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AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



HABITS. 



The bobwhite is a sociable bird 

 and is generally found near a farm- 

 house, around the edge of a grain 

 field, or in the stubble. As soon 

 as the breeding season commences, 

 about the middle of May, the male 

 may be heard almost any morning 

 uttering his familiar cry of "bob- 

 white," or "Oh bob-white," or as 

 some prefer to translate it, "More 

 wet," or "No more wet." This 

 note is a clear whistle, the first 

 ones low and the last of a higher 

 pitch. It is a note very easily im- 

 itated, and I have frequently con- 

 cealed myself in a clump of trees 

 and kept up a spirited conversation 

 with him for some time. At last 

 his curiosity gets excited and he 

 starts to investigate and see what 

 other fellow is invading his domains. 

 "Bob-white," the call sounds near- 

 er; then again, nearer still. Then 

 all is quiet for a few minutes, and I 

 try in vain to obtain an answer. 

 Suddenly from the top of the tree 

 against which I am leaning comes 

 his call, loud and clear. All my at- 

 tempts to see from which direction 

 he came have been in vain, but as 

 soon as 1 leave the shelter of the 

 trees and his watchful eye discerns 

 me he is off with a loud whirring of 

 wings very different from that on 

 his arrival. 



He is always to be found near his 

 mate when she is on the nest, cheer- 

 ing her with his song or bringing in- 

 sects to her. As soon as the young 

 are hatched they leave the nest and 

 follow their mother in search of 



food. If they are surprised and 

 taken unawares, the mother gives a 

 warning cluck, whereupon the 

 young scatter in all directions and 

 conceal themselves under the 

 leaves; and very difficult it is to 

 find them as they are just the color 

 of the ground and leaves and will 

 not move from their places until 

 told to do so by their mother, even 

 if in danger of being trod upon, in 

 the meantime the old bird is per- 

 forming the queerest of antics in the 

 endeavor to lead the one who dis- 

 turbed her sway from her little 

 ones. She performs her part so 

 well that most any one would nat- 

 urally think she had a broken wing, 

 or at least rheumatism in every 

 joint, and that he could surely catch 

 her. Although she stumbles over 

 every little twig In the way, and 

 actually seems to be giving the last 

 gasp before expiring, she always 

 manages to keep just beyond the 

 reach of the extended hand. She 

 leads her dupe on, until satisfied 

 that her little ones will be safe from 

 further disturbance from that 

 source, then suddenly regaining her 

 apparently lost strength is off with 

 a whirr, and circles around to her 

 little ones. 



This strategy rarely fails with 

 human beings, and probably suc- 

 ceeds just as well with foxes, which 

 are one of their relentless enemies. 



As soon as the young partridge 

 begin to get the use of their wings, 

 the male takes them in charge and 

 leads them to the grain field, while 



