84 BIRDS OF A MARYLAND FARM. 



birds than usual escaped from gunners, and the following spring (1902) 

 bred about the farm. One pair was located on the edge of the cal- 

 amus swamp, one on the river bluff near the cabin, one in the mid- 

 dle of lot i, two on the edge of the woods of lot 5, two along the west- 

 ern boundary fence of the farm, and several along Persimmon and 

 Partridge branches. They were still incubating during the last week 

 of June. The cocks, mounted on fence posts or the lower branches 

 of trees, were whistling their 'Bob White' incessantly. When a 

 cock approached its mate while it was on its nest, it uttered the soft 

 rally note so familiar to the sportsman in the fall. This was followed 

 by a caterwauling much more unbirdlike than that of the yellow- 

 breasted chat. One of its noises resembled that made by a cat calling 

 a kitten. Another suggested the scolding of a caged gray squirrel. 

 Others sounded like a combination of the alarm notes of a hen grouse 

 with chicks and the strident cries of a guinea hen. It. also uttered a 

 loud, rasping noise such as might have been emitted bj'^ a whip-poor- 

 will with a cracked voice. 



In their feeding these birds picked dewberries, gathered scattered 

 grain in wheat stubble, and caught grasshoppers, ground-beetles 

 {Harpalus pennsyl/oanicus), and potato beetles. 



The nest of the pair located in lot 4 was discovered on July 10 in 

 the center of the lot amid, some thick timothy. It contained eggs 

 which were subsequently destroyed by crows. Young bobwhites are 

 usually hatched before this time at Marshall Hall, according to the 

 reports of farmers, generally during the last week of June; but 

 although a thorough search for young was made up to the 12th of July 

 none were found. Observations were suspended until the 24th, when 

 three broods were found; the first but a day or two out of the shell, 

 the others several days older, but still unable to fly. The older broods 

 were pointed by a dog, and the mother birds flew up and fell 

 flopping a few yards distant, feigning broken wings, while their striped 

 chicks peeped squeakingly and ran with surprising swiftness for 

 cover. In order to ascertain the food habits of these young without 

 killing them, I collected some of their droppings and subsequently 

 examined them. The remains of the food thus found proved to be 

 entirely animal matter, and consisted of ants, true bugs, grasshoppers, 

 ground-beetles, weevils, leaf-eating beetles, other beetles, spiders, 

 and thousand-legs. 



Thirteen bobwhites were shot in the middle of November, 1899, 

 1900, and 1901. Vegetable matter formed 78 percent of their food, 

 and of this all but 8 percent, composed of white-oak acorns, wild fruit, 

 and fruit seeds, was weed seeds. Animal matter amounted to 19 per- 

 cent, and consisted of 1 spider, 1 true bug {Alydus eurhvus), 1 para- 

 sitic wasp (Tiplild iiiornata), 1 sphinx caterpillar {DeiliqjhUa ffalii), 

 1 cutwoi'm, 1 small ground- beetle, and a larva of another species, 1 



