thus bringing the tails of all together, while their heads stand 

 outward in a circle. This arrangement permits every bird to 

 fly freely and escape easily if they are disturbed. When they 

 rise to fly the whirring sound made by their wings startles a 

 person like the firing of a gun. The bfevy remains together 

 until spring when the members separate to begin life in pairs. 

 They are called "game birds" because they are good for 

 food. Years ago they were abundant, but the hunters destroyed 

 so many of them that they became very scarce. After strict 

 game laws were passed, forbidding anyone to kill them out of 

 season, they began to increase again. Now if you spend a day 

 in the country during the summer, you may hear their call in 

 the fields as of old. 



BIRD NOTES 



47 



