82 BUFFALO LAND. 



into air with a quick, whirring dart, and their shoot- 

 ing deservedly ranks high. They are very rapid in 

 their movements upon the ground, often running- 

 fifty or seventy-five yards before hiding. When this 

 takes place, so closely do they huddle that it is sel- 

 dom more than the upper bird that can be seen. 

 " Green hunters " sometimes pause, trying to discover 

 the rest of the covey before firing, and experience 

 a great and sudden disgust when the single bird 

 wdiich they have disdained suddenly develops into a 

 dozen flying ones. 



We had an eventful days' sport, expending more 

 ammunition than when among the chickens, and with 

 more satisfactory results, as we brought in over two 

 dozen birds. More than half of these w^ere taken by 

 Sachem at one lucky discharge. He saw a covey in 

 the grass, huddled together as they generally are 

 when not running. At these times they form a circle 

 about as large in diameter as the hoop of a nail keg, 

 with tails to the center and heads toward the outside. 

 Fifteen quails would thus be a circle of fifteen heads, 

 and a pail, could it be dropped over the covey, 

 would cover them all. Not only is this an economy 

 of warmth, there being no outsiders half of w^hose 

 bodies must get chilled, but there is no blind side on 

 which they can be approached, every portion of the 

 circle having its full quota of eyes. Let skunk or 

 fox, or other roamer through the grass, creep ever so 

 stealthily, he will be seen and avoided by flight. 

 Sachem aiming at the midst of such a ring, broke it 

 up as effectually as Boutwell's discharge of bullion 

 did that on Wall Street. 



