THE QUAIL. 117 



vey of quails was discovered in so weak and famished a 

 state, as to be taken by the hand. These birds, it is sup- 

 posed, were hatched in this lot the preceding summer, as 

 persons residing in that vicinity heard them frequently 

 whistling through the season. During these protracted 

 snows, the arts of man combine with the inclemency of the 

 season for their destruction, and to the ravages of the gun 

 are added others of a more insidious kind. Traps are 

 placed on almost every plantation, in such places as they 

 are known to frequent. These are formed of lath, or thin- 

 ly split sticks, somewhat in the shape of an obtuse cone, 

 lacei together with cord, having a small hole at top, with 

 a sliding'lid, to take out the game by. This is supported 

 by the common figure 4 trigger, and grain is scattered be- 

 low, and leading to the place. By this contrivance ten or 

 fifteen have sometimes been taken at a time. But a more 

 barbarous, and as equally successful a mode is employed 

 by many to entrap them, by fixing snoods made of horse* 

 hair across the paths and furrows of such fields and thic- 

 kets as are frequented by these birds, especially their roost- 

 ing grounds. This is done by driving into the ground small 

 stakes, about ten inches in length, and two inches apart, 

 to the distance of five or six feet, similar to a fence, leaving 

 the spaces where the snoods are suspended much wider, 

 and to the number, perhaps, of four or five. The quails, 

 in running the path, find this impediment, and attempt to 

 pass through the wider spaces, and are caught by the neck, 

 where they often remain in this cruel and most tormenting 

 situation for days. These are sometimes brought alive to 

 market, and occasionally bought up by sportsmen, w r ho, if 

 the season be very severe, sometimes preserve and feed 

 them till spring, when they are humanely turned out to 

 their native fields again, to be put to death, at some future 

 time, secundem artem. 



The Quail begins to build early in May. The nest is 

 made on the ground, usually at the bottom of a thick tuft 



VOL. II. 8 



