48 THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 



chickens — you will see one in a blue moon. Wilkerson's 



theory is that inbreeding will play the mischief with the 



quail, but it can't be half as bad as an automatic shot gun. 



Montgomery Co., 111. E. M. HULETT. 



I notice in your issue of January 27 a letter on how to 

 increase the quail supply written by A. D. Wilkerson of Cook 

 County, 111. He comes as near hitting the nail on the head 

 as I have seen. The editor says he'd better get his $100 

 ready that he offers anyone that will furnish positive proof 

 that a quail will eat chinch bugs in their wild state. I believe 

 he could make it $500 and his money be as safe as in a 

 government bond. I have examined hundreds of quail crops 

 for chinch bugs and can say I have never been able to dis- 

 cover any chinch bugs in a quail's crop yet. 



White Co., 111. WM. B. SHIPLEY. 



Maybe your chinch bugs are specially trained to escape 

 quail. — Editor. 

 That Inbreeding Theory 



I was amused at the theory Mr. Wilkerson advanced when 

 he said, "shooting among quails was a necessity" to avoid in- 

 breeding. We first wonder if our brother Wilkerson really 

 believes what he preaches. Turtle doves as we all are aware 

 lay only two eggs. Nature has so arranged affairs that these 

 two eggs hatch male and female mated for life, and if broken 

 by death they remain unmated the remainder of their lives. 

 I have heard it said if by an accident of nature they are of the 

 same sex the mother will kill the weaker of the two. Pigeons 

 are similar in natural habits, and propagation. The dove and 

 the pigeon are as healthy and perfect as they were when Noah 

 liberated them from the Ark and they have been inbred mil- 

 lions of times. Brother Wilkerson is in our estimation a pump 

 gun and bird dog fanatic and did not know what else to say 

 and consequently his article sounds absurd in the ears of all 

 quail lovers. Hasten the time for a closed season on quail for 

 all time to come. 



White Co., 111. DONALD B. WEAS. 



Well, Bro. Wilkerson, what have you to say to that? — 



