QUAIL PROPAGATION METHODS 49 



can be employed: The usual and most obvious way, in 

 case the young still sleep in a coop or yard with the hen, is 

 to shut the door on them at night. Another way, whether 

 they are with or without the hen, is to get them accustomed 

 to feeding inside a wire frame, and close the door when 

 they have gone in. Grain sprinkled in a line leading up to 

 the place will help attract them. I have seen Rogers use a 

 frame entirely open at one end in catching pheasants. When 

 the birds were feeding inside he walked up openly, blocked 

 the entrance with his body, and caught them by hand. 

 They did not try to run toward him, but retreated to the 

 farther end. With quails it would be well to have some 

 brush there for them to hide under. 



In cases where a remnant is made shy by previous 

 trapping it would be well to attach a cord to the door and 

 pull it shut from a distance. Another way is to use traps. 

 One type is like a lobster-trap in principal. The birds follow 

 a line of grain into a funnel which projects back into the 

 centre of the trap. The birds, once in, run around the sides, 

 and do not notice the opening in this projection. Still an- 

 other method is by automatic traps of various sorts, such as 

 the figure-of-four trap, the " clover-leaf trap," mentioned 

 later, and others. 



Resume of Plan. Following is a resume of the general 

 plan, based upon my own experience and observation, which 

 I suggest for the handling of quails on an estate, farm, or 

 preserve : 



1. Secure breeding-stock in late fall or early winter 

 either by purchase or by capture of a small stock by per- 

 mission of the authorities. 



2. Keep these through the winter in a wire enclosure with 

 simple shelter from storms and cold winds. 



3. In April separate the pairs, having each pair in a small 



