THE VIRGINIA PARTRIDGE. 393 



succeeding autumn they numbered, with tlieir progeny, 

 twenty-eiglit birds. The whole flock was very tame and 

 familiar, and they proved very interesting pets. 



To the spoilsman the Quail is one of the greatest favor- 

 ites among our game birds. It lies well to the dog in almost 

 all seasons and localities, and when a covev is found in de- 

 sirable cover, a good bag may be counted on by a fair shot. 

 I have often bagged as large a percentage as a dozen out of 

 fifteen birds in a covey, and there are sportsmen w^ho claim 

 to have shot every bird in the covey. When the birds first 

 break cover, if the dog has done his work well, one onght to 

 get at least a brace with right and left barrels, and then 

 when the covey is " marked down " in good cover, their scat- 

 tered numbers ought to be picked up, one by one, by almost 

 a novice. Of course, perfect coolness in the sportsman is a 

 requisite ; for the bird gets up with a sudden whir and dash 

 and tiies away with the speed of a bullet. 



In nine cases out of ten when I have missed my bird it 

 has been owing to my firing too quickly, and before the bird 

 had got fairly out where the charge could separate. 



The Quail is a very prolific bird or it would be entirely 

 extirpated. The trained dog points to its hiding-place with 

 unerring accuracy ; the improved breech-loader, aimed by 

 the practiced hunter, empties its charge with fearful cer- 

 tainty and is reloaded with great rapidity. The net cap- 

 tures with one fell swoop a whole covey ; the birds and 

 beasts of prey destroy great numbers ; and the merciless 

 winter piles a murderous depth of snow upon them in their 

 roosting-places on the ground. Yet by a series of wonder- 

 ful escapes, enough are left in the spring to perpetuate the 

 race and enliven with their sprightly whistle our fields and 

 meadows through the glorious summer time. 



