J^ewell. Bob White. 11 



from the pot hunter will work great slaughter. Ten or a dozen birds, out of a 

 flock of fifteen or twenty, at a single shot is the usual number killed in this way. 



Once fired into, the remaining birds scatter in every direction. Each indi- 

 vidual Quail looks out for himself and after flying thirty or forty rods, aUghts, 

 runs a few rods more and then completely hides in a bunch of husks or any- 

 thing else handy. Here he stays and he has got to be literally kicked out before 

 you can get a shot at him. When he does get out, though he does it with a whir-r-r, 

 and without ceremony, it takes a mighty good shot to interfere with his inten- 

 tion of going somewhere else. Once in a while a hunter is found who can shoot 

 them on the wing and rarely miss, but as far as the local nimrod is concerned 

 they are perfectly safe. 



A severe winter is very hard on our little friends and one such so nearly 

 exterminates them that four or five years are required for them to regain their 

 numbers. They roost in the groves or along sloughs and fences. The colder 

 the weather the closer they huddle together to keep warm. This attempt at 

 self preservation proves their destruction for the drifting snow buries and some- 

 times smothers them. Not until spring thaws can one realize the destruction. 

 Well do we remember how the tears of pity used to fill our eyes during the 

 severe •\\'inter several years ago when hundreds of the poor creatures perished. 



Shooting Quail is considered a very fine sport and true it is that a steadier 

 nerve and a quicker action are nowhere required than at this pastime. Be that 

 as it may, the lover of Nature must raise his hand against such sport for it is 

 cruel and useless. The amount of meat on a single bird will not pay for the 

 time and trouble required to kill it. Sach shooting is no more than satisfying 

 the bloodthirsty brute nature of the shooter. As far as the skill is concerned, 

 that could just as well be acquired and used somewhere else. 



During the winter, if unmolested, the Quails become exceedingly tame. 

 They will wander around the barnyards and even eat with the tame fowls. The 

 farmer zealously protects them and woe unto the man or boy who attempts to 

 thin out his flock of Quails. Would that the farmer realized as well the im- 

 portance of preserving many of our other birds, especially the hawks and owls. 

 If we could enlist the farmers in our cause, success in the protection of our birds 

 would be assured. As it is, however, many species are approaching rapid and 

 total extinction and our utmost efforts can stay their end but a few short years. 

 Nevertheless let us do our feathered friends a good turn when we have an oppor- 

 tunity. One such opportunity we have in discouraging the killing of our Quails. 

 If anyone possesses the bloodthirsty desire to slay them, let him steal upon them, 

 without dog or gun, in their natural haunts and there study their matchless 

 innocence and beauty. Then if he can harm one of them without a conscious 

 pang of sorrow and regret, his must be a hardened heart indeed. 



4*» 



An Accidental Visitor. 



Mr. Franck C. Pellet of Atlantic sends me a discription of what will prove 

 to be one of the murres, probably the Atlantic form, Uria troile Linn. It was 

 captured ahve, but thoroughly exhausted, Dec. 20th near Atlantic and died soon 

 after. It has been mounted and is now in Mr. Pellett's collection. A strange 

 visitor for our state, surely. J. H. Brown, Davenport, la. 



