QUAIL PROPAGATION METHODS 47 



field. Clipping, of course, should not be practised on birds 

 intended for liberation that fall, but for only those to be 

 kept or sold for breeding-stock. 



Habits of Young. The young quails, whether at large or 

 in a rearing-field, grow up in a sort of wild state, shyer than 

 pheasants, more liable to hide and lie close in the grass and 

 flush wildly. It is well to keep strangers out of the rearing- 

 fields, or have them closely follow the keeper if the young are 

 in shape to fly strongly, as fright makes them flush like 

 wild birds, and they are likely to bring up hard against the 

 wire and injure themselves. By themselves, they learn to 

 avoid the wire, and fly out to feed in adjoining pastures, 

 returning in the same way to stay with the hen at night. 

 Usually they follow her into the coop, even when quite 

 large, but some broods get to roosting outside, especially in 

 good weather, sleeping on the ground in a ring, tails together 

 and heads out, after the orthodox quail fashion. 



Escaped Young. When the young are with bantams in a 

 fenced rearing-field and first fly out over the wire they are 

 soon anxious to return. They do not know enough to fly 

 back, but run along the wire, peeping plaintively, like lost 

 chickens. One way to recover them is to open a gate or 

 slide and drive them in. Another good device, shown me 

 by Neil Clark, is to have, on each side of the field, a strip of 

 wire two feet high, and only a few feet long, erected and 

 meeting the fence at an acute angle. The part nearest the 

 fence should be bent over to make an arched passage, ending 

 in a small pocket. The bird or birds, following the fence, 

 will be guided into this, and can easily be caught and put 

 back. This gives a good chance to clip slightly the wing of 

 these more adventurous ones of the flock. 



Staying with Hens. When the young are from eight to 

 ten weeks old they no longer need the hen, as far as brooding 



