:y.\4: /*r<)<((<liii(/s of I ndiaiKt Acddcinji of i^cioicc. 



GG. ^1i]gialitis meloda (Ord). piping plover. (277) 



A not uncommon spring and fall migrant in Vigo County. There was one 

 (Specimen in Dr. Scovell's collection, also one in Mr. Bhitchle.v's. Mr. Fred 

 Clearwaters found it common near (Jreencastle. 

 No records for the other counties. 



G7. COLINUS VIRGINIANUS VIKGINIANUS (LinUjieUS). BOB-WIIITE. (289) 



During the years of my residence at Bloomington (1881-83 and 1885-8G). 

 the Bob-white was rather rare in Monroe County, although it had formerly 

 been quite abundant. 



In Vigo County it was never very common from 188G-1S91, and it is prob- 

 ably even less so now. A female was collected at Honey Creek, April 20, 

 1889. A pair (male and female) obtained in the Terre Haute market. 

 November 21, 1889, and another pair. December 1, 1890. In those days 

 market hunting was legal and Quail and other game birds were often seen 

 in the market. 



During my boyhood days the Bob-white was a common bird in Carroll 

 County. On practically every farm of 80 to IGO acres several coveys might 

 usually be found during the fall and winter. They would frequent the 

 cornlields in which the fodder was in the shock. There they were usually 

 al)le to get at some of the ears of corn or to find shelled grains upon 

 wliich they fed. If not disturbed, the covey would sometimes roost in the 

 base of one of the shocks. Usually, however, their roosting place was on 

 the ground in some clump of briars or thicket in the edge of the woods near 

 the cornfield. At night the birds of a covey huddle or sit very close to- 

 getlier on the ground under the protection of a bunch of grass, briars or 

 small bushes, all with their tails toward the center and their heads all 

 pointing outward. Sometimes when the snow is deep the Quail are unable 

 to get the necessary food and, becoming weakened, the whole covey freezes 

 to death. I remember one very cold winter day when I was hunting rab- 

 bits and came upon a large covey of Quail, all frozen to death. One taken 

 December 2, 1878 ; July 4, 1882, nest with 22 stale eggs : June 20. 1883, nest 

 with 11 somewhat incubated eggs. 



The winter of 1884-5 in Carroll County was unusually severe and the 

 quail suffered greatly. I found several frozen to death. I recall seeing 

 only one live bird (a male) in January, and tliat was in Burlington Town- 

 ship, near the Asbury school house. On April 2(1. I saw a female in a wheat- 

 field near the Camden depot, the only one seen since January. September 

 14, 1906, six or seven seen by Miss Ava Evermann in her fathers orchard in 

 Burlington. 



P^ifty years ago it was a common practice to trap tlie (luail. A figure-4 

 slat trap was used. This was set in some suitable i)lace which a flock of 

 (|uail had been observed to frequent. The snow was carefully cleaned away 

 from under the trap and from a fan-shai>ed area in front, then corn or 

 wheat was scattered over the cleared ground especially under the trap. The 

 quail coming upon the grain outside would feed upon it and would gradually 

 be led into the trap which woidd be thrown and often the whole flock 

 captured. This was, of course, a very unsportsmandike method, but it was 

 in those days regarded as jn-rfectly i>roper. Of course, this method would 

 not be tolerated now. 



