BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY. 201 



the two outer ones separated from the middle by the long scapulars, and the 

 middle streak interrupted by a patch of black at the base of the tail. The young 

 birds which arrive during the last of August, are a faded-out copy of their par- 

 ents, lacking all their brilliant colors and contrasts. 



Since this was written I received the Journal of the Maine Ornithological 

 Society for July, 1904, and find that Mr. F. T. Noble uses the same expression 

 "rooting" in describing the feeding habits of this bird. We were both struck 

 by the fact that the bird's method of searching for food is similar to that of the 

 Pig! 



132 [289] Colinus virginianus (Linn.). 

 Bob-white ; " Quail." 



Common resident. 



Eggs : May to September. 



The severe winter of 1903-4 practically exterminated the " Quail " in Essex 

 County. The last I saw that winter were two huddled behind a bush against 

 the wintry blasts on January 3d, 1904, about two miles from the sea, at Ipswich. 

 Storm followed storm, the snow was piled to a great depth, and the mean tem- 

 perature was lower than for any winter for over half a century. In such 

 weather, poor Bob-white has a hard time. Many were starved, others frozen, 

 others buried in the snow, or, to put it more exactly, all three fates were gener- 

 ally meted out to all. In the next spring, instead of hearing their cheerful calls 

 everywhere in the fields, their voices were silent, and not until July did I find 

 any near my house. 



Sportsmen throughout the County, recognizing the damage that had been 

 done, made haste to import birds from the south to take their place, and it is to 

 be hoped that Bob-white will soon re-establish himself. 



133 [298] Canachites canadensis canace (Linn.). 

 Canadian Spruce Grouse; "Spruce Partridge." 

 Accidental visitor from the north. 



