UPLAND SHOOTING. 221 



The Quail is not only the most sociable of his tribe in refer- 

 ence to his fellows, but is by far the most tameable and frieudly 

 in his disposition as nv'^;inls the general enemy and nniversid 

 tyrant, man. 



In till" winter season, when the ground is so deeply covered 

 with siniw as tn render it impossible for them to obtain their 

 custoiiKiiy food, the seeds namely of the various grasses, which 

 they love the most, or the grains wliicli lie scattered in tlu; stub- 

 bles, they come naturally into the vicinity of man's dwellings; 

 and it is by no means an unusual siglit to perceive them run- 

 ning about among the domestic fowls in the barn-yard, and 

 flying up, if suddeidy disturbr'd, to perch under the rafters of 

 some liarn or out-house, seemingly fearless, and confident, in 

 such seasons, of protection. 



During the whole of last winter, I had a bevy of thirteen 

 birds, lying within three or four hundred yards of the room in 

 which I sit writing, under the shelter of a rough, wooded bank, 

 whereon I fed them with buckwheat after the heavy snows had 

 fallen ; and they became so tame, that they would allow me to 

 approach within twenty paces of the spot where they were fed, 

 running about and picking up the triangular seeds, perfectly 

 unconcerned at my presence. As soon, however, as the spring 

 commenced, and the bevy separated themselves into pairs, their 

 wild habits returned upon them ; and I have seen no more of 

 my little friends. 



The Quail pairs in the month of March, or even earlier, if 

 the winter has been a mild one, and the ground at that period 

 is free from its snowy winter coverimj ; if, on the contrary 

 the spring is very late and backward, his courtship is deferred 

 until April. 



As soon as he has chosen to himself a mate, the happy pair 

 retreat to wide, open, rushy meadows, where the conformation 

 of the country affords them such retirement, among the tussocks 

 of which they love to bask in the spring sunshine. Where the 

 land lies higher, and is broken into knolls and gulleys, you will 

 find them at this season on the gi'assy banks beside some shel- 



