OF NEW ENGLAND. 399 



accumulate, until morning, when they free themselves by united 

 effort. Should a crust be formed, they frequently find it im- 

 possible to escape, and so perish. 



The haunts and habits of our Quail of course vary much in 

 different localities. In the South and West they are accounted 

 easy to shoot, but, being very abundant there, they are less 

 often followed into the "thick." In the wooded parts of New 

 England, on the other hand, a good bag of Quail is the best 

 test of a sportsman's skill. A successful pursuit of them re- 

 quires the utmost vigilance and activity, a sure hand, strong 

 nerves, and -great quickness together with nice observation. 

 Their flight, late in the season, is much more rapid than that 

 of the Woodcock or Snipe. They are, moreover, exceedingly 

 tenacious of life. Their habits of capricious wandering, of 

 rapid running, of dropping suddenly like stones, of resorting 

 to trees, and of seeking covers which are thick or rendered im- 

 penetrable by briars, necessitate vigor, a certain aim, and a 

 familiarity with their habits. 



(d). The principal notes of the Quail, which we have already 

 spoken of, are both whistles. One (which is somewhat like the 

 whistle of the Great Crested F^-catcher) is a single call-note, 

 uttered as if the breath were drawn in at the latter part, and is 

 emplo}'ed at all times of the year. The other is heard in 

 spring and summer, and consists of two or three loud notes, of 

 which each is higher than the preceding. This latter is very 

 well known, and is familiar to nearly all persons who live in 

 the country. The Quail have also a few low twitterings, not 

 audible at any great distance, and a okuck. 



32. Scolopacidao. Snipe, etc. (See 29.) 

 I. PHILOHELA 



(A) MINOR. 4 (American) Woodcock. 



4 The larger European Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) is said to have occurred 

 in New England as a straggler. In this species, only the outer wing-fealher (or 

 first primary) is attenuate, i. e. extremely narrow. In the American species, 

 three of the pr.maries present this appearance. 



