238 Birds Every Child Should Know 



New England it is the ruffed grouse that is 

 known by that name; therefore, to save con- 

 fusion, why not always give bob-white the 

 name by which he calls himself? The chickadee, 

 phoebe, peewee, towhee, whip-poor-will and 

 bobolink, who tell their names less plainly than 

 he, save every child who tries to know them 

 much trouble. Don't you wish every bird 

 would introduce himself? 

 The boy who 



"Drives home the cows from the pastiire, 

 Up through the long, shady lane, 

 Where the quail whistles loud in the wheat fields, 

 That are yellow with ripening grain," 



probably "whistles up" those bob-whites on 

 his way home as you would start up the roosters 

 in the barnyard by imitating their crow. Bob 

 White/ Ah, Bob White! rings from some plump 

 little feathered gallant on the outskirts of almost 

 any farm during the long nesting season. 



A slight depression in some dry, grassy field 

 or a hole at the foot of an old stump or weed- 

 hedged wall will be lined with leaves and grasses 

 by both mates in May to receive from ten to 

 eighteen brilliant white eggs that are packed in, 

 pointed end downwards, to economise space. 

 If an egg were removed, it would be difficult 

 indeed to re-arrange the clutch with such 

 economy. Would it not be cruel to touch a 



