134 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 113 



oak limbs matted together, and was very effectively con- 

 cealed. Witli the exception of the lining, which consisted 

 of dried grasses, this nest was composed of pine straw. 

 The circumstances surrounding the discoveiy of this nest 

 are peculiar. I was making an effort to flush a Chuck- 

 will's-widow {Aiitrostomus earolmensis) which I suspect- 

 ed was nesting in the vicinity, when 1 noticed from a dis- 

 tance of about fifty feet a Bob-white (probably the female) 

 running slowly in a circle and trailing her wings on the 

 ground apparently in great distress. A short search re- 

 vealed the nest, as it was close to tlie point where I had 

 noted the bird. I was surprised, and somewhat unnerved, 

 on stooping to, examine the contents of the nest, to find 

 that a huge King Snake had taken possession and was on 

 the point of beginning its feast. 



The Bob-white is not by any means wholly a ground 

 frequenting species. 1 have repeatedly seen it alight in 

 the high branches of tall trees, but that it does so for pur- 

 poses of feeding I have been unable to determine.' I do 

 not believe, however, that such is the case, since I have 

 never observed it feeding elsewhere than upon or very close 

 to the ground. It is exceedingh' valuable as a destroyer 

 of the boll weevil and other destructive insects. The cov- 

 eys begin to^ break up about the middle of April, and by the 

 first of May Bob-whites are to be seen only in pairs, and 

 their calling and answering notes can be heard throughout 

 the day from many sections of their haunts. Nest building 

 commences sometimes as early as the latter part of April. 

 My earliest breeding record is May 11, 191G, when I exam- 

 ined a nest containing fourteen fresh eggs, this being also 

 the largest number that I have observed in a nest. As far 

 as my observations go an eg^^ is laid daily, and incubation 

 does not commence until the comi^lement is finished. 

 Throughout the long tiying period of incubation the male 

 remains nearby, cheering his mate with his one and two 

 syllabled whistling note. My many attempts to obsen'e and 

 study a brood of young Bob-whites has resulted in failure 



