The Family of Bob- White 93 



scratched in the dung-heap for particles of 

 grain. It was while feeding in this manner 

 that the house-cat took one, and the quail fam- 

 ily was reduced to a pair. But they still 

 came to the farmyard, as they could do noth- 

 ing else. 



Bob- White and his sister clung very closely 

 to one another now they were all that was left 

 of the large quail family, but one night while 

 they were sleeping side by side in a tangle of 

 bitter-sweet and fir tree, a great owl reached 

 in his strong talons and took one, and Bob- 

 White was left alone in the great world. 



But this had happened only two or three 

 weeks before the time when our story begins, 

 and Bob-White had found food in plenty 

 shortly after the owl had deprived him of his 

 companion. 



At first, Bob- White could not locate the 

 shy little lady quail who had been calling to 

 him from the thicket; but he finally discov- 

 ered her picking away for dear life at weed- 

 seed, just as though breakfast was much more 

 to her taste than love making. 



