DESTRUCTION AND PROTECTION 547 



improved on as time goes on. Professor Hodge's letter 

 on his experiments shows extraordinary progress made 

 in learning of the lives of these birds. 



There is a wide range of difference in the actions of 

 different pairs of bobwhites, especially in respect to 

 breeding and care of young. One pair which occupied 

 a large cage with the ruffed grouse got along with 

 the larger birds without any trouble; the hen laid 58 

 eggs, making and filling several nests. On August 

 2Oth the cock began brooding a nest with 16 eggs, and 

 on September I3th hatched 15 chicks. Both birds 

 joined in the care of the brood. Another pair had 

 occupied a cage 6 by 12 feet and produced in all 69 

 eggs, but neither bird showed any signs of brood- 

 ing. The cock, however, took charge of and reared 

 a brood of chicks, hatched under a bantam, but while 

 he was doing this the hen quail refused to associate 

 with him. A pair was kept in a cage 3 by 6 feet and 

 produced 68 eggs, all laid in a single nest. The eggs 

 were taken away from time to time, because neither 

 bird showed signs of brooding. Nevertheless, on the 

 9 eggs last laid, the hen began to sit September I2th 

 and brought out 9 chicks October 6th. The cock was 

 attentive to his mate on the nest, but was seen sitting 

 on it only once for a short time, while the hen was 

 feeding. Both birds joined in the care of the young. 

 Of the two unmated cocks one adopted and took care of 

 a brood of chicks hatched under a hen, while the other 

 refused to care for the chicks, pecked them savagely 

 and would probably have killed any that had been left 



