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were seven. About five eggs had been broken before the

Quails were put into the duck-house, so I thought nearly the

full sitting must have been laid. I had read it was best to

put your eggs under a broody Bantam, so I got a lieu and

gave her ten eggs. She was a very good mother, and sat

well. Most of the eggs hatched, but I only reared five of the

young ones. Meanwhile the hen Ouail still went on laying, and

showed no desire to sit. I got a second Bantam, and put nine

eggs under her; from these I reared four young birds. The

hen Quail laid fifteen more eggs and then she began to sit herself

very steadily.



MALE CALIFORNIAN QUAIL.


(Lopliortyx callfornicus).



(From MlVART’S Elements of Ornithology).


Now here I did a very foolish thing. A friend offered me

yet another broody Bantam, and I thought as the Quail could

not cover all her eggs, I would wait until she went off to feed,

and then take some of them away. But my greediness was very

properly punished. I watched my opportunity and took away

some of the eggs, but tliehen Quail on her return to the nest refused

to sit on the remaining eggs left to her, and to complete the mis¬

fortune the Bantam turned out not to be broody at all, and

utterly declined to sit, but marched about the aviary in a most

absurd fashion. I hardly knew whether to laugh or to cry, it all

seemed so foolish; however I sent the Bantam back to her



