352 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



eggs. We do not know that any have been reared, 

 but no doubt this might readily enough be done, were 

 proper care exercised. 



GAMBEI/S QUAIL 



Dr. Coues, in an article in the Ibis many years ago, 

 said of the shooting of this bird in its home : 



"Compared with the eastern quail (0. virginianus) , 

 from the sportsman's standpoint, Gambel's plumed quail 

 is more difficult to kill. Not that it rises with more 

 startling suddenness, or flies faster, for I noticed no 

 material differences in these respects ; but when a bevy 

 is flushed, and one, or at most two, birds secured, it 

 is exceedingly difficult, and usually only by chance, that 

 other shots are obtained ; for except under certain cir- 

 cumstances, they lie very badly, and when they drop 

 after being for the first time started it is, usually, not 

 to squat and remain hidden, but to run as fast and far 

 as possible ; so that, if found at all, it will be dozens of 

 yards from where they were marked down. This pro- 

 pensity to run, which is also a great obstacle to their 

 being flushed within proper distance, is exceedingly 

 troublesome both to the sportsman and his dog; so 

 much so, that the best trained dogs can often be of lit- 

 tle or no service. It is true that this habit of running 

 affords many shots on the ground, and often places 

 the whole bevy directly under fire, but no true sports- 

 man would thus ingloriously fill his bag by potting a 

 bevy of such noble game birds. Like all their tribe, 



