so than the intermediate one. When an enemy is perceived they immediately 

 utter a Hsping note, frequently repeated, and run off with their tail spread, their 

 crests erected and their wings drooping, toward the shelter of some thicket or 

 the top of a fallen tree. At other times, when one of the Hock has accidentally 

 strayed to a distance from its companions it utters two notes louder than any 

 of those mentioned above, the first shorter and lower than the second, when an 

 answer is immediately returned by one of the pack. This species has, moreover, 

 a love call, which is louder and clearer than its other notes and can be heard at 

 a distance of several hundred yards. It consists of three distinct notes, the last 

 two being loudest, and is peculiar to the male bird. A fancied similarity to the 

 words '"bob white" render this call familiar to the sportsman and farmer, but 

 these notes are always preceded by another, easily heard at a distance of thirty 

 or forty yards. The three together resemble the words ah-boh-zvhite. The first 

 note is a kind of aspiration, and the last is very loud and clear. This whistle 

 is seldom heard after the breeding season, during which an imitation of the 

 pecidiar note of the female will make the male fly toward the sportsman. 



In the middle districts the love call of the male is heard about the middle 

 of April, and in Louisiana much earlier. The male is seen perching on a fence- 

 stake or on the low branch of a tree, standing nearly in the same position for 

 hours together and calling ah-boh-ivhite at every interval of a few minutes. 

 Should he hear the note of a female, he sails directly toward the spot whence 

 it ])roceeded. Several males may be heard from different parts of a field chal- 

 lenging each other, and should they meet on the ground, they fight with great 

 courage and obstinacy until the conqueror drives off his antagonist to another field. 



The female prepares a nest composed of grasses, arranged in a circular 

 form, leaving an entrance not unlike that of a common oven. It is placed at 

 the foot of a tuft of rank grass or some close stalks of corn, and is partly sunk 

 m the ground. The eggs are from ten to eighteen, rather sharp at the smaller 

 end. and of a pure white. The male at times assists in hatching them. This 

 species raises only one brood m the year, unless the eggs or the yoimg when yet 

 small have been destroyed. When this happens the female immediately prepares 

 another nest, and should it also be ravaged, sometimes even a third. The young 

 run a])Out the moment they make their appearance, and follow their parents 

 unlil spring, when, having acquired their full beauty, they make nests for 

 themselves. 



'ihe Quail rests at night im \\\v ground, either amongst the grass or under 

 a bent log. The individuals whicli compose the flock form a ring, and moving 

 backward, approach e.ich other until their l)odics are nearly in contact. This 

 arrangement eiiabks tlie wliolr covey to take wing when suddenlv alarmed, each 

 flying off in a direct course, so as not to interfere with the rest. 



r.ob White's best known call notes arc: Boh-~K'h'\tr. h(>J^-fu>l^-:^'liitr and inorc 

 <ir/ or )io more wet. 



