222 MlCllIOAN I5IR1) IJFE. 



This is one of the famous game birds, but it is much to be regretted 

 that some other bird cannot be substituted and the Quail be preserved for 

 his service as an insect eater. We have few species more valuable to the 

 farmer. It does absolutely no damage to any crop, but on the other hand 

 consumes immense quantities of harmful insects during the warmer half 

 of the year, and at other times gorges himself with seeds of the weeds which 

 are among the farmer's worst foes. It seems to be particularly fond 

 of span-worms or inch-worms, as well as of grasshoppers, and it is one 

 of the few species which habitually eat the chinch-bug, that scourge of the 

 wheat field from southern Michigan southward. For a full discussion of 

 this subject the reader is referred to Dr. Sylvester Judd's paper on The 

 Economic Value of Bob-white (Year book U. S. Dep't Agr. 1903, 193-204). 



If the farmer had a httle more foresight he would keep his acres well stocked 

 with these birds, feeding them about his barns and straw-stacks during 

 severe winters, and posting his land to prevent shooting without permission. 

 Under such conditions he could get all the benefit to be derived from the 

 presence of the bird during the summer, and might still give his friends 

 good shooting in the fall, or even rent the shooting privilege under certain 

 restrictions, as is sometimes done in other parts of the country. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Adult male in .summer: Forehead, line over and behind the eye, and entire chin and 

 upper throat pure white, this throat patch bordered everywhere with clear black which 

 forms a crescent on the chest and throat, the horns of the crescent formed by a stripe on 

 each side from bill below eye; top of head mixed black and brown, the nape and back of 

 neck similar, but sharply streaked and spotted with white; interscapulars and sides of chest 

 pinkish brown, more or less barred with black; scapulars and tertiaries rufous or chestnut, 

 heavily barred and spotted with black, the inner edges of tertiaries broadly margined 

 with creamy or pure white; rump streaked with black; tail bluish ash, sprinkled with black 

 and white; breast and belly pale cinnamon to dull white, the chest and breast with numerous 

 V-shaped or brace-shaped black spots and bars; sides of breast and flanks rufous or chestrmt, 

 more or less streaked with l)lack and white. Female: Similar, but the white head and 

 throat markings replaced l)y clear buff. In autumn and winter both sexes show less pure 

 black and white, and more rufous and buff, the inner edges of the tertiaries being then pure 

 buff instead of white. 



Length 9.50 to 10.75 inches; wing 4.30 to 4.70; tail 2.40 to 2.90; culmen .55 to .65; tar- 

 sus 1.20 to 1.50. 



Family 32. TETRAONID.E. Grouse, Ptarmigan, Etc. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



A. Tarsus entirely feathered. B, BB. 



B. Toes also feathered. Willow Ptarmigan. No. 124. 

 BB. Toes naked. C, CC. 



C. A bunch of long narrow, stiff feathers on each side of neck 



(Fig. 63). Prairie Chicken. No. 125. 

 CC. No bunches of stiff feathers on sides of neck. D, DD. 



D. Wing less than 7 inches; outer web of primaries without 



white spots. Spruce Partridge. No. 121. 

 ])I). Wing over 8 inches; outer web of primaries with white 

 spots. Sharp-tailed Grouse. No. 126. 

 AA. Lower half of tarsus bare. Ruffed Grouse and Canada Ruffed Grouse. 

 Nos. 122, 123. 



