BiKDS OK I^M)IA^' A. 



747 



At Llif begiunijug ol lliu .■ifUk'niciil oJ' tlij.-; .State, wlieii virgin i'oretjts 

 composed of trees both large and tall, covered most of the present area, 

 there was not much ground suitable for the "Bobwhite." They were 

 doubtless confined to the bushy river bottoms, old Indian clearings, 

 small prairies, and other partially open spaces. With the advent 

 of the pioneer, the day of their extension was at hand. They fol- 

 lowed in the path of his axe, and occupied the neighborhood of 

 clearings. They accompanied him as he planted, where he had over- 

 thrown the ancient growth. As civilization spread, they followed. 

 Their enemies being few, they throve. Their numbers increased, and 

 they grew very tame. The pioneer did not hunt them, as they are 

 hunted now. One was occasionally killed with a rifle, but the traj) 



Bobwhitc, male and female, natural size. 



was the principal means of taking them. Nevertheless they became 

 very abundant, and were found throughout our State. But shotguns, 

 first muzzle, then breech-loaders, came to war against them, and the 

 trained dog was Ijrought to assist. Enemies in furry coats — foxes, 

 skunl^R, minks, weasles, cats — either because of the destruction of 

 other foods or because they were so abundant and so tame, made war 

 upon them. 



.Enemies in scales — snakes— found their nests upon the ground a 

 convenient source of food supply. The open meadows and clear fields 

 afforded opportunities for swift-moving hawks and prairie owls to 

 live there as they could not in the days of the forest, and Bobwhite 

 suffered, ns did the other farm birds. To the pot-hunter more than 



