QUAIL. 449 



by having the throat buff instead of white, less black about the fore-parts, and general 

 colors less intense, rather smaller than the male. Length, 9-10 ; wing, 4^-5 ;' tail, 2^-3. 



Habitat, Eastern United States. North to Massaohnsetts and slightly beyond^ 

 Canada West ; Minnesota. West to high central plains. Up the Missouri to White 

 River. Salt Lake Valley, introduced. Var. tea:a«M8 in Texas. Var. /Zori(Ja«M8 in Florida, 

 and very similar specimens up the Mississippi Valley to Southern Illinois. Introduced 

 in Bahamas and Santa Cruz, 



Abundant resident. Breeds. This well-known bird is an exception to 

 all others of the order, in that it was probably absent or at least confined 

 to but few localities in the State at the time of its first settlement, and 

 has steadily increased in numbers as the forest has been cleared away, 

 while others have diminished. It is practically sedentary in its habits, 

 yet during the fall months often changes its locality by more or less 

 complete migrations. During this period the birds sometimes appear in 

 considerable numbers in unexpected places, not unfrequently in the 

 streets, on the houses and in gardens of large cities. 



The following account from the beautiful work of Misses Jones and 

 Shulze, from the pen of Dr. Howard E. Jones, an enthusiastic sportsman 

 and naturalist, presents eo many interesting and important facts that I 

 reproduce it nearly entire : 



" The Bob- White is a permanent resident of Ohio. The greater portion of the year 

 the old birds with the family increase are found in coveys. In early spring this general 

 attachment is broken up by pairing, each pair selecting a locality where they remain 

 during the breeding season. When mating has taken place it is known by the 

 demonstrations of the male, who gives the whole neighborhood due notice of his domes- 

 tic intentions by frequent repetitions at short intervals, of his cheerful and well-known 

 notes — Boh-WUte, Bob-WMte. Nesting begins as early as the first of May. Two and 

 sometimes three hroods are raised during the season. Corners of worm-fences and 

 stumps, in garden patches or in cultivated fields, having tall grass or weeds about them 

 are favorite sites for the nest. Sometimes it is placed in a field with no protection ex- 

 cept the growing grain or grass. Earely it is built in thick woods, in a tussock, or 

 beside a stump or logs. But wherever the locality, either highland or lowland, culti- 

 vated or wild, a spoi well covered by a luxuriant growth of grass is usually selected 

 Though at times concealment as a means of security seems to be abandoned, and the 

 nest is placed under the protection of man. I have frequently seen nests built within a 

 few yards of a farm house, in the short blue-grass near a much frequented path ; and 

 only a few seasons since, I found a nest alongside a tie on sandy ground within five feet 

 of a railroad track. 



The nest, which always rests upon the ground, is placed in a slight concavity, either 

 natural or prepared by the mother-bird. Sometimes the materials are so arranged 

 with the surrounding tufts of grass as to form an arched covering having a side opening, 

 but generally it is quite free from any attempt at artificial concealment. 



The materials of construction consist of dry grass, straws, leaves, weed stemsj or like 

 substances found in the immediate vicinity. The average diameter of the structure is 

 about four and one- half inches. 

 29 



