230 The California Quail 



this call is given only when he feels happy. There is a variation to it, 

 given with the same notes, but with a very different accent, that sounds 

 like ku-ku-ku! with the accent strongly on the second note, and the last 

 note faint. This means some sort of warning to the flock. It is not 

 the real danger-signal, but is a notice from the lookouts to be on guard ; 

 and after a flock has been scattered it is used as a gathering signal, sepa- 

 rated birds calling to each other from a distance. 



The real danger-signal is very different, and -sounds like dst-dst-dst, 



(drawing in the air or breath). Both male and female 



anger repeat this very rapidly several times with a falling 



inflection, and when it is sounded excitedly, the whole 



flock runs to cover. Twittering may be heard either after a flock has 



been scattered and is collecting, or in the early mornings when the birds 



come down from the night's roost, and are getting together and deciding 



where they will have their breakfast. This is a subdued but very pleasant 



sound, and seems to be in the way of friendly greeting. 



In early spring these Quails are to be found mostly in pairs. Later, 

 when the nesting season begins, the male takes his stand upon bush, rock, 

 stump, post, or any good vantage point, and gives voice to a single call, 

 re'peated at frequent intervals and loud enough to be heard quite a dis- 

 tance. Whether this note is one of encouragement to his sitting spouse, 

 or whether given to show how good it feels to be alive in the springtime, 

 we cannot know ; but in our California spring it is a most characteristic 

 sound. 



A Quail's nest is usually but a mere hollow in the ground, perhaps 

 with a little dried grass or a very few feathers as lining, with advantage 

 taken of a stone, shrub, or tuft of grass to help conceal it. It is seldom 

 found, except when the startled mother flies up from almost under one's 

 feet. 



The. number of eggs varies greatly, and sometimes the little hollow 

 almost overflows with them. As high as thirty-one have been found in 

 a nest by the writer, but the usual number is from 

 fifteen .to twenty. It seems as if more than one bird 

 'must be laying, in the case of the very large sets, and 

 it is often easy to separate a set into two or three distinct types of mark- 

 ing and shades. 



The ground-color of the eggs is creamy white, while the markings are 

 irregular spots and blotches of a color from old gold to brown. Some 

 eggs are heavily marked, while others are nearly white. It is a very 

 singular thing that if the eggs are disturbed by a person even if only 

 touched by one finger the nest is almost always deserted. One may 

 step within a few inches of a nest and frighten the bird away, not only 

 once but several times, and still the bird will come back. But disturb 

 the eggs ever so slightly pick up an egg and put it back as near as 

 possible just as it was before and the next time you go to look at the 

 nest, the eggs are cold, the nest deserted, and possibly robbed by some 



