QUAILOLOGY - ORNITHOLOGY 11 



they have become stained from the grass upon which they are 

 laid. One end is quite pointed and the other obtusely rounded; 

 average size 1.20 x .95. 



HABITS 



This species is familiar to all, being known in the New England, 

 Middle and Western States as the Quail, and in the Southern 

 States as the Partridge or Virginia Partridge. It is unquest- 

 ionably the most prolific of all our game birds. Its present name 

 "Bob White," its cheerful note call, has at the suggestion of Pro- 

 fessor Baird, become its present and accepted name. 



The birds thrive the best in the presence of man, where, if un- 

 molested and protected against "game hogs," they become quite 

 tame. In the colder sections many perish every winter for want 

 of food and shelter. Where they are protected and fed they be- 

 come very tame, and in many instances where they are protected, 

 feed with the barnyard flock at the doorstep. 



Under the care and kind treatment of the true naturalist and 

 fanciers why should they not become entirely domesticated, when 

 their friendly relations are openly shown by them when they be- 

 come so tame as to feed with the barnyard fowls at the doorstep ? 

 The destruction of them from various causes has brought about 

 the solution of this question. 



Cultivated fields afford a safe retreat from their many enemies 

 and insure a plentiful supply of food. They feed largely upon 

 weed seeds, cut worms, army worms, twelve spotted cucumber 

 beetles, chinch bugs, locusts, and many other injurious insects, 

 and more than doubly repay the farmer for the few grains eaten 

 before the harvest. The young at first feed exclusiuely on insect 

 food and later on small seeds, grain and bugs. Aside from insects 

 their food consists of buckwheat, wheat, rye, oats, seeds of the 

 locust, wild peas, tick-tree-foil, sunflower, bitterweed, partridge 

 berries, wintergreen, nannyberries, wild grapes, etc. In the late 

 fall they often feed on seeds of skunk-cabbage, acorns and beach- 

 nuts. 



Goss in his Birds of Kansas, says: "Although not strictly true 

 to each other in their marriage relations, are very attentive and 

 share alike in protecting and rearing the young. " 



During the nesting season the female is seldom seen while the 

 male, who is very attentive, attracts attention with his loud and 

 fallacious call, usually uttered from a fence post or lofty position. 



