Small Game Shooting 285 



der far afield (and then the disposal of the game 

 presents an almost insoluble problem to the ama- 

 teur) — quail, I repeat, must be hunted scientifi- 

 cally and killed, as has been said, with the long 

 odds in favour of the bird. 



They pair in February, and the first brood hatches 

 out about the end of April, the second about the 

 last of June. When the hen begins to lay the 

 second batch of eggs the male takes charge of 

 the first brood. Often the birds do not pair, but 

 remain in bevies, although the females, without 

 doubt, lay eggs in another's nest. If the hen be 

 killed, the cock will hatch out the brood, and he 

 sits on the eggs while his mate is feeding. 



Longfellow uses the verb pipe in connection with 

 the bob-white, — 



" It was autumn, and incessant 

 Piped the quail from shocks and sheaves ; " 



but pipe expresses inadequately the peculiar note 

 of the Galifornian bird. Indeed, no musical instru- 

 ment, save the human throat, can produce a perfect 

 imitation of a cock-quail's call. I believe them to 

 be accomplished ventriloquists, using their art con- 

 sciously. A killdee will lure a boy from her nest 

 by pretending to flutter along the ground as if 

 badly wounded. And a quail is surely more in- 

 telligent than a ring-plover. 



