88 WING-SHOOTINO. 



winter, followed by a dry hatching season, quail appear 

 to come through the winter with a small percentage of 

 deaths, and the greater part of the young arrive at 

 maturity as the following autumn affords more birds, and 

 better sport than has been known for years. 



Habits and Haunts. — Quail roost in bevies upon the 

 ground, in a circle with their heads outwards ; the roost- 

 ing-place is generally in a cleared, or stubble-field, or 

 bush -pasture ; or in open woods, or by the edge of a 

 swarnp ; but they are not very apt to roost in the same 

 field where they habitually feed. It is a bird of rapid 

 flight, and perhaps no game bird, except the rufied grouse, 

 flies more rapidly when full grown, and fleeing under 

 f;'ight. If the day be fine and clear, the birds will be 

 found feeding at an early hour ; if wet and cold, they 

 come out late ; if rainy, they go to the woods, not coming 

 out till towards evening. If the weather be dry and 

 warm for several days, they will be found in the vicinity 

 of water; but if wet, in the stubble-fields and bush-pas- 

 tures. If the weather be windy and boisterous without 

 rain, they will generally be found in the edges of close 

 coverts, or on the sides of high rising grounds. When 

 beechnuts are plentiful they may often be found in the 

 woods. They usually feed until about eleven o'clock, and 



