QUAIL, GROUSE, ETC. 155 



serves the heat of the body and gives the best protection 

 from their natural enemies, as there is a guard on the look- 

 out at every point of the compass. 



The food of the quails is both insectivorous and vege- 

 table. They destroy great numbers of insects, including 

 chinch bugs, beetles, grasshoppers, the seeds of detrimental 

 weeds and grasses, with some berries and grains. The 

 destructive hessian fly is the natural food for the young, as 

 the mother leads them into a wheatfield if possible. Bob- 

 wliites should be fed in bad weather in the winter, espe- 

 cially at time of deep snows or sleet, and should be pro- 

 tected by law tliroughout the year. 



A disturbed flock of bob-white spring from the ground 

 with startling wing-beats, each bird pursuing a different 

 course, alternately flapping their wings and sailing and 

 dropping into cover within a few seconds. They run rap- 

 idly after alighting, and soon squat close to the ground in 

 an attempt to escape detection. Assembling call notes 

 then bring the flock together. These birds are not polyg- 

 amous, like many of our game birds, but remain in pairs 

 through the breeding season. 



The nests are placed in fields, orchards, and pastures. 

 A thick clump or tussock of grass with an opening at the 

 side is used by the birds as a nesting site. A little hoUow 

 is scratched in the earth, and dry grass is about the only 

 thing that is used in constructing the nest. From eight 

 to twenty pure white eggs are laid. Unlike the eggs of 

 any other partridge or grouse, they are pure white when 

 laid, though dampness frequently stains the shells before 

 the young are hatched. 



