This Is true of | very fair initial success with quail. as we'll as other game. The Massachusetts Fish and Game Commission have been very contemplating. They started a small experimental hatchery, and last season raised 400 young quail, enough to prove that they have practically solved the problem. Now they are preparing to go into it on a larger scale, and also to ex- pertinent with other game.birds. The Springfield Fish and Game Association, said to be the largest sportsmen's organ ization in New England, are taking steps to have hatchery or two of their own.
 Last September was visiting Prof. c. F. Hodge, of Clark University, Wor- cester, Mass, disooverer of the methods of the artificial rearing of quail and ruffed grouse. In his garden he showed me little box coop attached to a close mesh wire run some eight feet long. In this run were a beautiful pair of our familiar bob-whites, accompanied by a brood of the cutest little chicks of their own, just week old.
 "This means" sad Dr. Hodge, as admired the little family. ''that any man with only city back yard eau raise his covey of quail"
 This is the key to the situation. An other article later will propose definite practical plan for State wide propaga- tion of game. birds i'll Connecticut.