The Quail 17 



coloration and the quail Providence. If those 

 who may stumble upon a brood of quail will take 

 a sportsman-naturalist's advice, they will promptly 

 back away for a few yards, sit down, and remain 

 silently watchful. No search should be attempted, 

 for the searcher is more likely to trample the life 

 out of the youngsters than to catch one. But if 

 he hide in patience, he may see the old hen return, 

 mark her cautiously stealing to the spot, and hear 

 her low musical twitter which tells that the peril 

 has passed. Then from the scant tuft here, from 

 the drooping leaf yonder, apparently from the bare 

 ground over which his eyes have roved a dozen 

 times, will arise active balls of pretty down until 

 the spot appears to swarm with them. And the 

 devoted mother will whisper soft greetings to each, 

 and in some mysterious manner will make the 

 correct count, and then with nervous care shep- 

 herd them forward to where there is safer cover. 

 And they will troop after her in perfect confi- 

 dence, to resume their bug-hunting and botanical 

 researches as though nothing important had 

 transpired. 



Young quail are busy foragers, and they grow 

 rapidly. Within a few days after leaving the nest 

 they are capable of a flight of several yards. A 

 brood flushed by a dog will buzz up like so many 

 overgrown grasshoppers, fly a short distance, then 

 dive into cover in a comical imitation of the tactics 



