Grain Field Nesting 
Wheat was grown on 1,568 acres of the farms studied in 
Calhoun County in 1938. Information was obtained on 1,072 of these 
acres cut by binders and combines. Despite cruising by the: author 
in one wheat field and the vigilance of many farmers, only two quail 
nests were located in this cover type, for a density of one nest in 
051 acres. In both instances the incubating birds returned to their 
nests in the stubble. One nest hatched about June 30; the other was 
still being incubated on July 18. -The first nest was situated in a 
wheat field in which red clover had been sowed; the clover furnished 
added nesting cover. The second nest was partly under a shock of 
wheat bundles. 
From the low nesting density in wheat fields, it appears 
that small grains are little utilized for nesting purposes by bob- 
whites. This fact is most unfortunate, inasmuch as small grains 
offer safer nesting sites than do hay fields. In Calhoun County, in 
19358, the first wheat fields were not cut until June 18, the peak 
not being reached until June 27. The hatching data presented in 
table 2 indicate that about half of the quail nests hatched previous 
to the first activity of the reaper. 
Miscellaneous Nesting Cover 
In this category are placed those nesting cover types that 
are small and restricted in habitat and that occur in waste corners 
of fields, pastures snd woodlowus,. 
One nest was found on June 2 among the stubble of a field 
that had been in corn the previous year. Situated in a small clump 
of grass (Hordeum sp.) and smartweeds (Polygonum sp.), it was 
destroyed by plowing. aa ale eae 
Raspberry and dewberry patches harbored six nests. In each 
instance, however, these nests were among the blue grass growing with 
the briers. Three of the nests were destroyed by predators, two 
hatched, and the outcome of. one was not determined. 
Two nests were found in pastures. Both were located in a 
mixture of blue grass and daisy fleabane. Although the roof of one 
nest was ramoved in mowing, the female returned to incubate, and the 
eggs hatched. The other nest was destroyed by crows. 
Nest Loss 
Nest loss of quail was greatest in alfalfa, where only a 
small percentage of nests escaped by hatching before the mower de- 
stroyed them. Since, of all crops, alfalfa showed the highest nest 
density and highest nest mortality, this crop formed an important 
hazard to the quail of Calhoun County. 
