GAME, AQUATIC, AND RAPACIOUS BIRDS. 11 



tained 1,000. One stomach held 83 kernels of barley, 592 seeds of 

 geranium, 560 of tarweed, 40 of bur thistle, 48 of clover, 80 of alfilaria, 

 704 of timothy, 32 of catchfly, and 5 of snowberry, or 2,144 seeds in all. 

 Another contained 1,696 geranium seeds, 14 bur thistle, 24 knotweed, 

 14 tarweed, 38 bur clover, 148 alfilaria, 12 ray grass, and 1 unknown 

 seed, and a pod of uncertain origin in all, 1,947 seeds and a pod. In 

 both cases the contents of the crop is included with that of the stom- 

 ach or gizzard. These samples indicate considerable variety in the 

 quail's diet, even in one meal. 



Grass and other forage constitute a little over 25 per cent of the 

 quail's annual food. Forage amounts to less than 1 per cent in June, 

 remains about the same until October, and increases somewhat in 

 November. In January it becomes important, and it reaches nearly 

 60 per cent of the food for the next four months. The maximum, 85 

 per cent,*occurs in March; but this percentage, based on only one 

 stomach, can not be considered final. Seeds and forage are practi- 

 cally complementary to each other ; that is, as one increases the other 

 decreases. June, which shows the least forage, has the largest per- 

 centage of seeds. Leaves of red and of bur clover and of alfilaria 

 were the favorite kinds, and in some cases constituted the whole 

 stomach contents. Blades of grass are frequently taken. A few bits 

 of acorn, and perhaps other nuts, were eaten, but the quantity is 

 insignificant. 



Summary. From the above analysis of the food of the California 

 quail it is apparent that under normal conditions the farmer and fruit 

 grower have nothing to fear from its ravages. When, however, large 

 areas of chaparral land are cleared and brought under cultivation, it 

 is natural that the products of garden and vineyard should be eaten to 

 a greater or less extent by quail, which abound in such localities. On 

 the other hand, its seed-eating record is in its favor. Usually there 

 is little difficulty in getting rid of a superfluity of game birds; in 

 fact, in most cases the trouble is to prevent their extermination. 

 This is strikingly illustrated by the fact that, in order to restock its 

 depleted covers, an attempt is now being made in southern California 

 to import quail from the peninsula of Lower California. A bird so 

 large, so easily trapped, so valuable for food, and withal one whose 

 pursuit affords such excellent sport as the valley quail, will rarely 

 become numerous enough to do serious damage, and then only locally 

 and under unusual conditions. When such conditions arise, a reduc- 

 tion of numbers is the easiest and simplest cure. Permits to trap 

 quail on one's own premises are obtainable in California on application 

 to the State fish commissioner. After the birds have been sufficiently 

 reduced they can be kept within reasonable limits by a moderate 

 amount of shooting in the proper season. F. E. L. B. 



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