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PROPAGATION OF BOB-WHITE QUAIL IN MARYLAND, 
OCTOBER 1, 1932, TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1933 
By E. Lee LeCompte 
State Game Warden of Maryland 
In spite of set-backs encountered during the season of 1933, espe- 
cially from weather conditions, we shipped out a total of 6,231 birds 
from the two State game farms. A total loss from storms amounted 
to 2,487 birds. 
Production of State Game Farms to September 30, 1934 
Gwynbrook Wicornico 
Farm       Farm 
Placed in Breeding Pens (pairs) ---------....... 159      154 
Eggs collected -----------------             7,473      9,765 
Eggs  set  ..........................................................- 7,392
 9,730 
Birds  hatched  -- - ----.-.-.-.---.- .................... 4,804  7,460 
Eggs broken -------------..............- -----------------   81  16 
Cripples destroyed --- --............................------  49  76 
Highest number of eggs collected from one hen  102         94 
Healthy birds reared -............-- ------------------- 1,268  2,457 
Percentage of eggs hatched  --------  ----    66.2       81.7 
Percentage of birds raised .                  44.4       74.4 
Average number of eggs collected per hen --------  47    63.4 
WINTER LAYING 
"George and Martha," a pair of tame birds are very well known 
to visitors at this plant. During the season of 1932, Martha did not 
begin to lay until June 15th. She then laid 49 eggs, the last 12 of 
which she was permitted to hatch. However, to make up for her 
backwardness during the laying season, Mr. McPhail reported to me 
in November that Martha was laying again. She continued to lay as 
follows: November, 9; December, 14; January, 10, and February, 6. 
She laid a total of 39 eggs and the dates show that as a rule she 
laid every second day. In February, Mr. McPhail secured a broody 
bantam hen, placed under her sixteen eggs. However the eggs were 
infertile and did not hatch.