. R. A.— B. S. 13. UNIV - PMTsfcEPT P Ws. Di^PA ' R jrMENT OF AGRICULTURE, S. R. A. — B. S. 13. Issued November 20, 1916. - i EUR^U OF i __ Hbnry W. U.S. DEPOSr r OPv _) — Hbnry W. Henshaw, Chief of Bnreau. SERVICE AND REGULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS. REGULATIONS FOR THE ISSUE OF PERMITS FOR QUAIL IM- PORTED INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM NORTHEASTERN MEXICO. Effective November 13, 1916. Under authority of section 1 of the act of Congress approved May 25, 1900 (31 Stat.. 187), authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to adopt such meas ures as may be necessary for the preservation, distribution, and introduction of game birds, and of section 241 of the act of Congress approved March 4, 1909 (35 Stat., 1088). prohibiting the importation into the United States of such birds as the Secretary of Agriculture may declare to be injurious to the inter- ests of agriculture or horticulture and prohibiting the importation of any foreign wild bird except under permit from the Secretary of Agriculture, per- mits for the importation of quail from northeastern Mexico will be issued on and after November 13, 1916, and until further notice, but in order to prevent the entry of quail infected with the disease commonly known as " quail disease " such permits will be issued, subject to inspection and quarantine of the birds, under the following regulations. D. F. Houston, Secretary of Agriculture. REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE IMPORTATION OF QUAIL INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM NORTHEASTERN MEXICO. Pursuant to authority conferred by law upon the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Agriculture, permits for the impor- tation of quail from northeastern Mexico will be issued by the De- partment of Agriculture, but in order to prevent the entry of quail infected with the disease commonly known as " quail disease " such permits will be issued subject to the following rules and regulations: REGULATION 1.— APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS. Applications for permits must be made to the Secretary of Agri- culture, Washington, D. C, and must state the name and address of the applicant, the place of shipment, whether the birds will be offered for entry at Eagle Pass, Tex., or at New York, N. Y., the date of probable arrival at port of entry, the approximate number of birds in the consignment, and the name • and address of the consignee. 69169—16 2 BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. REGULATION 2.— PORTS OF ENTRY. For the purposes of these regulations the ports of Eagle Pass, Tex., and New York. N. Y., shall be inspection and quarantine stations, and permits will not be issued for the entry of quail from northeastern Mexico through any other port. REGULATION 3.— INSPECTION. Quail from northeastern Mexico will be subject to examination by an inspector of the Bureau of Animal Industry before they will be allowed to enter. Birds entered at Eagle Pass, Tex., will be subject to inspection and quarantine for a time sufficient to cover the period of incubation of quail disease, but not less than 10 days, counting from date of arrival at the quarantine station. Birds entered at New York which have been under observation during the voyage for suffi- cient time to cover the period of incubation of the disease may be entered, in the discretion of the inspector, without further delay if found on inspection to be free from disease, but if any symptoms indicative of quail disease are present the entire consignment shall be quarantined for a period not less than 10 days and held subject to special instructions from the Department of Agriculture. REGULATION 4.— PERMITS. Permits for the entry of quail from northeastern Mexico will be issued only to applicants who are prepared to ship the birds in sanitary crates and to care for them properly during the period of quarantine. Crowding birds in crates in excess of the limit herein- after specified, removal of dead birds without submitting them for examination by the inspector, failure to clean or disinfect inclosures or crates or to maintain or ship the birds in a sanitary condition after due notice by the inspector will be considered sufficient grounds for withholding further permits during the season. REGULATION 5. Permits will be issued only for the consignment of quail entered on the date indicated and not for several consignments due to arrive on different dates. If the number entered is less than the number stated in the permit, the excess over the number imported can not be entered thereafter under that permit but must be included in another application for permit. REGULATION. 6. Permits for the entry of quail at Eagle Pass, Tex., will be issued only after the applicant has made the necessary arrangements for care of the birds during quarantine and the inspector of the Bureau SERVICE AND REGULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS. 3 of Animal Industry has approved the location where the birds are to be quarantined and is satisfied that the applicant has an ample supply of crates for the proper accommodation of the birds. Per- mits authorizing the entry of more than 1,000 quail at one time by any one person or his agents will not be issued until the inspector shall have certified to the department the number of birds which can be properly cared for in quarantine at one time by such applicant. REGULATION 7. Permits will be indorsed by an inspector of the Bureau of Animal Industry " Inspected and found free from quail disease " before the quail are released from quarantine and before the permits are accepted by officers of the customs. REGULATION 8.— CRATES. Crates for the shipment of quail must be constructed with a tongue-and-grcove bottom and false top of stout cloth or burlap stretched taut and smooth, so as to leave a space not less than 1^ inches between the cloth and the top of the box. Each crate must be provided with a handle at each end. Not more than 24 quail shall be placed in a single small crate or compartment, and not more than 48 in a double crate. Crates must measure inside not less than 7^ inches in height (from floor to cloth cover), 23 inches in width, and 23 inches in length; and double crates 1\ inches in height, 23 inches in width, and 15 inches in length, with a partition separating the two compartments. The partition must be fastened with screws or otherwise, so that it can be easily removed. The bottom must project in front or along the sides 2 inches or more to prevent crates from being stacked close together and thus cutting off ventilation. Openings in the side of the crate at least half an inch wide must be left along the floor to facilitate cleaning, and holes for ample ventilation must be bored in the ends and in the partition. Crates must have a sliding door fitted on one side large enough to permit the birds to be easily examined or removed. Receptacles for feed and water must be so made as to insure thor- ough cleaning, and must be so arranged that they can be fastened securely when the crates are in transit, or removed readily for clean- ing or refilling. Food and water receptacles must be arranged so that they can be filled from the outside of the crate and protected by a low guard or strip to prevent the birds from walking in them. Bottoms of crates must be arranged so that they can be removed when necessary to facilitate proper cleaning or disinfecting. 4 BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. REGULATION 9.— QUARANTINE. During the period of quarantine the birds must be confined in suitable inclosures or crates and furnished with sufficient food, sand, gravel, and pure water. No quail will be quarantined on any ground which has been occupied by poultry during the year immediately preceding or which is within 50 feet of any premises where poultry is kept. Birds may be quarantined in either inclosures or crates. In- closures constructed of wire netting at least 8 feet wide and 25 feet Jong may be used to confine the birds, or the quail may be kept in crates, but not more than 200 quail shall be kept in the same in- closure and not more than 24 quail in a crate during quarantine. Entry of quail will not be permitted when crowded in crates in excess of the numbers specified in regulation 8 or when confined in ordinary boxes or poultry crates. If shipping crates are used, the birds in one compartment must be transferred to a new crate and the partition removed, so that not more than 24 birds will be con- fined in a space 23 by 45 inches. Crates kept outdoors must be raised not less than 18 inches from the ground, and if several crates are stacked on top of one another a 2-inch strip of wood must be placed between the crates, and the top crate must not be more than 5 feet above the ground. In case of rain or heavy winds provision must be made for covering the crates with oilcloth or heavy duck. All inclosures or crates must be kept in a sanitary condition subject to the approval of the inspector. Birds imported on different dates must not be confined together and crates must be emptied before being disinfected. Importers will be required at their expense to provide suitable inclosures or crates for the purposes of quarantine, to disinfect the crates or transfer the quail to new crates before re- lease from quarantine, and to maintain the birds during quarantine. REGULATION 10.— DEAD BIRDS. Bodies of birds which die during the period of quarantine must not be destroyed until submitted to the inspector for preliminary examination, and if necessary such specimens will be forwarded to the Department of Agriculture for further examination. In case of discovery of quail disease further entry of birds may be suspended and all outstanding permits immediately canceled. These regulations shall become effective immediately. B. R. Newton, Acting Secretary of the Treasury. D. F. Houston, Secretary of Agriculture. Washington, D. C, November IS, 1916. WASHINGTON I GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1916 UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA III 3 1262 09218 4752