QUAIL. 141 



black, purplish chestnut along the middle line, and with numerous 

 circular white spots. The female is smaller, and is quite different 

 in color, but may be recognized by the generic characters. The 

 tail is short and full, and the claws very large. 



The following remarks apply altogether to the Common Quail, 

 the typical game bird of North America. The Ouail breeds in 

 almost every State in the Union, and there is a diversity of opinion 

 among naturahsts and sportsmen, whether it regularly hatches 

 two broods a year. Both sides have strong advocates, but the 

 matter is probably entirely dependent upon the character of season 

 and climate. In latitudes where spring and summer are short, 

 very likely but one is raised as a rule ; but in more southern sec- 

 tions, probably two are often reared. If the parent birds are suc- 

 cessful in the hatching period, and the nest and young have not 

 been destroyed, they remain with the brood and do not hatch a 

 second ; but on the other hand, if any mishap befalls their eggs or 

 young in early summer, undoubtedly the hen begins another nest 

 and hatches again. This may account for the great diversity in 

 the size of Quail in different coveys we so often notice in Maryland, 

 Delaware and Virginia. As late as the middle of November the 

 writer has found them too young to be killed, plainly showing that 

 they were brought forth late in the summer, and it is always to be 

 observed that a great number of half-grown coveys are seen in 

 seasons which follow wet and cold springs. 



The Quail makes a simple nest on the ground, under the edge 

 of some old log, or in the thick grass on the prairie, lined with 

 soft and well dried grass and a few feathers. 



The female lays from fifteen to twenty-four eggs, white as 

 hens' eggs and shaped much like them, only a little more blunt at 

 one end, and a little more peaked at the other. She sits three weeks, 

 and so far as our observation goes, hatches nearly all the eggs, 

 be they more or less than twenty. The young brood, as soon as 

 they are fairly out of the shell, leave the nest, and seem abundantly 

 strong to follow the parent, though they are no bigger than the 

 end of your thumb— covered with down. They follow as chickens 

 do, and the moment the old bird sounds an alarm, they instantly 

 scatter in all directions and hide from observation and remain hidden 

 till the voice of the parent announces the prudence of coming forth. 



